Talal Abu-Ghazaleh
Education is the natural gateway to employment, and the
university is the place where young people are prepared for their professional journeys.
Yet, the reality across the Arab region narrates a very different story. We
have universities that continue to expand, academic disciplines that continue
to multiply, and the number of graduates growing every year. At the same time,
youth unemployment continues to rise, while numerous companies are searching to
find the competencies and skills they urgently require. This paradox deserves serious
consideration. How can we have such a large number of degree holders and, at
the same time, suffer from a skills shortage? The fault lies neither with the
student alone nor with the university alone; it is far deeper.
For decades, I have used every platform to speak out against
our failure to build a genuine relationship between what we teach at our
universities and what the economy and labor markets actually need. Far too
often, we still choose academic disciplines based on availability, parental
preference, or what students perceive to be easier. Then, four years later, we
realize that the market has no use for that degree. The same cycle repeats
itself. Thousands of students enroll in programs with attractive titles whose
graduate numbers far exceed the market's capacity, while other vital sectors
face severe shortages in technicians, programmers, cybersecurity specialists,
interactive coders, artificial intelligence experts, automation engineers,
energy specialists, and modern industrial technology experts. In many cases,
the level of graduates in these areas falls short of expectations; a topic that
deserves a separate discussion regarding outdated curricula.
This is not simply a problem of numbers; it is a failure of
strategic planning. The economy is changing rapidly, while our educational
systems are moving far too slowly. Today’s businesses need skills that did not
even exist in university specialization lists a few years ago. Artificial
Intelligence (AI) has entered industry, services, medicine, finance, and media.
Cybersecurity has become an integral part of the national and institutional
security; and robotics and automation are reshaping the workforce. Yet, across
large parts of the Arab world, we still consider university majors as decisions
separate from economic realities.
We need an education system rooted in reality and paired
with practical, real-world training.
The primary issue lies in the traditional mindset that considers
the university as a certificate-printing institution rather than a core
component of human capital and economic development. We then turn around and
ask why are our young people emigrating? Why is unemployment rising? Why companies
are unable to find qualified talents? The answer is no mystery. The world will never
wait to reorganize our curricula. I believe that part of the solution starts
when universities stop considering the job market as a destination that exists
solely at the end of the road to hire their graduates. The market must be
present from the very beginning; shaping skill requirements, designing
programs, guiding internships, overseeing practical projects, and assessing
whether a given discipline remains relevant. Adding a single programming module
to an outdated degree and claiming to have modernized education is nothing more
than fooling ourselves.
We need a radical shift in our mindset. A student studying
economics, for instance, needs to understand data analytics and digital tools; while
a student studying Business Management will work in an increasingly tech-driven
environment; and even humanities disciplines will see their nature
fundamentally transformed by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The professional
world is no longer rigidly divided between scientific and literary tracks. Those
boundaries are beginning to disappear, making the continued gap between
education and economic needs ever more costly.
The Arab world has enormous human
capital, with millions of young people in youthful societies,
contrasting sharply with aging populations in the West. This can either become
our greatest added value or our greatest challenge. The difference depends on the quality
of education our youth receive and our ability to transform job seekers into
skilled producers and innovators. The issue is not necessarily about building
new universities, but about re-evaluating existing ones. We need an education
system rooted in reality, paired with practical, real-world training, and
backed by respected vocational paths that society no longer views as inferior
alternatives to a university degree.
Markets and economies are not driven by certificates.
They are driven by technicians who know how to repair machinery, programmers
who can develop software and build systems, cybersecurity experts who safeguard
institutions, engineers who turn ideas into products, technicians who operate
advanced equipment, and entrepreneurs who know how to enter the market. Some
may argue that these roles lack the social prestige attached to certain
academic degrees, but they are the true engine of economic growth, and we must
come to terms with this reality.
There is no shame if every young individual does not end up
going to university. The real shame is entering university and graduating
without being prepared for professional journey. This is where a genuine
discussion on education in the Arab world must start. We do not simply need
more graduates; we need graduates whom the future actually needs.