BROOKINGS INSTITUTION REPORT ON HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM
Wilkins, K. (2011). Higher education reform in the Arab World. Washington: Brookings.
Ted - 14 January 2013
This report relates some of the roots of the Arab Spring to the challenges that the Arab world must confront in regard to higher education. As a summary of sorts, the report suggests that many of the societal and structural reasons for the Arab Spring can be found within the troubled higher education system: out-of-date governance structures, low quality education that hampers the ability for graduates to find enough work in an increasingly globalized economy, and so forth. Ten recommendations are provided that aim for governance and instructional improvements, including a focus on accountability and quality assurance systems. The report, I believe, is right on target in terms of the internal problems and solutions for higher education in the region. What I believe is needed, additionally, is a wider focus on the external, contextual factors that influence student, employer, government, and faculty decisions regarding higher education. In some countries of the region, higher education is a means only to attain lucrative government positions that require minimal skills. In other countries, the "diploma disease" (see Dore, 1997) encourages students to pursue degrees regardless of the skills actually attained. These cultural facets drive the very same students to university as were driven to the streets during the Arab Spring. While they may be angry at the institutions for their low quality, they have also contributed, through their individual decisions, directed in large part by cultural patterns, to some of the problem. Reforming higher education requires more than just institutional change; it requires a larger campaign to help populations understand the role of education and to make better decisions in pursuit of education.
Amir- 31January 2013
This review is trying to seize the momentum of Arab spring under the impression that the systematic obstacles that were hindering the previous reforms might give way and expedite the implementation of higher education reforms. It truly presents most of key challenges that block the higher education reform efforts and offers ten recommendations to move forward. This report, in my opinion, tries to satisfy the market-based reforms where education is conceptualized as private good, responses to the demands of clientele, aims to transfer of economically useful knowledge and skills (Smith, 2003). My take on implementing such approach in the Arab world is that the dissatisfied consumers (students/parents) cannot seek other public service provider (government). Due to the demographic limitation of services and choices, Arab consumers cannot simply and peacefully change the service provider. Even if the government funding of public institutions was linked to results and standards, consumers would remain with the one that, maybe, less quality or below the baseline of standards because a certain institution, demographically or perhaps socioeconomically, could be the only one available or satisfies the minimum needed outputs. That lead us to understand that market-based reform needs more than a systematic change.
Additionally, in the event that universities decide to explore expanded partnership with the private sector, it is essential to partner with sectors whose goals align with the country’s economic reform efforts. For instance, universities should not co-op with international outsourcing type of private sector otherwise education efforts and public funds would not only be abused but also contribute in, what I call, local brain drain, or modern cash crop in the globalized era. Meaning, the higher education outcome would serve a cause that benefit others and partly fix economic problems like unemployment.
As suggested in this blog, reforming higher education in the Arab world needs a macro-regional integrated co-op where students, Arab league, and any level in-between are considered.
References:
Smith, K. B. (2003). The ideology of education: the commonwealth, the market, and America’s schools. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press.
This review is trying to seize the momentum of Arab spring under the impression that the systematic obstacles that were hindering the previous reforms might give way and expedite the implementation of higher education reforms. It truly presents most of key challenges that block the higher education reform efforts and offers ten recommendations to move forward. This report, in my opinion, tries to satisfy the market-based reforms where education is conceptualized as private good, responses to the demands of clientele, aims to transfer of economically useful knowledge and skills (Smith, 2003). My take on implementing such approach in the Arab world is that the dissatisfied consumers (students/parents) cannot seek other public service provider (government). Due to the demographic limitation of services and choices, Arab consumers cannot simply and peacefully change the service provider. Even if the government funding of public institutions was linked to results and standards, consumers would remain with the one that, maybe, less quality or below the baseline of standards because a certain institution, demographically or perhaps socioeconomically, could be the only one available or satisfies the minimum needed outputs. That lead us to understand that market-based reform needs more than a systematic change.
Additionally, in the event that universities decide to explore expanded partnership with the private sector, it is essential to partner with sectors whose goals align with the country’s economic reform efforts. For instance, universities should not co-op with international outsourcing type of private sector otherwise education efforts and public funds would not only be abused but also contribute in, what I call, local brain drain, or modern cash crop in the globalized era. Meaning, the higher education outcome would serve a cause that benefit others and partly fix economic problems like unemployment.
As suggested in this blog, reforming higher education in the Arab world needs a macro-regional integrated co-op where students, Arab league, and any level in-between are considered.
References:
Smith, K. B. (2003). The ideology of education: the commonwealth, the market, and America’s schools. Albany, N.Y: State University of New York Press.