Regional
Arab Countries Moving Up in Global University Rankings
The Times Higher Education released a list [1] this week of what it believes to be the best 801 universities in the world.
The top ten positions are dominated by familiar institutions in the United Kingdom and United States, but changes to the data source for some of the metrics has allowed more Arab universities to shine through.
While they may not occupy high up positions, the United Arab Emirates University and the American University of Sharjah were placed in the 501-600 and 601-800 bands respectively—after the top 200 positions, Times Higher Education groups universities into these broader categories. This marks the first time the UAE has seen any of its universities on the list.
Several other Arab countries also made the cut for the first time this year, including Jordan, Qatar, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman and Saudi Arabia. The best performer in the region was Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz University [2], which fell into the 251-300 category.
Egypt was mentioned again for the first time since 2012, when Alexandria University was placed in the 301-350 band. Egypt can boast three universities in today’s rankings, although the American University in Cairo was not included.
– Al-Fanar Media [3]
October 1, 2015
What Universities Can Do for Refugees
The rapidly escalating refugee crisis in Europe has been dominating the international news for several weeks, but surprisingly it is only very recently that the higher education community has become alert to its role and to the considerable dilemmas it will have to face. It is relevant to speculate about the needs and challenges of higher education as a result of this crisis.
Refugees from Syria, Iraq and the Kurdish areas are perceived to be better educated and, therefore, potentially easier to integrate into society and the labor market in receiving countries. Many media reports feature articulate, English-speaking young professionals from the Middle East, expressing their hopes to continue their education or obtain skilled jobs and contribute to European economies. In the current competition for talent, these refugees are not only seen as victims and a cost factor for the local economy, but in the long run also as welcome new talent for the knowledge economy.
In a few countries, students, academics, universities and governments are beginning to explore ways to integrate young Syrian and other Middle East academic refugees, students and no doubt also scholars and teachers into the educational system. This can be done by increasing the number of scholarships, speeding up the credential evaluation process and providing language training and facilities such as dormitories.
The universities themselves are of central importance. They can act quickly and independently in many ways. They can cut red tape relating to the admissions process, open study places for refugee students and provide counseling and other services to traumatized students and their families. Universities will find that a positive response to this crisis will also yield significant benefits in terms of internationalizing the campus and providing the academic communities with opportunities for social engagement.
All these initiatives are commendable, but the problems are enormous. As Riham Kusa wrote in Al-Fanar Media earlier this month, the dilemma for a student is between paying a smuggler or seeking a scholarship. Unfortunately, the possibilities of success of the first option are higher than those of the second. The challenge for academic communities in Europe and elsewhere is to increase access of these refugees to higher education.
– University World News [4]
September 18, 2015
Bahrain
University of Bahrain Faculty Outsourcing Criticized by Students
To save money, the University of Bahrain has dismissed local professors and replaced them with foreign professors who often earn lower salaries, an administration source says. But that has resulted in a backlash from students, who complain about the difficulty of communicating with the new, less experienced professors.
The University of Bahrain, the biggest university in the Kingdom, has suffered from a financial crisis since 2011. The university, which has 22,000 students, receives subsidies from the government for 80 percent of its budget. Other money comes from tuition, seminar revenues, books, donations, and corporate and organizational payments for advertisements.
The university has about 860 faculty members. Sixty percent of them are Bahrainis. The university has hired more professors from Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, and Syria, the official said, because they earn lower salaries compared to professors coming from other countries.
A professor in the public relations and information department at the university who is not authorized to speak with journalists said, “There are always exaggerated complaints by students against professors. We are not angels, but there are no angels in any university around the world. We try to do our best to make everything new and useful for students.” Another professor said that students who want better educational service should go to a private university: They should not expect a great education at cheap prices from a public university.
– Al-Fanar Media [5]
September 27, 2015
Syria
Mexican Scholarship Program Welcomes First Syrian Refugee
A program to enable 30 Syrian refugees to continue their university studies in Mexico has welcomed its first student.
The Habesha Project is an initiative funded through private donations and designed to “send a message of solidarity to the Syrian nation” and “increase awareness about the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East” by providing “full scholarships in some of the most prestigious Mexican universities, health insurance and a monthly stipend” to students who have fled the conflict in Syria.
It also views such “students as an asset and opportunity to promote an intercultural dialogue that fosters an international culture of peace”.
The project has now achieved its first success as Essa Hassan takes up his engineering studies at the Universidad Panamericana in Aguascalientes, the city where Habesha is based.
Although a number of potential students have been selected, Mr Hassan is the first to reach Mexico and was warmly welcomed in Mexico City. He is believed to be the first Syrian refugee of any kind to be received in the country.
– Times Higher Education [6]
October 3, 2015