Higher Education in Bahrain

Abstract

Public schooling in Bahrain can be traced back to the early 1900s. This is in contrast to its higher education system, which is comparatively still in its infancy. Postsecondary education in Bahrain started in the late 1960s with the creation of the Teachers College in 1966 and the foundation of Gulf Technical College in 1968, which became Gulf Polytechnic and is today part of the University of Bahrain. Since the turn of the century, however, Bahrain has seen rapid development and growth in its postsecondary sector. The Bahraini government has made investing heavily in its higher education system a high priority. With only three higher education institutes prior to 2000, Bahrain today boasts over 20 postsecondary institutions, with the vast majority being international branch campuses or affiliations with international universities. With Bahrain’s heavy investment in its higher education sector, it has aspirations to be an international education hub that can attract top students to attend its universities. For Bahrain, recruitment of regional and international students for its universities is vital for its sustainability, as its population alone cannot fill or support its institutions. Through a review of the relevant literature and within the framework of Edward Said’s postcolonial ‘Orientalism’ theory, the purpose of this chapter is to describe and examine the history of higher education in Bahrain. This chapter is concerned with the following questions: how has Bahrain’s colonial history influenced the Kingdom’s past and current developments in higher education? Has the progress made in higher education in Bahrain resulted in increased academic successes? Is Bahrain advancing toward its goal of becoming a regional and international education hub? The chapter will conclude with a reflection and offer some probable outcomes.