Governance in the Arab World
Governance is the art of leading an entity according to the principles of sustainability in order to reach its objective. It is the context in which a body ensures an accountable, fair, and transparent relationship with its stakeholders. The Arab world only recently became aware of the significance of governance and its impact on the development of their nations. Today, systems are criticized, practices are questioned, and scandals resonate, making the importance of preserving oneâs credibility even greater. With globalization, changes in economic models, the internationalization of commerce, and the digital invasion of our daily lives, governance appears to be the primary route to success. It is thus a mandatory weapon for survival in the face of an extremely challenging environment and for ensuring a place in this âglobal village.â As governance stems from words associated with equality, transparency, good practice, development, and empowerment, one cannot but address the harsh reality faced by those who would implement governance principles in the Arab world, especially when it comes to gender disparity. Governance in the Arab world is facing major problems, mainly from the local culture, which is characterized by corruption. Although the Arab world are all connected in various waysâby language, geographical proximity, and religion, not to mention certain traditions and social expectationsâthere is great divergence in the political, social, and economic factors that shape them. These differences are mostly related to their cultural heritage as well as the developmental stage that each country is experiencing. It is, however, clearly apparent that women play only minimal roles in these countries, because the region is far from instituting practices in support of gender equity. Its authoritarian regimes, outdated education systems, security threats, and overall unemployment rates position the region at the lower end of the spectrum with regard to having a fair governance system in place. It is true that the situation could be better; nevertheless, it is important to state that the Arab world is progressing toward better governance practices in all fields, especially after the Arab Spring. Considered by many as an uprising by the region itself, the Arab Spring aimed initially to break down authoritarian resilience, and it created hope for the empowerment of women (Aarts et al. 2012). Since empowering women resonates the most through education, the next part of this chapter considers governance in the Arab educational sector.
Governance and the Education Sector
As the world gradually develops new governance techniques and practices, the Arab world does as wellâbut according to its own rhythm. If governance reform is taking place, it is because it is being implemented in different and varied sectors, one of which is education. More precisely, higher education institutions (HEIs) are raising awareness and conceptualizing policies to implement effective governance strategies; these changes are influencing other sectors, encouraging them to venture into similar areas. HEIs are investing in applying transparency and accountability reforms, and adopting international standards, in order to gain a place within the international higher education community and to feed the market with the appropriate human capital. Education is considered a way to build social cohesion, break wrongdoing, and ensure innovation and continuous advancement. Through education, communities are built and societies are shaped. Playing a major role in forging the personality of its members, education transmits values and beliefs and impacts personalities and attitudes while stimulating studentsâ intellect. When channeled in the right direction, education has the ability to help individuals achieve their highest potential to the benefit of society, reducing poverty and capitalizing on the technological improvements and globalization that are further increasing opportunities for advancement. To achieve this ultimate goal, HEIs have created official quality assurance offices that aim to create value throughout their processes while encouraging the development of a learning culture. They are now modifying program structures in order to better adapt to market needs and international standards. The higher education industry is becoming more diverse and experiencing rapid changes at all levels; the promotion of governance requires changes to several aspects of an institution, including putting in place systems to track and avoid corruption and wrongdoing while promoting equality and fair practice. Collective participationâby involving various stakeholders in management processes and establishing a board of trustees or governance boardâand the design of the curricula offered are necessary elements in changing an organizationâs culture so that it encompasses governance principles that are geared toward sustainable development and growth. Having a quality matrix across all institutional aspects and departments as well as transparency and accountability measures will also foster integrity in managing and coping with change while monitoring performance. However, total reform cannot occur unless womenâs role within these institutions is further strengthened and supported. The higher education industry has a high rate of women employees and instructors; however, the number of women in top management positions in these institutions is extremely low, if not zero.
The reform in HEIs will provide multiple benefits that will impact the society at large; these benefits will expand beyond the scope of the universities to encompass the society, the economy, and the international position and reputation of the individuals of a nation:
- 1.HEIs are the primary source of knowledge; they play a fundamental role in defining the future paths of individuals and are a main pillar in shaping their personalities; improvements in the system and the culture in place will have direct repercussions for individuals who spend a substantial part of their lives within these institutions. An effective system will lead to individuals being better able to internalize ethical principles in addition to their quality technical skills and expertise. Raised differently, these university students will tackle the world differentlyâraising the bar for equal and ethical practices in every aspect of their lives.
- 2.Improvements in the quality of education will create better candidates for local and international corporations located in the Arab world. Quality people promote the societies and the countries they represent; they constitute a source of increased innovation for the development of new business ventures and entrepreneurial activities across key sectors. Such activities have a direct impact on the development of a nationâs economy and its international appeal while promoting a spirit of continuous research and a quest for excellenceâdrivers of a nationâs development and competitiveness.
- 3.Arab universities will be better placed to compete at the global level by setting clear governance principles, by obtaining international accreditation, and by advancing in the rankings. In order to survive and to ensure a competitive position in the market, they must provide quality education that is rec...