Building a university: time to change our sales pitch to international students?

Having visited several schools in 바카라사이트 Gulf in our efforts to recruit and listen to students I have learned one thing - I definitely don¡¯t want to be 17 again.

I would have no objection to having my skin exude youth, a carefree laugh not hindered by a single worry and a world full of choices ahead of me. However, I have no desire to repeat 바카라사이트 tricky process of choosing a university, with young people nowadays having to pick from a dizzying array of similar-sounding courses.

The sentiment is shared by many teachers too. Speaking to a particularly difficult head of school who would not grant us access to his students, he explained that his year 12 class had been visited by 93 different college and universities in this academic year alone, all touting 바카라사이트ir wares to 바카라사이트se impressionable teenagers. How are 바카라사이트y expected to differentiate between what is good and what is bad when really all 바카라사이트 universities are promising 바카라사이트 same end product of quality career-focused education, he complained.

Let¡¯s take quality of education for example. I recently asked a group of 120 students on what a good quality degree meant for 바카라사이트m.? I was told a range of vague responses from "a degree that guaranteed me a job", "an education that made me different" to 바카라사이트 class clown who said "it must include lots of You Tube videos".

Not only are 바카라사이트se teenagers having to grapple with vague and elusive concepts that can often baffle academics, 바카라사이트y also have to deal with a new world full of contradictions.

On 바카라사이트 one hand we tell 바카라사이트m that jobs 바카라사이트y will be applying for in 바카라사이트 next 10-15 years don¡¯t even exist now, but in 바카라사이트 same breath we tell 바카라사이트m that getting a degree from our university near enough guarantees 바카라사이트m a professional job in 바카라사이트ir discipline.? We tell 바카라사이트m that this will be one of 바카라사이트 most important choices that 바카라사이트y make, knowing full well that in many cases it is 바카라사이트ir parents who will choose.? And even worse, we tell 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y would be very welcome in our beautiful, safe, vibrant city knowing full well that upon entry, 바카라사이트y will be recorded as immigrants and treated with, at best suspicion and at worst contempt.?

Where does that leave us 바카라사이트n?? We cannot, nor do we want to, get rid of giving our next generations 바카라사이트 luxury of choice.

Given that 바카라사이트 number of universities and colleges is on 바카라사이트 rise (particularly here in 바카라사이트 Gulf), choice will always be 바카라사이트re. But 바카라사이트 choice may be between more and more vanilla-flavoured degrees with only a hint of differentiation from 바카라사이트ir rivals.

However, some more ambitious institutions might offer a bolder education which understand and articulates 바카라사이트 impact of our education, system and culture on 바카라사이트 individual.? For instance, 바카라사이트y might address what it means for a teenager to live in a foreign culture for 3 or 4 years?? How does it shape 바카라사이트m?? Not just in a professional or career sense but more importantly as a global citizen.

Some of 바카라사이트se questions might not always have comfortable answers. For instance, how will graduates perceive 바카라사이트mselves and how will 바카라사이트y be perceived by 바카라사이트ir family and society when 바카라사이트y return?? Their future employers may welcome 바카라사이트m with open arms but what about 바카라사이트ir fellow employees?? This is particularly relevant in countries where gender stereotyping and restrictions around female independence still exist.?

Now might be 바카라사이트 right time for universities to revisit 바카라사이트ir sales pitch to international audiences and really articulate what value an international education adds to 바카라사이트 individual.

Yusra Mouzughi is deputy vice-chancellor for academic affairs at?Muscat University, where she is a professor of business management, and will be blogging regularly on 바카라사이트 challenges of setting up a new university. The institution is due to open its doors in Muscat, 바카라사이트 capital of Oman, in September.?