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Kuwait is one of the richest countries in the world, bordered by Saudi Arabia and Iraq. It is also one of the richest in the Arabian Gulf region, with an estimated 8% of the world’s oil reserves.
In a total population of 3 to 3.5 million, almost half are Kuwaiti, with expatriates from India, Egypt and other Asian and Arab countries making up the majority of the rest. It has a burgeoning young population: 50% of Kuwaitis are under 20 years old. The indigenous Kuwaiti population is expected to double to 2.2 million by 2030 with around 500,000 young Kuwaitis entering the job market.
Virtually all Kuwait’s income is from oil and earnings from overseas investments. The oil sector provides over 80% of GDP, with construction and trading making up the rest. Revenues for 2010/2011 fiscal year were 20.5 billion Kuwaiti dinars, KD 19.5 billion of these were oil revenues. Kuwait is an important trading partner of the UK, with UK exports of goods to Kuwait worth £451 million in 2009 and UK export of services worth £617 million for the same period.
Over the years, the government has raised the standard of living of individual Kuwaitis through an extensive system of welfare benefits and public spending programmes.
The Government is looking at wider economic reform and a programme of ‘Kuwaitisation’ to encourage more Kuwaitis into the private sector (approximately 90% of the population works in the state sector). Education reform priorities include quality assurance (in schools/FE and HE) and curriculum development as well as teacher training. Kuwaitis are not well-placed in terms of skills to compete in a global marketplace and there is a huge reliance on expatriate labour. The aim is to change this through education.
The links between the UK and Kuwait go back well over a hundred years and bilateral ties between the two countries cover all areas of society and government. However, since the 1990-1991 Gulf War, US influence has expanded considerably, especially in the field of education. More Kuwaiti students now choose the USA for tertiary education (with UK a close second) and there are a number of American-affiliated private universities established in Kuwait.
Scholarships: The Kuwait government provides several scholarship schemes for its nationals through the following:
•Kuwait University
•Ministry of Higher Education (approx 3000 scholarships per year, with 500/550 going to UK)
•Public Authority for Applied Education and Training
•Civil Service Commission
•Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
Private funding is also available for students seeking to study abroad.
A large number of Kuwaiti students travel abroad for their higher studies, firstly, because they can afford it, and secondly, because of the high status and prestige given to an overseas qualification. Most students (circa.3,500) go to the USA.
The UK is the second most popular destination with circa 2,500 students at any one time (HE/FE/English Language).
The number of Kuwaiti students choosing the UK as a study destination could face challenges around the changes to immigration rules, and the confusion surrounding the introduction in June 2010 by the MoE of a list of UK institutions acceptable for Kuwaiti students.
The British Council undertook significant lobbying in 2011 and consequently, this list has been extended and is by subject area, both for Undergraduate and Postgraduate.
The British Council has worked closely with the Minister, the Under Secretary for Higher Education and other responsible Kuwaiti education authorities to raise concerns, and we continue to seek positive outcomes from our relationship.
Kuwaiti students are highly mobile. Traditionally, they study in Kuwait up to the age of 16, after which many of them go abroad.
Schools: The undergraduate education market is as follows:
•Kuwaiti schoolchildren in years 11 and 12, either at public (government) schools, who will be taking Thanawiya Ama (the standard Higher Secondary School certificate)
•Students at private or international schools, who will be taking GCSE / IGCSE and A-levels. These students will have access to scholarships from the Ministry of Higher Education
•Non-Kuwaiti children in years 11 and 12 at international schools. These include children from the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, India, Pakistan and Arab countries, especially Egypt.
FE/Vocational training and NVQ links: As part of the “Kuwaitisation” programme to get more Kuwaitis into the private sector, the government is looking at vocational education and priming students for the workplace. This is an ambitious undertaking as so many Kuwaitis are employed in the government sector. The British Council is providing support through its “Skills for Employability” programme. Priorities for the Ministry of Education are quality assurance (schools/FE and HE) and curriculum development.
The largest provider of Further Education/Vocational training in Kuwait is the Public Authority of Applied Education and Training (PAAET) which is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Higher Education. It has a number of separate colleges specialising in subjects such as nursing, teacher education and engineering. Education is at diploma-level, 2-year or 4-year, and standards can be low. With the introduction of NVQ courses, future links with UK institutions look set to increase.
Universities: Kuwait has only one state university - Kuwait University – and eight new operational private universities in Kuwait which are:
•Gulf Institute of Science and Technology (GUST),
•American University of Kuwait (AUK),
•The Arab Open University (AOU), The Australian College of Kuwait (ACK),
•The American University of the Middle East (AUM), American College of the Middle East (ACM),
•Box Hill College Kuwait (higher education for women only) and
•The Kuwait Maastricht Business School.
•A number of UK institutions are exploring partnerships and we aim to have at least two new British higher education providers offering degree courses in Kuwait by 2015. One of them is the British University of Kuwait (in partnership with Bangor University).
The top undergraduate degree subjects for Kuwaitis studying in UK are generally related to Business and management or to Engineering. Medicine, Economics, Computer Sciences and Law are also popular.
The top postgraduate degree subjects for Kuwaitis studying in UK lie in similar areas in addition to teacher training and academic studies in education.
Studying in the UK is still very popular, in spite of challenges raised around visa changes. UK qualifications are highly respected and deemed prestigious. The UK is relatively easy to reach, being only a 6 hour flight from Kuwait.
EFL, A Levels and foundation courses are currently more likely to attract Kuwaiti students to the UK than other FE courses. They are increasingly being seen as the most accessible route to UK undergraduate programmes for non-British curriculum students. The British Council has focused over the past two years on promoting foundation courses in Kuwait, and this is now paying off, with significantly raised awareness for this product as a route to a UK qualification.
There is also interest among the following groups for A Levels or a foundation year in order to be able to study in the UK (evidenced through BC visits to schools and universities):
•Kuwaiti and expatriate graduates from international schools offering the American system
•Arab students attending Indian or Pakistani schools
Undergraduate sector: this is the largest in terms of current and potential future demand, and most students will need a foundation course prior to UK university entry.
Postgraduate students are attracted to the UK due to the shorter course length and closer proximity to Kuwait than the US. With a very limited number of postgraduate courses being offered by Kuwait University, the UK offers significant potential.
Distance learning: Kuwait lacks a tradition of distance learning and there is cultural resistance. So far, these degrees have not been recognised, at least in the public sector. However, other countries (eg USA and Australia) offer degree courses in-country, but the UK does not (except for the Open University’s partnership with the Arab Open University and Warwick University’s partnership with Kuwait International Law College).
There are many opportunities in Kuwait for UK Further Education institutions:
•Working with agents and scholarship providers – meeting with representatives from these organisations to discuss best methods of practice and possibilities of working together.
•Setting up links with Kuwait HE institutions – partnering with government and private institutions on joint-delivery, faculty exchange, research collaboration and articulation.
•Other – requirement for foundation programmes within the Kuwaiti and Arab communities, English as a Foreign Language during the summer, progression routes, etc.
We ceased offering our English Language Placement Service (ELPS) in July 2008 as part of our global strategy. Potential students are now required to contact local education agents for this service. We are working closely with the agents in Kuwait to ensure they have sufficient expertise in this area. Currently, there are three local agents for educational placements which are licensed by the Kuwait government.
British Council does not accredit or officially recognise any agents and does not assess the quality of the service that they provide. However we do work with these agents to improve the quality of their work. We are currently assisting agents, as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and other national Kuwaiti educational institutions, with the British Council on-line training course on UK education. Individuals who complete this course successfully are awarded a certificate as an individual, not as an organisation (i.e. the certificate does not amount to accreditation by the British Council of the agency for which they work). The certificate is valid for three years.
In addition to our Education UK promotion work in Kuwait, we are engaged in projects in Higher Education, Schools Education, Vocational Education, English, Arts, Science and Social Partnerships (Women’s Self-Development and Leadership).
We also run a very successful Teaching Centre and Examinations business in Kuwait. Our Teaching Centre is the most trusted provider of quality part-time English language courses for both adults and children in Kuwait. It caters to both individuals and corporate clients, delivering over 9000 hours of training a year.
The market for EFL courses delivered in Kuwait is mature and competitive, with the British Council being the main provider of ELT. There are also private language schools (of varying quality) and government-subsidised English language 'clubs'. EFL courses and institutes are regulated by the Ministry of Education, who monitor fee levels, advertising and syllabus content.
We offer a high quality Examinations service to customers ranging from school-children and students aspiring to study in the UK, to young professionals seeking further progression in their careers. We deliver over 11,000 exams per year. We have a rapidly increasing IELTS business for the many people who wish to study or seek employment overseas.
By 2015 we will have doubled our English and Exams work and will be making a significant impact on the quality of English teaching and vocational training in the public sector.
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