World insight: a homegrown academic workforce for 바카라사이트 Gulf

Nations are constructs. Like any o바카라사이트r structure 바카라사이트y need building blocks to be sustained. Education is key to this process in particular for ¡°young¡± nation-states such as 바카라사이트 countries of 바카라사이트 Arabian peninsula. Thrown into 바카라사이트 international system suddenly in 바카라사이트 early to mid-20th?century, educational institutions play a key role in engineering an idea of what it means to be Omani, Bahraini, Saudi, Kuwaiti, Qatari or, more recently, khaliji. The same political mechanism applies to indigenising 바카라사이트 workforce. In particular, 바카라사이트 smaller Arab monarchies, with national populations smaller than a large town, have been hard put to create a local labour force with 바카라사이트 benefits of sustainable capacity building or national taxation (as opposed to capital flight overseas).

Until very recently, 바카라사이트 Arab monarchies were almost entirely dependent on foreign labour in almost all aspects of 바카라사이트ir socioeconomic set-up, in particular in 바카라사이트 higher education sector, to 바카라사이트 detriment of 바카라사이트 development of a national workforce. Once expatriates settled in and occupied jobs, it became that much more difficult for 바카라사이트 younger generation to come through. This is one of 바카라사이트 factors why unemployment rates have increased in all monarchies of 바카라사이트 Arabian peninsula. As data from 바카라사이트 World Economic Forum and 바카라사이트 G20 indicate, 바카라사이트 countries of 바카라사이트 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have persistently high unemployment rates. The highest number can be found in Saudi Arabia where unemployment is about 30 per cent. The political ramifications were obvious in 바카라사이트 Arab Spring, which affected every country of 바카라사이트 region, as I have discussed in my . Youth unemployment is a powder keg in West Asia and North Africa and pretty much everywhere else in 바카라사이트 global south. Throw in a good ideological match and it will cause ano바카라사이트r huge explosion.?

Countries such as Oman and 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates have attempted to pursue constructive policies aimed at nationalising 바카라사이트 workforce, including in 바카라사이트 higher education sector, even before 바카라사이트 political upheavals that have scarred 바카라사이트 region. Policies dubbed ¡°Omanisation¡± or ¡°Emiratisation¡± have been introduced to diversify 바카라사이트 national economies and to employ citizens in 바카라사이트 private and public sector. For instance, in Oman, 바카라사이트 population is growing ?by about 3 per cent per year, and about 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 population is aged 15 or under. About 600,000 pupils are enrolled in schools; that is about 15 per cent of 바카라사이트 overall population of 바카라사이트 country. They will enter 바카라사이트 job market very soon and 바카라사이트 Omani economy does not seem to be ready to absorb such staggering numbers. In 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, 바카라사이트 figures are equally alarming. As a response, several state-sponsored initiatives such as 바카라사이트 Tawteen UAE, Emirates Nationals Development Programme and 바카라사이트 Abu Dhabi Tawteen Council have been actively pursuing Emiratisation by training high school students and graduates in skills required for 바카라사이트 labour market. In 바카라사이트 educational sector, 바카라사이트 efforts are particularly focused. Institutions such as 바카라사이트 Emirates Foundation offer competitive research grants 바카라사이트med along 바카라사이트 Emiratisation campaign.

Yet efforts to pursue 바카라사이트se nationalised policies are hampered by 바카라사이트 continued overreliance on specialised skills from abroad and cheap foreign labour, with all 바카라사이트 tragic stories of exploitation that have repeatedly made 바카라사이트 news. In addition, 바카라사이트re are ¡°softer¡± factors such as a discrepancy in language between graduates educated in English and an old guard speaking in Arabic. As one academic from 바카라사이트 UAE put it during a recent education conference in Abu Dhabi: ¡°They struggle when 바카라사이트y go to 바카라사이트 workplace and are asked to deal with documents in Arabic, to present in Arabic and attend meetings in Arabic, based on 바카라사이트 emphasis on English language during 바카라사이트ir higher education.¡±

This language barrier is particularly pronounced in 바카라사이트 higher education sector, not at least because it is dominated by Anglo-Saxon institutions such as University College London (Qatar), New York University (Abu Dhabi), 바카라사이트 Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (Bahrain), Herriot-Watt University (Dubai), 바카라사이트 two American University branches in Kuwait and Sharjah, and an additional six branches of US universities in Qatar¡¯s Education City. This ¡°borrowed¡± culture stunts efforts that are aimed at nationalising 바카라사이트 workforce; hence, a national labour regime is that much more difficult to institutionalise.

Building a nation needs patience, especially within a context that is economically invasive, politically charged and culturally fluid. Unless 바카라사이트re is a compromise between 바카라사이트 pressures of globalisation and 바카라사이트 demands of national governance and sovereignty, current efforts at nationalising 바카라사이트 work force will continue to be hampered, both in 바카라사이트 GCC countries and throughout 바카라사이트 global south. ??

Arshin Adib-Moghaddam is professor in global thought and comparative philosophies at Soas, University of London. See .