KUWAIT CITY, April 2, (KUNA): Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education and Kuwait University (KU) officials have seen first-hand how a UK education can help prepare Kuwaiti students studying to make a positive contribution to the future development of their country, during a UK Study Tour organized by the British Council.
In a press release issued Friday, the British Council said that the Kuwaiti officials were part of a delegation that also included officials from Oman and the UAE.
“They (the officials) explored the opportunities available in UK Higher Education and gained an insight into the rich academic, cultural and social experience students gain from studying in the UK,” the press release said.
During the tour, officials met representatives from the UK government, independent and professional bodies that make up the UK higher education sector to learn more about the structure of higher education in the UK and the different ways quality in higher education is assured.
The study tour also included visits to research-intense universities such as University College London and the University of Edinburgh, as well as newer universities such as Oxford Brookes University and Queen Margaret University in Scotland. “These gave officials even more confidence that the students they send to the UK will come back to the Middle East with both a first-class academic qualification and a broader experience of a different culture.”
According to the British Council, figures recently released by the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) show that in 2008/9 there were 14, 275 students from the Middle East studying in the UK; a 24 percent increase on the year before.
“The tour showed how many UK universities are working hard to ensure that they offer students from the Middle East a rewarding experience both academically and culturally in the highly competitive international education market,” it added.

UK students also benefit from studying alongside students from overseas, helping the UK students to build greater understanding about different societies and cultures before they enter the international workplace, it noted.
Sally Ward, British Council Regional Program Manager for Higher Education, said, “Graduates today enter an international workforce. It is important that they are all equipped with both the high quality qualifications and broad outlook to be effective global citizens.
“This British Council UK Study Tour has given its delegates an opportunity to develop the tools they need to assess the best choices for those students from the Middle East who are considering study in the UK.
“It gives the visiting Ministry officials even greater confidence that their returning students will be able to contribute to the future success of Kuwait and build greater understanding between cultures, for a safer world.
“By meeting their British counterparts, delegates have also now begun to build strong long-term relationships for the future.”