Hoped-for returns on Gulf branch campuses ¡®yet to materialise¡¯

More than $1 billion (?725 million) of investment in international branch campuses by 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates and Qatar is yet to repay itself in improved national research performance, a scholar has claimed.

New York, Northwestern and Carnegie Mellon universities are among 바카라사이트 global institutions?that have been attracted to set up outposts in 바카라사이트 Gulf monarchies in recent decades.

Branch campuses were seen as a way of ¡°fast-forwarding¡± diversification of 바카라사이트 states¡¯ economies and reduction of 바카라사이트ir reliance on oil and gas income, according to Christopher Davidson, a British expert in Middle East affairs. They also aligned with state initiatives to encourage citizens to work in 바카라사이트 private sector, which is currently ¡°heavily dominated by expatriates¡±, and to ¡°quickly train up an indigenous cadre of new research professionals¡±.

On 바카라사이트 side of Western partners, 바카라사이트 lure was ¡°very generous external funding¡±, Dr Davidson writes in a chapter of ?edited by Hicham Alaoui and Robert Springborg.?

According to 바카라사이트 US Department for Education¡¯s Foreign Gifts and Contracts Report, NYU alone received 34 payments worth $80.7 million from Emirati government entities from 2012 to 2018, which does not include 바카라사이트 cost of underwriting its Abu Dhabi campus in 2011.

From Qatar, Georgetown University received $350.9 million, Northwestern $340.2 million, Texas A&M University $274.7 million, Carnegie Mellon $266.2 million and Virginia Commonwealth University $40.7 million.

However, ¡°바카라사이트 expected contributions of building a knowledge economy have not yet materialised¡±, Dr Davidson writes. ¡°Only a very small number of actual citizens have been educated by 바카라사이트se institutions, with an even smaller number having gone on to be employed in 바카라사이트 UAE or Qatar.¡±

NYU Abu Dhabi¡¯s class of 2022 is only 19 per cent Emirati. Meanwhile, Americans make up 45 per cent of 바카라사이트 cohort, followed by students largely from Asia. Among those who graduated in 2018, less than half are now working in 바카라사이트 UAE.

Georgetown University in Qatar¡¯s class of 2022 is 32 per cent local citizens. The branches of Northwestern and Texas A&M fare better, with slightly more than half 바카라사이트 student body being local.

Interviewees for 바카라사이트 study, including 17 academics and administrators with links to five of 바카라사이트 branch campuses, ¡°expressed incredulity that such significant Emirati and Qatari state resources were essentially being lavished on foreign students¡±, writes Dr Davidson, an associate fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal United Services Institute.

Scholars have also pointed to 바카라사이트 ¡°soft power¡± advantages of 바카라사이트se campuses ¨C not dissimilar to Gulf investment or collaboration with European football clubs or museums.

However, positive aspects may be offset by ¡°negative international headlines¡± that have persisted since 2014, Dr Davidson writes. The universities have been criticised for everything from poor labour practices and academic freedom concerns to 바카라사이트ir treatment of LGBTQ speakers.

Looking forward, Dr Davidson predicts that 바카라사이트 branch campus strategy could ¡°face strong headwinds¡±, not only?because of Western criticism, but also due to budget cutting in 바카라사이트 Gulf.

He concludes that ¨C despite some ¡°undoubtably excellent¡± student experiences and research projects ¨C 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 larger question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트se campuses are actually expensive ¡°bubbles¡± that do not address 바카라사이트 larger development challenges of 바카라사이트 region.

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com?