US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4776

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 004776 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR S, R, ECA (DPOWELL), ECA/A/S/A (MTHOMPSONJONES), 
NEA/PPD (AFERNANDEZ, CWHITTLESEY), IIP/G/NEA, INR/R 
(SSHAFFER), CA/VO/I (BARMSTRONG) FROM AMBASSADOR 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: OEXC, KPAO, SCUL, OIIP, CVIS, XF, KU 
SUBJECT: Study in the U.S.A.: We Are Failing 
 
 
KUWAIT 00004776  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
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PLEASE CANCEL ALL SECTIONS OF KUWAIT 4776. 
 
DRAFTER WILL SENT NEW TELEGRAM UNDER NEW MRN. 
 
 
KUWAIT 00004776  002 OF 003 
 
 
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5.  Educated contacts tell EmbOffs that they feared their 
children might end up in Guantanamo if they go the United 
States.  While such severe and irrational misperceptions 
are difficult to dispel, it is worth noting that they are 
out there.  These fears are related to the misperception 
that Arabs are no longer welcome in America, and that girls 
in hijab and "Arab-looking" boys with beards will be 
subject to mistreatment. 
 
"American" University and American Universities 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
6.  Increased competition locally and regionally have 
influenced the choices of students, and more significantly, 
their parents.  As local educational markets are opening up 
to private universities with American curricula, often with 
the "American" label, such as the "American" Universities 
in Kuwait and Sharjah, in addition to the well-established 
American universities in Beirut and Cairo, parents are 
opting to keep their children close to home.  In Kuwait, 
there are two such universities, the American University of 
Kuwait (with official links to Dartmouth College) and the 
Gulf University for Science and Technology (known as GUST, 
with official links to the University of Missouri-St. 
Louis).  Parents are particularly keen on keeping their 
female children nearby.  Kuwaiti parents ask Emboffs, "why 
should I send my son or daughter to America when they can 
go to AUK or GUST for a similar education, without being 
subject to visa and border hassles or discrimination?" 
 
7.  Other sources of competition are the American 
universities setting up shop in the region.  In Qatar, five 
American universities are operating:  Carnegie Mellon, 
Georgetown, Texas A & M, Virginia Commonwealth, and the 
Weill Cornell Medical College.  In Kuwait, Boston 
University is exploring opening a campus.  These regional 
schools will further erode the numbers of Gulf Arabs 
studying in America.  While these schools are better than 
existing higher educational institutions in the region, 
studying in America itself is much different than studying 
at "American" institutions in the Middle East region.  Only 
studying in America offers students the experience 
necessary to truly understand American society, values and 
policy-making. 
 
Aggressive Competitors 
---------------------- 
 
8.  Another source of competition is recruitment from other 
western and Asian countries.  Australia, Canada, the United 
Kingdom, and Malaysia are actively recruiting Kuwaiti 
students, arguing that their visa procedures and university 
acceptance requirements are easier. 
 
Selling Diversity, Quality, and Value 
------------------------------------- 
 
9.  While there is still a need to address the 
misperceptions outlined above, the next phase in our 
campaign is to sell the diversity, quality and value of 
higher education in America.  When discussing higher 
education with Kuwaitis, we stress that when compared to 
international and local competition, American colleges and 
universities and the American higher education system are 
generally as good or better than other options.  Relative 
to other countries and to the Gulf region, there are 
certainly more universities to choose from in America and 
the numbers and range of fields of study are unparalleled. 
Lastly, we argue that the costs (including tuition and 
cost-of-living) are often less in the U.S. than in the U.K. 
or other European cities. 
 
10.  Kuwaiti parents need to be sold the idea that an 
American education is a valuable education.  More 
importantly, they need to be convinced that their children 
will not be hassled during the visa interview process, at 
the point-of-entry into America nor during their studies. 
They seek assurances that America offers their children a 
safe place to study. 
 
11.  One potential area of future growth would be summer 
education for high school and college students, as well as 
English learners.  These areas of recruitment have not been 
actively pursued by American colleges and universities. 
Also, shorter term programs, such as one or two years of an 
undergraduate education at traditional American colleges 
and universities would also bring more Kuwaitis to the U.S. 
 
KUWAIT 00004776  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
Recommendation: Understanding the Causes 
---------------------------------------- 
 
12.  We believe Posts in the region would benefit from a 
commissioned market survey in the GCC countries (and 
elsewhere if desired) to learn more precisely what is 
driving the decision making process of parents and students 
regarding higher education.  While we have abundant 
anecdotal evidence on the causes of these declines, having 
factual survey data would facilitate and better focus our 
efforts to reverse the alarming trends we are witnessing. 
 
Efforts to Correct the Trend 
---------------------------- 
 
13.  In addition to use of Hi Magazine, Radio Sawa and Al- 
Hurra TV, development of a broadcast-quality 
video/documentary presentation available in Arabic and 
English on "University Life in America" would be a most 
welcomed addition to our outreach efforts to promote higher 
education in America.  Post is addressing student concerns 
with digital dialogues between current Kuwaiti students in 
the U.S. or with recent graduates and prospective students, 
as well as a host of other education-related programs 
during International Education Week. 
 
LEBARON