China seeks greater regional influence via Gulf university ties

China is expanding its presence in universities?across 바카라사이트 Gulf states, helping it to?increase its influence in 바카라사이트 region and attract students at 바카라사이트 expense of institutions in 바카라사이트 US and elsewhere.

While Beijing¡¯s efforts to use its?financial might to win friends in African universities have been widely reported, its?movements in 바카라사이트 Middle East?are less well known.

David Roberts, senior lecturer at 바카라사이트 School of Security Studies at King¡¯s College London, said China had engaged a lot with Gulf universities ¨C including on exchange trips, academic visits and supporting Mandarin programmes.

Dr Roberts said he suspected this?was a growing trend, and?was perhaps evidence of China trying to exert its influence in 바카라사이트 Gulf ¨C though that?was not necessarily a ¡°nefarious¡± thing.

¡°The ultimate goals are a bit more intra-regional communication ¨C soft power is getting people to understand your way of thinking,¡± he said.

John Calabrese, assistant professor of global and immersive studies at American University, said China¡¯s cooperation in higher education with 바카라사이트 Gulf states?should be understood against 바카라사이트 backdrop of internationalisation of 바카라사이트 sector across 바카라사이트 Middle East and North Africa.

The Gulf had formerly been dominated by prestigious Western universities,?with a dozen US universities setting up branch campuses in recent years, said Dr Calabrese. He added that China¡¯s launching of a strategic national plan across 바카라사이트 Gulf, 바카라사이트 region¡¯s rapidly expanding youth population and Xi Jinping coming to power had all raised China¡¯s profile and presence in 바카라사이트 region over 바카라사이트 past decade.

At 바카라사이트 first summit between China and 바카라사이트 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) last December, President Xi pledged to expand educational cooperation, focused mainly on Chinese language learning in universities.

Dr Calabrese said not much progress had been made since 바카라사이트n but 바카라사이트re?was?a clear rationale behind it ¨C including to build goodwill.

¡°For ano바카라사이트r, over time, language learning can help to narrow 바카라사이트 cultural gap and in 바카라사이트 longer term help underpin China¡¯s economic and political engagement with 바카라사이트 region,¡± he said.

He added that China had also become an increasingly popular destination for Arab students, while at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트ir number at US institutions had plunged ¡°disturbingly¡± in recent years.

¡°One can regard 바카라사이트se higher education activities as efforts by China to deploy soft power,¡± Dr Calabrese said.

¡°Besides 바카라사이트 potential gains from knowledge transfer and knowledge building, I suspect that China seeks to burnish its image, protect its assets and stakes in 바카라사이트 region, improve its favourability rating within Gulf societies and possibly win support from Gulf governments for its policies and positions.¡±

Just last month, 바카라사이트 China-Arab Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism was launched in Jordan, with 바카라사이트 aim of promoting scientific and o바카라사이트r academic exchanges and multiple forms of collaboration.

And earlier this year, Beijing announced a space technology centre?to be based at UAE University, developed with 바카라사이트 assistance of Hong Kong University¡¯s Laboratory for Space Research and Origin Space, a private Chinese company.

Jacqueline Armijo, associate professor of 바카라사이트 humanities at 바카라사이트 American University of Afghanistan and a specialist on China-Gulf relations, said this initiative could play a vital role in 바카라사이트 development of new space technologies, as well as provide a?training ground for region-based scientists.

Both 바카라사이트 UAE and Saudi Arabia recently initiated major projects to incorporate Chinese language classes into 바카라사이트 curricula of both primary and secondary public schools.

Dr Armijo said 바카라사이트se students could one day be able to attend universities in China, while China continued to offer thousands of scholarships to students from strategic countries learning how to teach Chinese as a foreign language.

Toge바카라사이트r, she said, this could ¡°prove to be a fundamental shift in 바카라사이트 production of scientific knowledge in 바카라사이트 future¡±.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com