TOWARD GENUINE TRANSFORMATIONS: THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA by Rami A. Khayat A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Leadership, Higher and Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto © Copyright by Rami A. Khayat 2017 TOWARD GENUINE TRANSFORMATIONS: THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN SAUDI ARABIA Rami A. Khayat Doctor of Philosophy Department of Leadership, Higher & Adult Education Ontario Institute for Studies in Education University of Toronto 2017 Abstract This qualitative study researches the effects of internationalization in higher education on individuals and home nations. Data collection included interviewing 20 students sponsored by the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), an internationalization program, investigating two of the program’s objectives: developmental and cultural. This study also included a review of governmental materials, prior research on the scholarship program, and scholarship on the process of internationalization. This study reveals three angles regarding the kinds of experiences graduates had with the KASP scholarship program. First, the national and international purposes of this internationalization program unfold from the experiences of the graduates. Second, residing in another fully-developed nation helps KASP students experience what the state-sponsoring nations want their own citizens to experience for both personal and national aims. Third, the effects of internationalization on KASP graduates’ job journeys articulate the future path for credential-holders on their way home. This research concludes to say that sponsored students coming from developing nations in such program manage to partially inherit, indirectly, from the developed settings, in this case Canada, what this research calls global citizenship. Furthermore, graduates’ experience with internationalization processes prepares them for the markets for their profession, but there should also be additional efforts from the sponsoring states which ease the return and future employment of the graduates to their sponsored nation – their home. In conclusion, the findings from the study suggest that internationalization grants nations and individuals many tools that can play vital role in shaping today’s developing world. ii Acknowledgements Appreciation is the least I can give after all the love, care, and effort – amongst much more – that has been given to me while I am enjoying the journey of writing this piece of work. Topping the list for appreciation throughout this entire journey is the person who has borne witness to all the sweat and effort put forth, the person who continues to pave the way for me and my children: my beautiful wife, Rawdha Radwan. Her struggles supersede any struggle I have encountered, as she cares relentlessly about both myself and my work. She has never failed to provide meals to nourish me, to care for our children, and to tend to our home. On top of all that, she is an accomplished successful individual with a Master degree in education and many publications with a network I would dream to have. Her basis on all she does is only love – and Rawdha, I love you. To those responsible of my being, my father: AbdulRahman Omar Khayat, and my mother: Najeeba Mohammad Altaher, I say two things. First, I owe you a lot and beyond a lot for all I had, have, and will have. Second, never I forget your endless prayers and phone calls all throughout my life in Canada and elsewhere. You gave life to me and I promise to give more to you dad and mom. I am just a little piece of you, thank you. Another piece from you is my sister, Ghuzlan. The true mom, the loving sister, the network of our family, and the good wife, to you I say thanks for all you shared and still sharing with me. Two last pieces from my parents are my brothers: Khalid and Hisham. You both are pilots in your airlines and you always the greatest at flying my troubles away. Respect is what I owe you and much more I promise you and your kids. To my children: Leen, my oldest, Whard, my rose, and Osama, my man, you are pieces that complete my life and that refine my work. Leen supported me immensely with her notes, messages and unconditional love. Whard, who was born within the first few weeks of my doctoral journey, passed many smiles and incomparable hugs each time I returned home. Osama, who was born right in the middle of my doctoral journey, is my baby boy, the little man in my world who loves me endlessly. With them, and because of them, I am the father, the very proud father that I know I always will be. Life is better with friends, good friends specifically. In Canada, Wendy Dunlop and Matthew Smith. In Saudi Arabia, AbdulRahman Alnaser and Hatem Haneef. All have taught me what ii i true friendship means: borderless relationship, countless advice, always supportive, and present in your life all times. Thank you all and I miss you Canadians and I am with you Saudis. The University of Toronto, The Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, the department of leadership, higher, and adult education, and doctor Steven Anderson are all blessings from God and hard work. Sometimes I feel I do not deserve what all these have given me and at the same time they inherited in me the real Muslim within me, a human being. The enlightenment I am leaving Canada with is something God should be proud of. Thanks Canada. Every single word, or I may say each and every single letter in this doctorate journey would have never happened if King Abdulla Scholarship Program did not exist. Thank you Saudi Arabia for all you are doing for your citizens and the promise is that your investment in your youth would never be ignored nor forgotten. The change you planned for the nation is happening and the best is yet to come and shine. Saudi Arabia you matter to the world and more to me. iv Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... II Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. III Table Of Contents ..................................................................................................................... V List Of Tables ........................................................................................................................ VII List Of Figures ...................................................................................................................... VIII CHAPTER 1: CONTEXT OF THE STUDY ............................................................................ 1 1.1. Rationale ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Research Question .............................................................................................................. 2 1.3. Significance ......................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE .................................................................... 5 2.1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 5 2.2. Saudi Arabia ........................................................................................................................ 5 2.3. Islam .................................................................................................................................... 6 2.4. Higher Education in Saudi Arabia ...................................................................................... 8 2.5. Internationalization ........................................................................................................... 12 2.5.1. Internationalization Motivations ................................................................................ 15 2.5.2. Background to the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) ............................. 17 2.5.3. KASP and Global Citizens ......................................................................................... 22 2.5.4. KASP and the Knowledge-Based Economy .............................................................. 26 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 29 CHAPTER 3: CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ..................................................................... 30 3.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 30 3.2. Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 30 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 4: METHODS ....................................................................................................... 38 4.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 38 4.2. Sampling ........................................................................................................................... 38 4.3. Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 39 4.4. Interview Protocol ............................................................................................................. 41 4.5. Ethical Review .................................................................................................................. 43 4.7. Participants’ Profile .......................................................................................................... 44 4.8. Observations on the Recruitment Process ......................................................................... 47 4.9. Notes from the Interviews ................................................................................................. 47 4.10. Interview Limitations ...................................................................................................... 48 4.11. Data Analysis .................................................................................................................. 49 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER 5: FINDINGS........................................................................................................ 51 5.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 51 5.2. Section One: Saudi Global Citizens Pathway – Introduction ........................................... 53 5.2.1. The Purpose of KASP: The Developing Saudi Arabia vs. The Developed Canada .. 54 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 59 5.2.1.1. The Abroad Education (Canada) vs. The Local Education (Saudi Arabia) ............ 60 v Summary .............................................................................................................................. 65 5.2.1.2. The Saudi Student vs. The Global Citizen .............................................................. 65 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 71 5.3. Section Two: Securing Employment Pathway – Introduction .......................................... 71 5.3.1. Employment Hopes vs. Market Realties .................................................................... 72 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 79 5.3.2. Support vs. Lack of Support from KASP ................................................................... 80 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 84 5.3.3. Your Scholarship vs. Your Career ............................................................................. 84 Summary .............................................................................................................................. 90 5.3.4. Responsibility and Choices of the Future .................................................................. 90 5.4. Findings Summary ............................................................................................................ 97 CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION ................................................................................................... 98 6.1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 98 6.2. The Findings in Terms of the Conceptual Framework ..................................................... 98 6.3. The Literature Review in Terms of the Coneptual Framework ........................................ 99 6.4. The Discussion in Terms of the Conceptual Framework ................................................ 100 6.4.1. Human Capital Theory and Global Citizenship ....................................................... 100 6.4.2. Human Capital Theory and Employment ................................................................. 103 6.5. Conclusion: Human Capital Theory & KASP ................................................................ 106 CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 107 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 113 BIBLIOGRAPHY (SELECTED) .......................................................................................... 125 LIST OF APPENDICES ........................................................................................................ 140 Appendix A ............................................................................................................................ 140 Appendix B ............................................................................................................................ 142 Appendix C ............................................................................................................................ 143 Appendix D ............................................................................................................................ 145 Appendix E ............................................................................................................................ 146 Appendix F ............................................................................................................................. 147 Appendix G ............................................................................................................................ 148 v i List of Tables Table 1. King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) Vision, Mission and Objectives …. 19 Table 2. Breakdown of KASP Objectives ………………………………….…………….... 21 Table 3. Oxfam’s Perspective of Key Elements for Responsible Global Citizenship ……... 24 Table 4. Chronology of Human Capital Theory ………………………………….………... 31 Table 5. Two-Part Interview Questions …………………………………….…………….... 41 Table 6. Sample Population Overview……....………………….……………..………….... 46 Table 7. Discussion Overview ………………………………….……………..………….... 98 vi i List of Figures Figure 1. Conceptual Framework ……………………………………..…….…………….... 37 Figure 2. Data Analysis Sequence ………………………………….……………………..... 52 vi ii Chapter 1 Context of the study 1.1. Rationale The rules are different in the Middle East now. The 2011 events arising in the Arab Spring have galvanized individuals not only in revolutionized countries, but all around the Arab world as well, to reclaim their lives and rights. Over the past few years, attention has turned toward the Middle East as attempts at creating more democratic nations have been made throughout the region. For a long time, Arab countries have been autocratic and dictatorial regimes in which, [p]eople were yearning for justice and equality for democracy and freedoms but with no effective result until the revolution came. It was not a revolution of the hungry or the miserable, though lots of people were in need, but it was a revolution for dignity and self-respect. (Barmania, 2011) Saudi Arabia is no exception, but with a very indirect approach being noted. One major difference involves the fact that Saudi Arabia is a developing state with a rich resources base within which the potential for advancement plans and developmental projects seem infinite. This development is possible because of the willingness of the previous ruler of Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud (Pavan, 2013; Gallarotti, 2013), who passed in early 2015. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia underwent a golden age under the previous King, Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, the “Reformer” (Meo, 2013) and in his royal speech, the new King, Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Saud, assured the people of Saudi Arabia that he would continue the same direction as King Abdullah. Now, individuals are looking for more freedom due to a considerable lack thereof, and while evolution is occurring, it requires patience on the part of citizens and faster progress on the part of the government. Among the massive, progressive plans scheduled for Saudi Arabia is the investment of “more than $100 billion over the next 20 years in strategic solar programs in order to diversify its energy mix” (Wahab, 2012) and “building railways which includes the construction of around 9,900 kilometers of railway network” (llie, 2013), as well as the internationalizing process of higher education through the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP). KASP was initiated in 2006, and will continue until 2020. The program annually sponsors more than 15,000 Saudi students and provides the opportunity for them to pursue post- 1 secondary studies abroad, along with their families, if applicable. Based on Askar’s (2007) study researching the role of KASP in the cultural awareness of the students, the program has a significant positive role in expanding students’ academic, cultural, and social knowledge bases. KASP is a strategic process endorsed by the government of Saudi Arabia in order to internationalize its higher education base – which will be discussed in detail in later sections of this study – along with other objectives. My initial concern about the KASP program started with Askar’s (2007) study. Ironically, although the study was created and written by a Saudi scholar in Saudi Arabia, it was neither published nor accessed there, where the content matters the most. Askar’s study findings came to light in 2012 in the London Arab Magazine special issue about Saudi Arabia. Although I am a member of the third cohort of the KASP, living the KASP experience, and can speak to the generally positive outcomes of the program, I had to look outside Saudi Arabia to obtain access to Askar’s study, out of curiosity at that time. The Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia publishes some KASP-related statistics like the numbers of graduates, fields of study, and host universities (Center for Higher Education Research & Studies, 2014) but no critical data or surveys, and the released information that is published means little to the public, as it delivers solely numerical data requiring professional analysis (Smith & Abouammuoh, 2013). Specifically, as this research is interested at the personal and societal levels of change that could be caused by KASP, the accessible data fail to offer what Askar (2007) tried to arouse in terms qualitative data like, for instance, individuals’ experiences and how the scholarship had some degree of impact on their knowledge, attitude, and social being. Furthermore, the objectives of KASP, as will be detailed in subsequent sections, are obviously targeting social and economic development plans. KASP participants and graduates need to be investigated and data must be shared to illuminate if the program, in relation to the selected objectives, is on target or not. The conflict situation in today’s world, mainly in the Arab region, requires such data as it could help us understand and advance economic and societal initiatives that can sustain a healthier living for the people. 1.2. Research Question Change is taking place on numerous levels in Saudi Arabia. The proposed research will explore whether the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP) as a higher education intervention and the outcome of KASP, in terms of KASP graduates, are potentially linked to changes in the Kingdom. The following question guides my study: “How do King Abdullah 2