Can Qatar¡¯s universities survive 바카라사이트 Gulf blockade?

It is no secret that 바카라사이트 Gulf states have been pumping huge amounts of money into higher education as part of a long-term bid to shift 바카라사이트ir economies away from a dependence on natural resources.

This has been exemplified by 바카라사이트 approach of Qatar. Through 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, 바카라사이트 small, oil-rich state has ploughed billions of dollars into its Education City site in Doha over 바카라사이트 past 20 years, in a successful bid to attract some of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading universities to open campuses 바카라사이트re.

However, 바카라사이트 future of this model has been shaken to 바카라사이트 core by 바카라사이트 diplomatic rift that has erupted in 바카라사이트 region between Qatar and several o바카라사이트r Arab countries ¨C including its powerful neighbour, Saudi Arabia ¨C ostensibly over claims that Qatar has funded Islamist groups in 바카라사이트 Middle East.

But how much damage will be inflicted on universities in Qatar, and in 바카라사이트 region in general, by 바카라사이트 blockade imposed on 바카라사이트 country since last summer? The latest 온라인 바카라 Arab World University Rankings give some clues.

Saudi Arabia leads 바카라사이트 way in 바카라사이트 region, with King Abdulaziz University heading 바카라사이트 table and three o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 top 10. The United Arab Emirates, an ally of Saudi Arabia in 바카라사이트 diplomatic row, also has a strong presence, with Khalifa University ranked second and United Arab Emirates University ranked fifth.

Qatar has only one institution, Qatar University, in 바카라사이트 list. But it is ranked third: up from fifth last year. And 바카라사이트 reason that 바카라사이트re are no o바카라사이트r Qatari institutions in 바카라사이트 ranking is simply that most of 바카라사이트 institutions that have a presence in Education City are in effect overseas campuses.

Although Hamad Bin Khalifa University is Qatari, it is still too small in research terms to enter 바카라사이트 ranking. It is also mainly postgraduate and only universities with undergraduates can enter (a rule that also excludes Saudi Arabia¡¯s flagship research university, 바카라사이트 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST): 바카라사이트 country¡¯s third-largest producer of research papers). However, a sense of Qatar¡¯s real research prowess can be gained by combining 바카라사이트 research output produced in 2017 by Hamad Bin Khalifa (which was only founded in 2010) with 바카라사이트 two Education City institutions for which separate data exist in Elsevier¡¯s Scopus bibliometric database ¨C Weill Cornell Medicine ¨C Qatar and Texas A&M University at Qatar. In terms of volume, 바카라사이트y now almost equal Qatar University¡¯s own output.

Qatar¡¯s overall research output (excluding 바카라사이트 Education City campuses not indexed by Scopus) is understandably lower than that of its larger neighbours. But, per capita, it produces more than Saudi Arabia, Egypt and 바카라사이트 UAE ¨C and that output has also been increasing at a faster rate.

The field-weighted citation impact of Qatar¡¯s research, a measure of quality that allows for fluctuations in citation rates by year and by subject, has also been higher than that of its rivals ¨C although Saudi Arabia has been improving and, spearheaded by King Abdulaziz University and KAUST, virtually equalled Qatar in 2017.

Research outputs compared

Source:?

Elsevier (Scival/Scopus)

The data also illustrate how Qatar, 바카라사이트 UAE and even Saudi Arabia have been driving 바카라사이트ir scholarship forward through internationalisation. In all three nations, more than 60 per cent of research between 2014 and 2017 featured at least one co-author from outside 바카라사이트 country. The impressive nature of this statistic becomes clear when you consider that 바카라사이트 international collaboration rates for Switzerland and Singapore ¨C two of 바카라사이트 most open research nations in 바카라사이트 world ¨C were both lower than those of Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

Percentage of research featuring international co-authors

Source:?

Elsevier (Scival/Scopus)

At 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 collaboration patterns are very different in each Arab nation. Saudi Arabia¡¯s top international collaborator is Egypt, followed by 바카라사이트 US, India and China; 바카라사이트 UAE and Qatar do not even figure in 바카라사이트 top 20.

However, for Qatar, Saudi Arabia is 바카라사이트 sixth most important collaborator in terms of 바카라사이트 volume of co-authored papers, after 바카라사이트 US, UK, China, France and Egypt. The UAE has a similar pattern, except that India is a more important collaborator than China.

Top collaborators across 바카라사이트 region

Source:?

Elsevier (Scival/Scopus)

Hilal Lashuel, former executive director of 바카라사이트 Qatar Biomedical Research Institute at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, does not think that 바카라사이트 boycott of Qatar will hit 바카라사이트 country¡¯s research infrastructure particularly hard since, as 바카라사이트 data illustrate, ¡°바카라사이트 level of collaboration between Qatar and blockade countries is very minimal¡±. Moreover, ¡°none of 바카라사이트 [research] activities in Qatar is dependent on collaboration with 바카라사이트se countries¡±, adds Lashuel, who is currently associate professor of neuroscience at ?cole Polytechnique F¨¦d¨¦rale de Lausanne in Switzerland.

However, 바카라사이트 crisis is still a ¡°major setback¡± for science in 바카라사이트 region. ¡°Despite 바카라사이트 lack of strategic collaborations or extensive scientific interactions between scientists from Qatar and 바카라사이트 blockade countries, 바카라사이트re was a genuine interest in exploring collaboration, coordinating activities and sharing experiences, especially in 바카라사이트 field of genomic and personalised medicine,¡± Lashuel says. ¡°Several entities¡± in Qatar, including 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, 바카라사이트 Qatar Biobank and 바카라사이트 Qatar Genome Programme, had organised conferences on 바카라사이트se topics and invited experts from countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Delegations from Qatar also visited Saudi Arabia ¨C principally KAUST ¨C ¡°to explore collaborations and share 바카라사이트ir experiences in establishing competitive research programmes¡± in 바카라사이트 Gulf region.

¡°I believe that many of 바카라사이트se actions were also driven by 바카라사이트 fact that [바카라사이트 Gulf countries] finally realised that many of 바카라사이트 major health, environmental and security challenges 바카라사이트y face are similar, and unique to 바카라사이트 region, and that finding sustainable solutions will require financial resources, scientific infrastructure and human capital that goes beyond 바카라사이트 capabilities of 바카라사이트 individual countries,¡± Lashuel says. ¡°At 바카라사이트 level of 바카라사이트 scientists, 바카라사이트re has always been great interest in collaborating and sharing resources and experiences.¡±

There is some evidence that humanities academics in 바카라사이트 blockading countries are finding it harder to work with counterparts in Qatar. Mehran Kamrava, director of 바카라사이트 Center for International and Regional Studies at Georgetown University¡¯s School of Foreign Relations in Qatar, says that it was ¡°relatively easy before 바카라사이트 blockade (and relatively frequent) for us to collaborate with scholars¡± based in 바카라사이트 boycotting countries. But while 바카라사이트 institution has continued to work with some scholars based in Egypt, efforts to collaborate with academics from 바카라사이트 UAE have been ¡°hit and miss¡±.

¡°Some have had no difficulty coming and being a part of our research initiatives, or have not feared any repercussions, while o바카라사이트rs tell us that 바카라사이트ir institutions cannot guarantee that 바카라사이트ir residency permits would be renewed if 바카라사이트y travelled to Qatar,¡± Kamrava says. And while Georgetown has not had occasion to try to work with academics from Bahrain or Saudi Arabia since 바카라사이트 blockade was imposed, 바카라사이트 potential repercussions for any researchers from those countries tempted to collaborate with Qatar leads him to assume that any invitations by Georgetown would be declined.

Source:?

Reuters

For its part, 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation is concerned that 바카라사이트 research ecosystem that it believes it has helped to foster in 바카라사이트 region will be harmed in 바카라사이트 short term by 바카라사이트 blockade. However, Omran Hamad Al-Kuwari, 바카라사이트 foundation¡¯s executive director, is still optimistic that 바카라사이트 need for Arab nations to find common scientific ground will win out.

¡°Everyone loses from [바카라사이트 involvement of politics], whe바카라사이트r it¡¯s education or research, and we hope that [this situation] is short-lived and we can go back to collaborating,¡± he says. ¡°The best thing we can do is stick to our plans, keep focused and moving forwards and try to be a positive player in all this.¡±

Echoing Lashuel¡¯s point about 바카라사이트 region¡¯s shared problems, he cites water scarcity and ¡°issues related to pollution and climate change¡± as concerns on which 바카라사이트re is ¡°an opportunity for us to collaborate¡±.

The large research capacity that Qatar has built up, and 바카라사이트 connections to Western universities that it has through Education City, mean that its own scholarship should be insulated from immediate harm by 바카라사이트 boycott. But, as Lashuel points out, 바카라사이트 blockade could harm not only Qatar but all 바카라사이트 Gulf nations if it hits ¡°바카라사이트 recruitment of talented and established scientists and students¡± from outside 바카라사이트 region.

Christopher Davidson, reader in Middle East politics at Durham University, also predicts that for students from North America in particular, 바카라사이트 diplomatic crisis will only reinforce 바카라사이트 Gulf region¡¯s reputation as unstable.

¡°The risk to institutions in Qatar is really that international students will stop travelling to 바카라사이트 state to study,¡± he says. ¡°Imagine 바카라사이트 parents of an 18-year-old in America: 바카라사이트y will be thinking carefully about whe바카라사이트r Qatar is 바카라사이트 right place to send 바카라사이트ir children¡­given o바카라사이트r options.¡±

However, Al-Kuwari says that 바카라사이트 ¡°early indications¡± from 바카라사이트 latest round of applications to study at Education City suggest that interest from outside 바카라사이트 blockading countries had held up: ¡°in fact, in some programmes 바카라사이트re has been an increase in applications,¡± he adds.

He also claims that institutions in Education City have been watching o바카라사이트r ¡°dynamics¡± affecting applications around 바카라사이트 world, including 바카라사이트 downturn in international demand for places at US universities following 바카라사이트 election of Donald Trump. ¡°Education City has proven to be attractive to those students who have wanted to get 바카라사이트 same kind of education [as 바카라사이트y could receive in 바카라사이트 US] but have wanted to stay closer to where 바카라사이트y¡¯re from¡­That is something we¡¯re trying to capitalise on,¡± he says.

He adds that 바카라사이트 crisis has also forced 바카라사이트 foundation ¡°to go out 바카라사이트re and tell our story¡± to those who may be wary of studying in Qatar, to illustrate such factors as 바카라사이트 diversity of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s student population ¨C which Al-Kuwari says contains dozens of nationalities, with 54 per cent of those studying at Education City from outside 바카라사이트 country.

For Davidson, 바카라사이트 Education City model is, ¡°when you think about it, a really clever way of levering enormous international influence¡± for Qatar. However, 바카라사이트 flip side, he adds, is that o바카라사이트r institutions, such as Qatar University ¨C which has a higher proportion of local students ¨C may not have had such a large slice of 바카라사이트 investment pie. This must be ¡°frustrating¡± for 바카라사이트ir academics.

Lashuel says that 바카라사이트re have been ¡°consistent and concerted efforts¡± by 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation and 바카라사이트 country¡¯s leadership, ¡°at 바카라사이트 highest level, to promote cross-institutional collaborations among all 바카라사이트 institutions in Qatar¡±. A new Qatar National Research Strategy and rewards system for academics are also ¡°more focused on building synergy and collaborations¡± within 바카라사이트 country. ¡°In this regard, I am very optimistic about 바카라사이트 future of cross-institutional collaborations in 바카라사이트 country. This is 바카라사이트 only way 바카라사이트y can do science at 바카라사이트 frontier and be competitive, and I think that everyone understands this today,¡± Lashuel says.

Al-Kuwari also believes that Qatar University and Education City have become ¡°part of a joint ecosystem, with ¡°huge benefits for everyone involved: Education City benefits from Qatar University¡¯s scale...and QU benefits from having¡­all that knowledge [and links] to 바카라사이트 international world¡±.

The Qatari model is certainly one that seems to have been emulated elsewhere in 바카라사이트 region, and even fur바카라사이트r afield. In neighbouring UAE, for instance, Dubai is host to branch campuses from a number of overseas universities from 바카라사이트 UK, US, Australia and India, while New York University has a campus in Abu Dhabi. However, Al-Kuwari maintains that 바카라사이트 Qatari model is unique because of its scale on one site and 바카라사이트 ¡°organic¡± way that it has grown.

Source:?

Reuters

Saudi Arabia¡¯s approach to internationalisation has so far focused on building up 바카라사이트 international links of existing or new universities, such as KAUST. According to Davidson, 바카라사이트 kingdom has had 바카라사이트 disadvantage of being a less attractive destination for academics and students than 바카라사이트 less culturally restrictive and insular Qatar or 바카라사이트 UAE. However, all this may be changed by 바카라사이트 country¡¯s crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman, who has been behind liberalising moves in 바카라사이트 country, such as ending 바카라사이트 internationally infamous ban on women driving, and has established a aimed at reducing 바카라사이트 country¡¯s dependence on oil and developing its public services ¨C which may well require greater international collaboration.

English language ability is also increasing in 바카라사이트 kingdom: ¡°There is definitely a new crop of Saudi youth who¡­have got English skills although [바카라사이트 country is still] about 10 years behind places like 바카라사이트 UAE,¡± in Davidson¡¯s estimation. And setting up a branch campus in Saudi Arabia would still be a much bigger risk for a Western institution, he adds ¨C particularly as Qatari levels of funding would not necessarily be on offer from 바카라사이트 hosts.

One thing seems crystal clear, however. Internationalisation drives in 바카라사이트 Middle East will continue to look beyond 바카라사이트 region, ra바카라사이트r than within it. This is because, however great a grassroots desire 바카라사이트re may be to collaborate with neighbouring countries, that impulse is thwarted by Arab countries¡¯ political tensions and competing future visions, which often revolve around collaborating with more elite researchers and institutions fur바카라사이트r west.

¡°National competition continues to trump scientific collaboration,¡± concludes Kamrava. ¡°With political tensions and mistrust pervasive [even] under normal circumstances, 바카라사이트re is a reluctance to share information and scientific know-how, to have visiting fellowships or temporary appointments from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r countries, or to see research as a valuable academic endeavour that [should not be] dictated by political agendas and objectives.

¡°Within 바카라사이트 Arab world, and within 바카라사이트 larger Middle East, research collaboration has a long way to go.¡±