Post-Secondary Education in Qatar: Employer Demand, Student Choice, and Options for Policy. Monograph

The leadership of Qatar has a social and political vision that calls for improving the country's post-secondary education system. Qatar's Supreme Education Council asked RAND to conduct a one-year study to assess whether the current post-secondary education opportunities in Qatar are aligned with the nation's social and economic goals, and to help articulate priorities for developing post-secondary educational opportunities, either in Qatar or through financed study abroad. The study determined that occupational demands are in the professional, technical, and sales and service occupations for men, and in the professional and clerical occupations for women. Overall, the pattern of demand favors individuals with some post-secondary education. However, education and career choices, especially for men, are somewhat misaligned with demand. There are numerous post-secondary offerings in Qatar to prepare Qataris for work in high-demand fields at the undergraduate level, but not for graduate studies. The study also identified other gaps in the provision of education, and developed several options for addressing them. The recommended investments for consideration are as follows: (1) to address the currently limited opportunities available to Qataris who need further course work before going on to university studies, consider establishing a government-sponsored community college; (2) to address the limited choices in four-year degrees available to high-achieving students beyond the degrees offered in Education City, consider recruiting a top liberal arts college or developing an honors program at Qatar University; and (3) to address the lack of master's degrees being offered in fields essential to Qatar's social and economic progress, consider expanding Education City's offerings or restructuring Qatar University programs. The study also recommended that a financial-aid program for adults be started and that an overarching strategy of investment be developed for post-secondary education before any investments are made. Qatar has made significant efforts to improve post-secondary educational opportunities to ensure that its citizens are able to contribute to the country's social and economic goals. These initiatives, however, have not been subjected to a broad strategic review. The authors describe RAND's analysis of skill and occupational demands and related post-secondary educational opportunities, and offer recommendations for improving the country's current provision of post-secondary education. Specifically, this one-year study sought to determine: (1) the specific occupations in which Qataris can make the greatest contribution to the society and economy, and the education and training required to realize these contributions; (2) the measures that might encourage more Qataris, especially young men, to pursue post-secondary education; (3) the extent that existing institutions meet education and training needs and whether new investments are required; and (4) the benefits and costs of establishing local post-secondary institutions at the undergraduate and graduate levels versus sending students abroad for these studies. This monograph is written primarily for decisionmakers in Qatar. It may also be of interest to researchers and policymakers involved in higher education, as well as to those concerned with education and economic development in the Middle East. Three appendixes present: (1) Study Approach and Methods; (2) Post-Secondary Degrees Offered in Qatar; and (3) Training Providers in Qatar. (Contains 39 tables and 1 figure.) [This report was written with: Louay Constant, Charles A. Goldman, Joy S. Moini, Vazha Nadareishvili, and Hanine Salem. The research described in the report was prepared for the Supreme Education Council.] The government of Qatar has made significant investments in post-secondary education to ensure that Qataris are able to contribute to the country's social and economic goals. The authors describe RAND's analysis of occupational demand and related post-secondary educational opportunities, and offer recommendations for improving the country's current provision of post-secondary education. Cathleen Stasz, Eric R. Eide, Francisco Martorell ; With Louay Constant ... [et Al.]. Rand-qatar Policy Institute. Prepared For The Supreme Education Council. Mg-644. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 131-133).