Neha Vora of Lafayette College conducted a 12-month ethnographic study of Education City and offers comment about her forthcoming book in Academic Minute. It will be very interesting to see what her eventual published study says. This initial report, while brief, captures the essence of two important questions; 1) is Education City a legitimate effort to provide full-scale U.S. style education, and 2) is it sustainable?
Having worked for Qatar Foundation and helped in the early stages (2007-14) of establishing cross-branch student development and support services at Education City, I can attest to the authenticity of the initiative. Qatar Foundation has repeatedly demonstrated, and has invested deeply, in making sure that the academic programs there are legitimate and comparable to the U.S. counterparts. Whether students experience the full breadth of learning of a high quality U.S. institution both in and outside of class is subject to the organization model and the willingness for institutions to collaborate. Again referencing my own experience, we certainly tried to create the wholistic experience during the time I was in Qatar. It was not always easy due to the decentralized organization model established by Qatar Foundation but some real cross-branch student experiences were ultimately supported.
Professor Vora raises concern that some local Qatari citizens see the project as expensive and potentially contributing to the erosion of traditional Arab/Islamic values. Of course Education City is challenging local previously held beliefs, as do most great higher education institutions wherever they are found. Indeed, conservatives in the U.S. are at this moment criticizing U.S. higher education for the same thing.
I'm not sure where Professor Vora is headed but I hope she asks the question of how a significant educational venture that challenges students and other stakeholders threads the needle of opportunity, challenging enough to make a difference but not so challenging that it ultimately marginalizes the effort or makes the project unsustainable over the long haul.
Having worked for Qatar Foundation and helped in the early stages (2007-14) of establishing cross-branch student development and support services at Education City, I can attest to the authenticity of the initiative. Qatar Foundation has repeatedly demonstrated, and has invested deeply, in making sure that the academic programs there are legitimate and comparable to the U.S. counterparts. Whether students experience the full breadth of learning of a high quality U.S. institution both in and outside of class is subject to the organization model and the willingness for institutions to collaborate. Again referencing my own experience, we certainly tried to create the wholistic experience during the time I was in Qatar. It was not always easy due to the decentralized organization model established by Qatar Foundation but some real cross-branch student experiences were ultimately supported.Professor Vora raises concern that some local Qatari citizens see the project as expensive and potentially contributing to the erosion of traditional Arab/Islamic values. Of course Education City is challenging local previously held beliefs, as do most great higher education institutions wherever they are found. Indeed, conservatives in the U.S. are at this moment criticizing U.S. higher education for the same thing.
I'm not sure where Professor Vora is headed but I hope she asks the question of how a significant educational venture that challenges students and other stakeholders threads the needle of opportunity, challenging enough to make a difference but not so challenging that it ultimately marginalizes the effort or makes the project unsustainable over the long haul.
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