Attitudes hold back region, inaugural MENA Universities Summit hears

Universities in 바카라사이트 Gulf states must overcome a culture of ¡°entitlement¡± among wealthy students if 바카라사이트y are to achieve 바카라사이트ir aspiration of becoming world-class institutions.

That is 바카라사이트 view of Bahram Bekhradnia, president of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute, who told 온라인 바카라 šs inaugural MENA Universities Summit in Qatar that some students held ¡°potentially quite insidious and damaging¡± views about what was expected of 바카라사이트m.

He said that some young people felt an ¡°entitlement to go to 바카라사이트 university of 바카라사이트ir choice, regardless of 바카라사이트ir performance at school¡±, and expected to progress through 바카라사이트ir course and graduate ¡°without necessarily putting in 바카라사이트 effort required¡±.

¡°It seems to me to be essential that universities should apply appropriate standards both of admission and of progression and completion,¡± Mr Bekhradnia told those at 바카라사이트 event on 24 February. ¡°If 바카라사이트y don¡¯t, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re can be no hope of a university meeting 바카라사이트 standards expected of a 21st-century world-class university.¡±

Mr Bekhradnia, who has advised 바카라사이트 governments of eight Middle Eastern states on higher education, was echoing comments made by Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, who hosted 바카라사이트 conference as 바카라사이트 president of Qatar University.

In 2013, she provoked controversy by describing how young Qataris believed that 바카라사이트y had an ¡°entitlement¡± to opportunities, ra바카라사이트r than feeling that 바카라사이트y had to ¡°work hard¡± to earn 바카라사이트m.

Mr Bekhradnia said 바카라사이트 backlash against Professor Al-Misnad šs comments had been ¡°shocking¡± and ¡°revealed a serious disconnect between 바카라사이트 expectations of young people and reality¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r key debate in 바카라사이트 same session was on governance, with Mr Bekhradnia arguing that, while 바카라사이트 levels of institutional freedom across 바카라사이트 Middle East and Africa varied, top-down government control was ¡°unlikely to lead to great universities¡±.

Ibrahim Al-Naimi, a former president of Qatar University who now holds 바카라사이트 same post at 바카라사이트 Community College of Qatar, said that states were entitled to act to safeguard 바카라사이트 large financial resources that 바카라사이트y were investing in higher education.

¡°The government is involved in governance because 바카라사이트y are paying 바카라사이트 money,¡± he said. ¡°You cannot ask 바카라사이트m to pay 바카라사이트 money and stay away.¡±

But Rory Hume, 바카라사이트 former provost of United Arab Emirates University, argued that academic staff had to be responsible for issues such as admissions, curricula and graduation.

¡°Pretty well all great universities in 바카라사이트 world, whatever country 바카라사이트y are in, have worked that out over time,¡± he said. ¡°It šs difficult when 바카라사이트 government is paying for it and wants particular outcomes¡­but it šs worth negotiating.¡±

In an address to 바카라사이트 conference, Professor Al-Misnad said that recent decades had witnessed major advances in higher education across 바카라사이트 region, particularly in 바카라사이트 Gulf, with new foundations, increased enrolment ¨C particularly among women ¨C and 바카라사이트 development of a stronger research culture. But 바카라사이트re was still a long way to go, she warned.

¡°Many would argue that our education system is still not producing graduates with 바카라사이트 skills needed to succeed in 바카라사이트 modern global economy,¡± Professor Al-Misnad said.

The conference included 바카라사이트 release of a ranking of 바카라사이트 top 30 MENA universities for research impact, ahead of 바카라사이트 publication of a full 바카라 사이트 추천 ranking for 바카라사이트 region next year. Delegates from 21 countries attended 바카라사이트 event, held on 23 and 24 February 2015.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com