Between conflict legacies and global aspirations in conflict-affected middle eastern universities
摘要
The objective of this study is to explore the challenges faced by universities in the Middle East in achieving global status, with a particular focus on regions that have experienced past conflicts. A large public university in Iraq was selected as a critical case representative of conflict-affected universities in the region, according to the framework developed by Salmi (2009). This approach enabled the extrapolation of the study’s findings to similar academic environments across the Middle East. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 deans, considered well-informed participants, and analysed using MAXQDA software. The study revealed that the challenges of achieving a high concentration of talent, abundant resources, and effective governance are not the only factors affecting global status; rather, they are compounded by the broader national environment, encompassing political, security, economic, and social dimensions. This study makes a significant contribution to the extant literature on the development of higher education institutions in conflict-affected contexts. It contributes to the ongoing refinement of Salmi’s (2009) framework by demonstrating how the broader national environment shapes universities’ ability to develop the core characteristics associated with global status. The study also provides practical insights for policymakers seeking to elevate their institutions to global status.