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| Why is Qatar investing so much in education? | Why is Qatar investing so much in education? |
| (10 days later) | |
| By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent | By Sean Coughlan BBC News education correspondent |
| When oil rich countries get involved in global education projects, it is easy to be cynical and only expect some air-brushed philanthropy and gold-plated business school sponsorships. | When oil rich countries get involved in global education projects, it is easy to be cynical and only expect some air-brushed philanthropy and gold-plated business school sponsorships. |
| But the Gulf state of Qatar is providing something more substantial. | But the Gulf state of Qatar is providing something more substantial. |
| So much so that it is becoming one of the most significant players in the field of education innovation, supporting a raft of projects from grassroots basic literacy through to high-end university research. | So much so that it is becoming one of the most significant players in the field of education innovation, supporting a raft of projects from grassroots basic literacy through to high-end university research. |
| As well as trying to fast-forward its own education system, it is supporting projects in some of the toughest environments. | As well as trying to fast-forward its own education system, it is supporting projects in some of the toughest environments. |
| The man at the centre of many of Qatar's education initiatives is Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family and a former university professor. | The man at the centre of many of Qatar's education initiatives is Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, a member of Qatar's ruling family and a former university professor. |
| Looking at the epic scale of Qatar's spending on education this must make him one of the world's most ambitious ex-teachers. | Looking at the epic scale of Qatar's spending on education this must make him one of the world's most ambitious ex-teachers. |
| Future proofing | Future proofing |
| Speaking in London, he set out the strategic thinking. When the oil runs out, they want to be left with a viable, advanced economy. | Speaking in London, he set out the strategic thinking. When the oil runs out, they want to be left with a viable, advanced economy. |
| It's something like lottery winners who buy their children the best education, so that they'll be able to fend for themselves in the years ahead. | It's something like lottery winners who buy their children the best education, so that they'll be able to fend for themselves in the years ahead. |
| So they're recycling their gas and oil into knowledge - building universities, reforming the school system, improving vocational training and setting up an international forum for finding the most effective forms of innovation. | |
| "The blessing of the oil and gas won't last forever - so focusing on something sustainable is more important," says Dr Abdulla. | "The blessing of the oil and gas won't last forever - so focusing on something sustainable is more important," says Dr Abdulla. |
| But a high quality education system is not created overnight - so he says they decided to "jump start" this with overseas partnerships. | But a high quality education system is not created overnight - so he says they decided to "jump start" this with overseas partnerships. |
| Eight international universities, predominantly from the US, set up state of the art bases in Qatar's Education City campus. | Eight international universities, predominantly from the US, set up state of the art bases in Qatar's Education City campus. |
| This multi-billion dollar investment, a kind of academic irrigation project, was intended to provide a short-term, accelerated development of a regional research hub. | This multi-billion dollar investment, a kind of academic irrigation project, was intended to provide a short-term, accelerated development of a regional research hub. |
| But Dr Abdulla, president of the over-arching university, says the longer-term and tougher challenge is to develop home-grown high-quality institutions. | But Dr Abdulla, president of the over-arching university, says the longer-term and tougher challenge is to develop home-grown high-quality institutions. |
| "There is no way forward without putting education as a priority, especially in the Arab world," he says. | "There is no way forward without putting education as a priority, especially in the Arab world," he says. |
| Arab Spring | Arab Spring |
| The events of the Arab Spring have shown the dissatisfaction of a young population, with rising unemployment and a lack of opportunities for young graduates. | The events of the Arab Spring have shown the dissatisfaction of a young population, with rising unemployment and a lack of opportunities for young graduates. |
| "We need to find an education that serves their needs," he says. | "We need to find an education that serves their needs," he says. |
| But what has been distinctive about Qatar's investment has been its willingness to support international projects. | But what has been distinctive about Qatar's investment has been its willingness to support international projects. |
| The WISE summit - World Innovation Summit for Education - is designed as a catalyst for innovation. Now in its fourth year, it brings together education leaders to talk about what works in improving schools. | The WISE summit - World Innovation Summit for Education - is designed as a catalyst for innovation. Now in its fourth year, it brings together education leaders to talk about what works in improving schools. |
| "We want it to be about action - we need things to come out of this three-day meeting and not just talk," he says. | "We want it to be about action - we need things to come out of this three-day meeting and not just talk," he says. |
| The summit identifies examples of good practice - and the accompanying WISE awards have supported projects in Africa, south Asia, South America and Europe. | The summit identifies examples of good practice - and the accompanying WISE awards have supported projects in Africa, south Asia, South America and Europe. |
| It is also helping to fund the rebuilding of Haiti's schools and health service after the earthquake - a long way from the headlines and its own regional sphere of influence. | It is also helping to fund the rebuilding of Haiti's schools and health service after the earthquake - a long way from the headlines and its own regional sphere of influence. |
| Nobel for education | Nobel for education |
| There has never been a Nobel prize for education - and it is the Qataris who have been the first to create an equivalent, launching the WISE prize last year, worth $500,000 (£319,000). | There has never been a Nobel prize for education - and it is the Qataris who have been the first to create an equivalent, launching the WISE prize last year, worth $500,000 (£319,000). |
| "We talk about the importance of education, but there was nothing prestigious globally that really reflected that," says Dr Abdulla. | "We talk about the importance of education, but there was nothing prestigious globally that really reflected that," says Dr Abdulla. |
| The first winner, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed from Bangladesh, was recognised for a lifetime's work bringing basic primary education to some of the world's poorest communities, from Afghanistan to South Sudan. | The first winner, Sir Fazle Hasan Abed from Bangladesh, was recognised for a lifetime's work bringing basic primary education to some of the world's poorest communities, from Afghanistan to South Sudan. |
| Linking many of these schemes is the Qatar Foundation, which channels funds towards education and science. | Linking many of these schemes is the Qatar Foundation, which channels funds towards education and science. |
| The most visible international profile of the Qatar Foundation is on the shirts of Barcelona football club. | The most visible international profile of the Qatar Foundation is on the shirts of Barcelona football club. |
| There is a cultural dimension to all this reaching out, with Qatar acting as a bridge between the West and the Arab world. | There is a cultural dimension to all this reaching out, with Qatar acting as a bridge between the West and the Arab world. |
| 'Ignorance' | 'Ignorance' |
| Dr Abdulla says human contacts are a really important part of this - and he is proud that the international universities in Qatar have 85 different nationalities among the students. | Dr Abdulla says human contacts are a really important part of this - and he is proud that the international universities in Qatar have 85 different nationalities among the students. |
| But he hesitates about whether he should say publicly there is much "ignorance" about his region. | But he hesitates about whether he should say publicly there is much "ignorance" about his region. |
| "We need to get exchanges between cultures and students because this dialogue isn't done enough. We believe education should match the idea of being a bridge," he said. | "We need to get exchanges between cultures and students because this dialogue isn't done enough. We believe education should match the idea of being a bridge," he said. |
| There are going to be cultural differences, he says. "The only way to overcome these problems is open dialogue." | There are going to be cultural differences, he says. "The only way to overcome these problems is open dialogue." |
| Dr Abdulla is an engaging speaker with flawless English. The only word he didn't seem familiar with was "EasyJet". | Dr Abdulla is an engaging speaker with flawless English. The only word he didn't seem familiar with was "EasyJet". |
| But he is also distinctive in having a personal passion for his education projects. He was once a teacher of engineering who says he misses the classroom. | But he is also distinctive in having a personal passion for his education projects. He was once a teacher of engineering who says he misses the classroom. |
| "That's why I've been involved in this all my life. | "That's why I've been involved in this all my life. |
| "The rewards I get personally are great. It's satisfying working with students, and when you see them growing, it is really a privilege. | "The rewards I get personally are great. It's satisfying working with students, and when you see them growing, it is really a privilege. |
| "But I think education can happen in all levels of life. It doesn't have to be in the classroom, everyone should be participating, parents and teachers." | "But I think education can happen in all levels of life. It doesn't have to be in the classroom, everyone should be participating, parents and teachers." |
| Dissatisfaction | Dissatisfaction |
| Dr Abdulla is optimistic about his country's faith in the transformative powers of education. | Dr Abdulla is optimistic about his country's faith in the transformative powers of education. |
| "Having been blessed with the wealth there is no better way of using it than education," he says. | "Having been blessed with the wealth there is no better way of using it than education," he says. |
| Despite Qatar having the highest GDP per capita of any country in the world, it is perched in a precarious and restless region. | Despite Qatar having the highest GDP per capita of any country in the world, it is perched in a precarious and restless region. |
| Charles Clarke, former UK education secretary and home secretary, spoke recently at a higher education conference in Cairo, Egypt. | |
| Mr Clarke says with the demands of a thrusting young population, "high quality higher education is absolutely vital to the Arab world". | |
| And he warned of the risks if the young "sheared off" from society. | |
| 'Freedom of inquiry' | |
| The most urgent challenge, he says, was to create a "system of governance that allows university independence". | |
| "There needs to be a culture of freedom of inquiry." | |
| At the Cairo conference, he said there were complaints from academics in the region about a lack of free expression. | |
| The event, run by the Alexandria Trust, considered how a credible education press could improve indepedent university systems. | |
| And Mr Clarke says that without such academic independence it wasn't possible to achieve academic excellence. | |
| The World Bank has also emphasised the need for an education system in the Arab world which gives young people the skills needed for the modern labour market. | The World Bank has also emphasised the need for an education system in the Arab world which gives young people the skills needed for the modern labour market. |
| It stresses the importance of meeting the growing demand for university education - and the consequent need for jobs for the rising number of graduates. | It stresses the importance of meeting the growing demand for university education - and the consequent need for jobs for the rising number of graduates. |
| Qatar is using its gas and oil income to stay ahead of the curve. | Qatar is using its gas and oil income to stay ahead of the curve. |
| This has seen Qatari investors buying up landmark property like Monopoly players on a lucky roll. | This has seen Qatari investors buying up landmark property like Monopoly players on a lucky roll. |
| But perhaps the place to look for the long strategy is the Qatar Foundation's symbol - the Sidra tree. | But perhaps the place to look for the long strategy is the Qatar Foundation's symbol - the Sidra tree. |
| Instead of images of luxury, this is a tough, tenacious tree, that survives in the hardship of the desert. | Instead of images of luxury, this is a tough, tenacious tree, that survives in the hardship of the desert. |