Date of Award

12-1980

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Richard E. Munsterman

Second Advisor

Dr. Owen Middleton

Third Advisor

Dr. Charles Brown

Abstract

The problem in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) is the shortage of trained personnel in technical and middle management among its nationals as demonstrated by the importing of 98% of its labor force from abroad.

The purpose of the study was to determine if the community college system, as designed in the United States, would be feasible in the U.A.E. in assisting the government to meet the demand for trained middle level technicians and managers. This system with its open door policy has been very successful in the United States and has extended higher education opportunities to the public from all walks of life.

The hypotheses that were researched are as follows: (1) In the U.A.E. the number of high school graduates is greater than the entering students in all institutions of higher education. (2) The U.A.E. economy has the potential to employ all the trained students from community colleges and all other post-secondary institutions. (3) In the U.A.E. the majority of selected educational officials including the Minister of Education and Youth will support the individual functions of the community college.

The methods for gathering data concerning the above hypotheses were as follows: (1) For the first hypothesis, primary data were gathered concerning the number of high school graduates in the U.A.E. and the number of students entering the university at Al-Ain. (2) For the second hypothesis, primary data were gathered concerning the demand for middle level technicians and managers. (3) For the third hypothesis, structured interview techniques were used along with a survey of opinions which was designed to measure the degree of support for the community college functions. The population interviewed were 10, which included the Minister of Education and Youth, other educational officials, and the majority of the UNESCO advisors in the U.A.E.

The findings for the first hypothesis indicated that there were more high school graduates in the U.A.E. than there were students entering the university at Al-Ain, and that higher education was serving only 37.9% of the potential students against the 75% figure used as a decision rule.

The findings for the second hypothesis indicated that there were no existing data at this time concerning the supply or demand for additional middle level technicians and managers. The expanding economy of the U.A.E. forced the government to import 98% of its labor force from abroad to fill the needs of its rapidly growing economy.

The findings for the third hypothesis concerning the support of the educational officials in the U.A.E. government for the development of a community college system were determined by two decision rules: (a) 50% or more of those officials must indicate a desirability of 50% or more for each individual function of the community college, and (b) the majority of those officials must rank order a number of the community college functions higher than the occupational (technical) education functions. The guidelines were met, and the results indicated the support of those officials interviewed for the community college functions.

Since the results indicated that all the functions of the community college were found to be desirable by the educational officials in the U.A.E. government, and the three necessary preconditions for its establishment were found to be present, it is concluded that with some modifications, a community college system based upon the American model was found to be feasible. Thus, it is clear that some educational system for civic, social, and technical needs, beyond what exists at present, is forthcoming in the U.A.E. if the nation is going to meet its unique problems.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

Download

Share

COinS