Internationalization as a Driver of Educational Excellence: A Critical Perspective on the Gulf Higher Education Landscape

Abstract

The internationalization of higher education in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has emerged as a pivotal strategy in modern academic systems, with a strong focus on fostering international partnerships to enhance regional academic standards and global competitiveness. In Oman, internationalisation has gained a significant traction as part of its Vision 2040 to enhance the quality of higher education, adopt best practices and prepare graduates for a competitive global workforce. The prominent visibility of internationalization in Oman is in the form of collaborations with the higher education institutions across the world and thus promote educational excellence in the country. These collaborations combined with the recruitment of international faculty aimed to raise the quality of teaching and research, engage students in a more diverse learning experience and enhance cross-cultured competencies. Despite these efforts, the actual impact of internationalisation on the quality of education in Oman remains underexplored. While international curricula and teaching methodologies have introduced innovations in the higher education sector, their relevance to the local labour market and cultural context is still questioned. Many students, as in other GCC countries, continue to prioritise employment in government or family-run enterprises, placing greater value on region specific skills than international credentials. This study critically analyses to what extent the adoption of international curricula and teaching methodologies contributed to raise the academic standards and equipped graduates with skills relevant to the international job market. It also investigates the institutional, cultural, and structural barriers that influence the effectiveness of internationalisation efforts. To achieve this, a qualitative research design is employed by conducting semi-structured interviews with 16 senior faculty and administrators who have more than five years’ experience of serving in the higher education institutions of Oman. Thematic analysis of their responses revealed three key themes: (1) Curriculum and Pedagogy, (2) Institutional Challenges and Barriers, and (3) Cultural and Structural Mechanisms. While participants acknowledged the positive impact of global collaborations and international faculty on teaching quality, they also highlighted issues such as limited institutional autonomy, language barriers, cultural resistance, and policy-level constraints.