Distance Learning in the Arab Region

This is an interesting paper on the development of distance learning in the Arab States. Professor Amel Ahmed Hassan Mohamed discusses the benefits of distance learning for the region and also does a nice job in outlining the issues. Not surprisingly, one of the issues discussed at length is quality assurance.

Higher Education and Collaboration in Global Context: Building a Global Civil Society

This is not specific to Arab States, but here is an interesting report:

http://www.international.ac.uk/resources/Final%20Report.pdf

Does a Muslim University in the United States Count as Globalization?

Does a Muslim university in the United States count as globalization? I think so. While Islam is not a foreign cutlure or nation exerting influence in the United States through this institution, it will be interesting to watch as this college develops with an emphasis on Arabic and Islamic studies since so many other institutions were founded with a Christian mission.

As we discussed in class, there is concern that an inevitable result of Western-style institutions in non-Western nations would be a kind of cultural imperialism. Zaytuna College may be an example of a non-Western institution taking hold in the most Western of all nations.

It is also interesting to note the demographics that create a market for such an institution. The migration of people and of culture will impact institutions on a national level, regardless of transnational efforts in Higher Education.

The Arab Regional Conference on Higher Education (ARCHE+10)

This link leads to the website for The Arab Regional Conference on Higher Education which was held in Cairo, Egypt in June 2009. This conference was sponsored by UNESCO and addressed issues relevant to the region's efforts to expand its higher education opportunities. The website contains links to conference papers, national reports, and final recommendations. The ARCHE+10 is a good example of regional efforts to create a cooperative climate where resources and knowledge can be exchanged.

A Community College in Qatar

This is an article about a new community college in the Middle East (Qatar) scheduled to open in late 2009. Given the focus on community colleges in the U.S. currently, I thought this was interesting timing for this institution type to gain traction in the Middle East. It's a unique vision for a new type of community college and also demonstrates that this is a challenge in education beyond our United States borders.

List of universities in the Middle East

This a directory of universities in the middle east. As we post articles related to education, this should be a good resource to become familiar with institutional life in this region.

Bridging East and West at the American University of Cairo

In this article, the president of the American University of Cairo talks about leading an American-style institution in the Middle East.  I think this interview is particularly apt in light of our conversation in class today about the potential colonialism of Western-style universities in non-Western contexts.

Welcome to the Higher Education in the Arab States Blog

Greetings!
Welcome to our blog focusing on higher education issues in the Middle East and the Arab States.  Here we hope to post scholarly articles, news items, media clips and thoughtful commentary for the benefit of the "Globalization and Higher Education Reforms" course at New York University.  We look forward to conversing with you.
Sincerely,
Mike, Christina, Paula and Mike