Computing and the Middle East John Impagliazzo Qatar

Computing and the Middle East John Impagliazzo Qatar University

MENA Countries Algeria Bahrain Djibouti Egypt Iraq Iran Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Libya Malta Mauritania* Morocco* Oman Palestine Qatar Saudi Arabia Sudan* Syria Tunisia Turkey* UAE Yemen

Qatar University National (public) university, established in 1973 Student population = 7245 in 2008 Bipartite campus: Percent Female/Male = 60/40 approx Note: Qatar population = 3. 12 males for every female Graduates Total: Over 30, 000 Graduates 2008: 1, 182 total; 891 females, 75% females Seven colleges: Education, Arts and Sciences, Sharia and Islamic Studies, Engineering, Law, Business and Economics, and Pharmacy Computing undergraduate programs Engineering (CS, CE) and Business (MIS)

College of Engineering (2008) Programs Architecture [F] Chemical [F& M] Civil [M] Students 1061 Total 316 Freshmen 417 Foundation Computer Engineering [F] Computer Science [F & M] Electrical [F & M] Industrial [F] Mechanical [M] Staff 66 Faculty 19 Academic support 21 Non-academic support

Computing Programs in COE Computer Engineering (128 ch) Computer Science (120 ch) COE Courses (20 ch) Math and Science (30 ch) Compulsory Courses (12 ch) Math (18 ch) COE Elective Courses (8 ch) Science (12 ch) College Requirements (45 ch) Computer Science (53 ch) Basic Science (24 ch) Core (19) Basic Engineering Courses (21 ch) Advanced compulsory (16) Dept Requirements (63 ch) Compulsory Courses (54 ch) Elective Courses (9 ch) Electives (18) University requirements (32 ch) Free Electives (5 ch)

More Qatar Universities Education City Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ) [1998] BFA degree in communication design, fashion design or interior design Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) [2001] Two-year pre-medical program + four-year medical program leads to Doctor of Medicine degree Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMU-Q) [2003] Undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering. Masters programs in engineering and science [2007] Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) [2004] Undergraduate degrees in business, computer science programs; information systems [2007] Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) [2005] Four-year program leading to a bachelor's degree in foreign service Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) [2008] Degree programs in journalism and communication Other Universities College of the North Atlantic, University of Calgary, Stenden University

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Federation of Seven Emirates Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, Fujairah UAE University, College of Information Technology B. S. in IT (Computer Systems Design) B. S. in IT (Electronic Commerce) B. S. in IT (Enterprise Systems) B. S. in IT (Intelligent Systems) B. S. in IT (Information Security) B. S. in IT (Networking) B. S. in IT (Software Development) UAE has approximately eighty universities

Abu Dhabi Universities Abu Dhabi University BSc, MSc, BA, MBA Al Hosn University MBA, MEng, BEng, MEd, BBA Khalifa University of Science Ph. D, BE, MSc Masdar Institute of Science and Technology MSc, MEng, Ph. D New York Institute of Technology Abu Dhabi MBA, Master, BA, BS New York University Abu Dhabi BA, BSc Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi LMD, ECTS, Masters, Bachelors Strathclyde Abu Dhabi MBA, MSc Zayed University Abu Dhabi BA, BEd, BSc, MA, MSc, MEd, MBA

Dubai Universities Al Ghurair University BBA, BSc, BA Manipal University Dubai BA, BE, BSc, MBA, MSc American University Dubai BArch, BBA, BFA, BIT, BSc, MBA Michigan State University Dubai BSc, MA Boston University Dental School Dubai Postgraduate Middlesex University Dubai BA, BSc, MA, MSc, MBA British University in Dubai MSc, MEd, Ph. D, PGDE Murdoch University Dubai MBA, Bachelor degrees Canadian University of Dubai BSc, MBA Pune University Dubai MBA, MSc, BBA, BCA, BBT, BE, BSc Cass Business School Dubai Executive MBA RCSI Dubai MSc Centennial University of Dubai Rochester Institute of Technology Dubai MSc, Certificates Dubai Polytechnic Russian University Dubai Bachelor, Master's degree Dubai University College St Joseph University Dubai Arabic / Lebanese LLB Duke University Dubai Masters, MBA, EMBA Strathclyde Dubai MBA, MSc European University College Brussels Dubai Szabist Dubai BBA, BIT, BS, MBA, MSc French Fashion University Dubai BA, UAE University Knowledge Village Fuqua School of Business Dubai University of Atlanta Dubai online only Hamdan e. TQM University BA, MSc University of Dubai Harvard Medical School Dubai Postgraduate University of Jazeera BBA, BSc Heriot Watt Univ Dubai BA, BSc, BEng, MA, MSc, Ph. D University of New Brunswick Dubai BISc, MBA Hult Dubai MBA University of Phoenix Dubai Bachelors, Masters, MBA Islamic Azad University BSc, MBA, Ph. D University of Sunderland PGCE London Business School Dubai Executive MBA University of Waterloo Dubai BE, BEng, CFA, PRM Mahatma Gandhi University Dubai MBA, BCom, BSc University of Wollongong Dubai BBA, BCom, BIT, MBA Manchester Business School Dubai MBA, DBA Zayed International College BSc Zayed University Academic City BA, BEd, BSc, MA, MSc, MEd, MBA

Gender Issues Mixed throughout the MENA region Generally not a major consideration Efforts underway to engage more women in ICT, business, and entrepreneurial activities World Bank Report “Information and Communication Technologies for Women’s Socio-economic Empowerment ” (2009 June 30) ◦ Gender differences are not apparent in all countries in all areas of ICTs; it is important to look at different contexts to tease out where barriers may exist (such as education, income levels, culture, human rights, etc. ) ◦ When discussing gender digital divide, we refer to several divides: in access, in usage, in content‘s availability, in content‘s utility, in IT labor markets, in contribution to IT industry, and in access to ICT education at all levels; from primary to higher education, with focus on access to sciences and technology fields.

Final Thoughts Datum point: 2009 entry CS class at QU # Females = 25 # Males = 9 Few real CS jobs in Qatar and beyond CS graduates go to related fields Hardware and software development minimal Accreditation Generally ABET oriented However, … Affinities Sincere respect for ACM/IEEE/AIS curricula recommendations Western countries could learn from computing educational activities in the MENA region