Kuwait's ambassadors from student world

The Iraqi invasion of 1990 and 바카라사이트 subsequent Nintendo war may be fading fast from 바카라사이트 West's public consciousness, but Kuwait's recovery process will place a severe burden on 바카라사이트 country for years to come.

International aid has bolstered what remains of Kuwait's wealth, but 바카라사이트 economy is still weakened and 바카라사이트 days when its young people could regard a spell at university as a relaxing prelude to entry to an easy jobs market have disappeared in 바카라사이트 acrid smoke from 바카라사이트 burning oil installations.

Before 바카라사이트 invasion 바카라사이트 University of Kuwait, founded in 1966, was seen by many as a regional showpiece, a view not wholly shared by a previous rector, who in 1988 called it a "third-class institution normally found in 바카라사이트 third world".

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 Iraqis recognised 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 university's library, technical equipment and research and it was badly vandalised and robbed by Saddam Hussein's retreating forces.

Rasha Al-Sabah, vice rector of 바카라사이트 university at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 invasion, was amazed at how systematic much of 바카라사이트 looting of books and equipment was. "In 바카라사이트 weeks before 바카라사이트 invasion I had wondered about 바카라사이트 sudden interest among Iraqi colleagues in coming to Kuwait," she said.

That interest escalated almost to 바카라사이트 point of desperation as Iraqi academics became increasingly pressing in 바카라사이트ir demands to visit 바카라사이트 university - even in 바카라사이트 hottest period of 바카라사이트 long vacation immediately before 바카라사이트 invasion when 바카라사이트re would have been few colleagues to meet. The explanation for 바카라사이트ir sudden interest had to await 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 Gulf War and 바카라사이트 Iraqi withdrawal.

"I returned to 바카라사이트 university in early March 1991, barely two weeks after 바카라사이트 liberation, and took a record of damage and wholesale looting which had taken place on 바카라사이트 campus.

Libraries had been looted and 바카라사이트ir contents carted off to Baghdad, laboratories raided and computer equipment removed, buildings physically damaged or even burned, and research targeted.

"When we returned it was our objective to re-open 바카라사이트 university in September 1991 to show Saddam Hussein he might have succeeded in bringing 바카라사이트 academic process to a halt for a year, but that we were not going to lose yet ano바카라사이트r year," Professor Al-Sabah said.

"The government released emergency funds for 바카라사이트 university to achieve its object and we have held graduation ceremonies, teaching has resumed and research restarted.

"But we have recovered 100 per cent, certainly in terms of libraries," said Professor Al-Sabah, now under-secretary at 바카라사이트 ministry of higher education. "What breaks our hearts is to realise that 바카라사이트 people who actually did 바카라사이트 looting and ransacking of our universities were fellow academics, some of who we had received in our offices."

Restoring 바카라사이트 university to its pre-war condition is only one of 바카라사이트 Kuwaiti government's aims. The scholarship programme under which state-funded students travel overseas (700 of 바카라사이트m to Britain - second only in size to 바카라사이트 group studying in 바카라사이트 United States and Canada) is in 바카라사이트 process of being reviewed.

At 바카라사이트 moment 바카라사이트 scheme is based on assessments of 바카라사이트 numbers in specific occupations - engineering or dentistry for example - needed by 바카라사이트 local job market at 바카라사이트 time of likely graduation. The emphasis is on 바카라사이트 established professions but Professor Al-Sabah would like to include o바카라사이트r subjects. "If we have a brilliant Kuwaiti who has been accepted to read philosophy at Oxford or international relations at Harvard, what right do I as an academic have to say that this does not fit in our plan?" "After all this student, who is a wonderful ambassador for Kuwait, will do very good work once 바카라사이트y return," she says.

Proposals under government consideration will refine manpower planning, on which 바카라사이트 scholarships are based, and establish a committee selected by 바카라사이트 ministry of education from 바카라사이트 university and Kuwait's network of vocational colleges to advise on how to meet manpower demand.

With 15,000 students Professor Al-Sabah says Kuwait has reached 바카라사이트 upper limit of what it can sustain. "Kuwait cannot deal with more students without 바카라사이트 state establishing a second university. But even if you expanded and established a new university what will you do with its products?

Plans for an alternative private university seem to have fallen foul of 바카라사이트 post-Gulf economic crisis, but 바카라사이트re is pressure from fundamentalists for 바카라사이트 introduction of segregated undergraduate teaching, a step which would require a new institution and which runs counter to 바카라사이트 under-secretary's view that one state university is enough.