Transforming strategic outlook on sustainability: The case of higher education institutions in the gulf cooperation council (GCC) countries

Khalid, Fahdia

Abstract

The role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) has always been linked to developing human capital and maintaining the sustainability of societies (Wasiluk, 2013). However, globalization has fundamentally changed what is expected of HEIs. In the context of a
rapidly connected world, HEIs need to equip individuals with the ability to grasp complex concepts, and strive for continuous innovation and improvement (AACSB International, 2011). At the same time, there has been a change in the societal expectations of HEIs in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and worldwide.
This change can be better analyzed by explaining the key drivers of such re-positioning. The literature, however, does not define this trend nor does it explore the trajectory of HEIs in depth.
This study develops an analysis of the HEIs’ changing roles in the modern context and investigates the dynamics of this trend. It discusses the GCC countries as aspiring to become knowledge-based, sustainability-focused, and entrepreneurship-driven societies. After contextualizing the study within the existing literature, the study
proposes a new model for reinventing intellectual capital that could act as a strategic mechanism for HEIs to interact constructively with the larger society. Lastly, the study presents a comprehensive instrument for value co-creation and strategic positioning of
HEIs. The study is based on the theoretical frameworks of value co-creation (Vargo & Lusch, 2004), Intellectual Capital Meta model (Ferenhof et al., 2015), and Service-Innovation and Service-Dominant Logic perspectives (Lusch & Nambisan, 2015).

Citation

Khalid, F. (2016). Transforming strategic outlook on sustainability: The case of higher education institutions in the gulf cooperation council (GCC) countries. In Seventh Annual GCES Syposium: Inovation and transformation: Values, challenges and prospects for education and the GCC (46-54)

• Conference Name: Seventh Annual GCES Syposium: Inovation and transformation: Values, challenges and prospects for education and the GCC
• Conference Location: Arab Open University, Kuwait Branch, Kuwait
• Start Date: Apr 5, 2016
• End Date: Apr 7, 2016
• Acceptance Date: Dec 1, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Dec 1, 2016
• Publication Date: 2016
• Deposit Date: Dec 15, 2022
• Pages: 46-54
• Book Title: Seventh Annual GCES Syposium: Inovation and transformation: Values, challenges and prospects for education and the GCC
• Chapter Number: 5
• Keywords: Education, Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/10187895
• Publisher URL: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ramzi-Nasser-3/publication/315669025_How_Do_Students_with_Disabilities_Engage_in_Qatar's_Public_Higher_Education/links/58da17eaa6fdccca1c4c09ae/How-Do-Students-with-Disabilities-Engage-in-Qatars-Public-Higher-Education
• Related Public URLs: https://gces.ae/