 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
Institute of
International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
7th Floor
New York, NY 10017
USA
Tel: +1 (212) 984 5367
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Higher Education Partnerships in the Middle East:
Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates |
|
|
|
|
|
By Jennifer McGlennon
Cross-border and international education has evolved rapidly in a globalizing world, bringing with it opportunities for development and improvements in cultural and social understanding. International education has led to enhancement of capabilities within host countries and increased opportunities for sharing expertise (Castells 2000; Carnoy 2001; Naidoo 2003). Internationalization strategies for Western institutions range from exporting their educational products to other nations, along a continuum to selective engagement in opportunities that provide a strategic advantage to the recipient nation and its people (Watan 2007).
Zayed University (ZU), United Arab Emirates is a case in point of the latter approach. The institution, which was founded upon international educational and business engagement, opened in September 1998 and achieved Middle States Accreditation in 2008. Through careful navigation of cross-cultural issues and development of cultural understanding, linkages benefitting all stakeholders have been developed.
Before outlining ZU’s unique experience under the guidance of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, the UAE Minister for Higher Education & Scientific Research, it is useful to explain a few terms as they are used in this article:
- International education – the offering of courses and degrees in other countries by a range of institutions who tailor the content and delivery to the country in which they are operating.
- Transnational education – the offering of courses and degrees in a manner that mirrors the originating institution and country with education seen as a saleable commodity through “massification” of education.
- Off-shore campuses – establishment of institutional campuses that offer curriculum from the originating institution/country while being mindful of and engaged with the unique local setting, as well as providing opportunities for further study in the originating country
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federation of seven emirates that celebrated its 37th anniversary on December 2, 2008. The country is part of the Middle East Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) and has come to international significance for many of its unique religious, social and economic characteristics. Blessed by petro-carbon resources, the UAE has benefited from high oil prices for the past 4 years. In its short history as a federation, the country has adopted a proactive stance to filter learning from other cultures and countries in order to improve its own position and to take a more prominent role on the international stage (Castells 2004).
Higher education has been offered to Emirati nationals in the UAE for more than 21 years through the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in Al Ain and the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in all Emirates, the latter initially at the Diploma vocational level. Zayed University added to the range of educational offerings available. UAE nationals of both genders have open access to higher education and current gender representation for Emiratis runs at 75% for women and 25% for men. These figures represent the Emirati population, however the rapid growth of the UAE over the past 8 years has resulted a ratio of one Emirati national to four expatriate residents in the country as a whole. The influx of expatriates has intensified the need for quality, ongoing education, and this has resulted in rapid growth in numbers of off-shore campuses from major Western and Asian universities.
Zayed University opened campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in 1998, offering undergraduate degrees for Emirati women. The U.S. liberal arts model provided significant input to its framework and operating style, with the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research maintaining close links with advisory teams responsible for preparing UAEU for accreditation. In 2000, while Zayed University was still in its infancy, graduate programs were designed to be available to both genders and a range of nationalities. This was a brave and innovative step considering the context and age of the university.
The driving force behind this was the U.S. AACSB accreditation team, which worked with Sheikh Nahayan and UAEU to develop pathways to accreditation following international standards. The founding Dean of ZU's College of Business Sciences (CBS), Dr. Robert Sandmeyer, formerly Dean of the College of Business Administration/School of International Studies - Oklahoma State University, was part of this team. His colleagues, Dr. Richard Furst from the Gatton College of Business & Economics, University of Kentucky and Dr. Jim Hromas from the College of Business & Public Affairs Clemson State (since undertaking a term as AACSB President) were involved. Together, they engaged in a pioneering consortium partnership between Zayed University and AACSB business schools to bring international education to the UAE through an Executive Masters of e-Business.
The consortium universities and key representatives in this initiative had already demonstrated a willingness to further international educational activities. Through extensive work with USAID, the World Bank, the Ford, Rockerfeller and Kellogg Foundations, the consortium's aim was to improve understanding of the Middle East. As a partner, Zayed University contributed a unique cultural and educational perspective that has continued to grow since its formative years. Faculty come from many nations, bringing international content expertise and pedagogy designed to promote inquiry, research and critical analysis.
Delivery of 12 courses by hand-picked professors selected from three partner institutions enabled the delivery of the initial cohort in the EMBA degree. By the second year of graduate operations, Michael Owen, Zayed University's new CBS Dean, took over the role of building internal faculty capability to deliver executive courses in the EMBA program. At the same time, he identified and engaged other recognized institutions in pioneering programs for ZU and the UAE. As the College of Business Sciences recruited more international faculty, a majority of the courses in the EMBA involved both ZU faculty and faculty selected from partner institutions based on their international stature. As a result, participants enjoyed the benefits of cross-pollination of ideas on economic and social initiatives within the UAE and internationally (Pillay 2001).
Zayed University continued to leverage its early achievements under then-Vice President Dr. Hanif Al Qassimi, now the Minister of Education. A “showcase event” in mid-1999 was attended by Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, at the time Crown Prince of Dubai and now UAE Prime Minister; the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research; and other senior Ministers and Sheikhs. This event resulted in a unique partnering experience between the Federal and Emirate governments. At that showcase, Zayed University undergraduate business students demonstrated their use of technology and the internet in their learning experiences through establishing portfolios, trading online, paying their utilities online and forecasting trends and issues emerging in the Middle East. The outcome of this showcase was that Zayed University was granted a new operating location in Dubai Media City. The Center for Business Excellence (CBEX) was established and the EMBA was launched from this site late in 2000.
The year 2000 saw an incredible range of critical steps completed:
- Finalization of the venue
- Recruitment of the first cohort
- Agreement with employers on an innovative attendance pattern
- Engagement seminars for employers sponsoring students
- Awarding of scholarships through the Diwan in Abu Dhabi for deserving participants
- Establishment of an EMBA technology infrastructure platform linked to the consortium universities
- Completion of English language testing
- Briefing for visiting overseas faculty for the 12 courses selected on cultural, social and local issues in business and education and introduction of faculty to their executive students
2001 continued as a frenetic year with learning points regularly identified and discussed throughout the consortium via video-linkups. Each course delivered gained from the insights and experiences of its predecessors, including faculty cross-briefing their colleagues across partner institutions.
The EMBA is now delivering the ninth cohort. New programs and partners are being developed in line with the original paradigm of international collaboration. International education brings many learning opportunities and compels all involved to question their stereotypes, paradigms and values in the face of differences from their known and accepted frameworks (Kogan and Hanney 2000). This cultural learning and broadening of business and social perspectives continues to occur for EMBA students, their employing organizations, faculty from universities now engaged in partnerships, administrators, deans and provosts.
The College of Business has introduced a Master of Science in International Business in collaboration with Thunderbird Business School. Dr. Robert Widing, Provost and Senior VP of Thunderbird School of Global Management, has spent time in the UAE and held meetings with key people. Zayed University and Thunderbird have won a joint grant from USAID and Higher Education for Development, supporting collaborative case writing based on the UAE experience. This collaboration is also enabling the Global Mindset Inventory Tool, pioneered by Thunderbird and recognized as a key indicator of international managerial success, to be used in the program. Thunderbird will bring students participating in their MBA and other master’s programs to the UAE for immersion classes. This demonstrates a partnership for international understanding based on the realities of the UAE and the Middle East.
Master's programs in Finance, Innovation & Entrepreneurship are also approved for delivery by CBS. Additionally, an Executive Master in Health Care Administration and a Master in Public Administration are jointly delivered by CBS and the College of Arts & Science. Both programs are outcomes of Michael Owen's earlier work in 2002.
Zayed University has been able to initiate and maintain cross-cultural engagement with U.S., UK and international institutions. These relationships bring significant advantages to the people of the UAE, both nationals and expatriates. The Zayed University CBS case demonstrates significant and ongoing negotiations and relationship building. This discourse brings focus to the quality of the educational experience, engagement of international institutions at the local level, and exposure to international issues through the unique cultural, social and religious lenses of the UAE (Archer 1988).
Further information on the Graduate education offerings of Zayed University and its Colleges can be found at www.zu.ac.ae, and specific inquiries can be referred to deans of colleges and Dr. Chet Jablonski, VP for Graduate Programs and Research. Dr. Sulaiman Al Jassim is the current Vice President of Zayed University.
This article highlights the experience of the College of Business Sciences and refers to its collaboration with the College of Arts & Science. The College of Information Technology, College of Education and College of Communication & Media Sciences have also initiated master’s programs utilizing the framework, technological platform and attendance patterns for graduate education.
Jennifer McGlennon worked for Zayed University for 8 years, initially as the founding Assistant Dean for Executive Education responsible for launching the EMBA.
Archer, M. (1988). Culture and agency: The place of culture in social theory. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Carnoy, M. (2001). The role of the state in the new global economy. In Muller, J., Cloete, N., & Badham, R. (Eds.), Challenges of globalization: South African debates with Manuel Castells. Capetown: Centre for Higher Education Transformation.
Castells, M. (2004). The power of identity. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Castells, M. (2000). The rise of the network society. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Kogan, M. & Hanney, S. (2000). Reforming higher education. Higher Education Policy Series 50. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Maktoum, M. (2007). Leadership, integration, excellence. Highlights of the UAE Government Strategy.
Nahyan, K. (2007). Policy Agenda 2007-2008. T. E. o. A. Dhabi.
Naidoo, R. (2003). Repositioning higher education as a global commodity: Opportunities and challenges for future sociology of education work. British Journal of Sociology of Education 24(2).
Pillay, H. (2001). Knowledge and social capital. In Muller, J., Cloete, N., & Badham, R. (Eds.), Challenges of globalization: South African debates with Manuel Castells. Capetown: Centre for Higher Education Transformation.
Watan, D. A. (2007). Federation a turning point in the region's history: Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
|
|
|
|
|
|
