How The Middle East Is Becoming A Global B-School Hub — And Why It Matters

When it comes to accrediting business schools, one region has lately outshined all others. It’s not the U.S. where AACSB accreditation has largely peaked. It’s not Europe. It’s not even the Asia Pacific with Singapore’s rapid rise as a business education leader.

No, the region that has posted the fastest growth in AACSB-accredited business school over the past seven to eight years is the Middle East, Ihsan Zakri, AACSB regional head of the Middle East and Africa, tells Poets&Quants.

“In the Middle East, there is an interest in American style education, particularly in the GCC and the Gulf region. And, there,they have the accessibility, the knowledge, the wealth, and resources to provide it,” he says.

B-SCHOOLS’ MIDEAST LOVE AFFAIR 

The feeling is apparently mutual. While prominent Mideast business schools are looking outward for the validation an AACSB accreditation offers, global business schools are increasingly looking at the Middle East to expand their footprints. The Stern School of Business at NYU Abu Dhabi will enroll its first MBA cohort in January in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It’ll be the first top U.S. school to offer a full-time MBA in the region.

Meanwhile, eight big-name universities in the U.S. and Europe have established branch campuses in Education City, a 12-kilometer campus in Qatar, founded by the Qatar Foundation. They include Carnegie Mellon, Georgetown, Northwestern, Texas A&M, Cornell and HEC Paris. Other schools such as INSEAD, University of Birmingham, and University of Manchester, have opened Mideast campuses.

Such partnerships help countries like Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia pursue their aspirations to become prestigious hubs of higher education – on a regional if not global scale. For Western schools, it’s a chance to expand their global footprint in a wealthy and fast-growing market.

Call it a win-win: local students get world-class degrees, and international schools tap into a diverse, young, and ambitious student base.

The partnerships also align with a broader shift in the Middle East’s focus on education. As the region’s economies evolve, so does the demand for skills in areas like data analytics, AI, and sustainability.

For this interview, Poets&Quants sat down with Zakri to better understand the business education landscape in the Middle East and how the region is positioning itself in the global market. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Let’s begin with an introduction of yourself and your work with AACSB?

AACSB stands for the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It used to be called the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business, but we became global in the early ’90s and removed “American” from the title.

AACSB was founded in 1916 by Ivy League schools like Stanford, Harvard, and Chicago to establish business education as a serious discipline. Initially, it wasn’t an accrediting body, just an association. But around 10 to 15 years after its founding, we started offering accreditation and have since become the largest accrediting body for business education. We now have over 1,700 member institutions in 65 countries.

We have three offices: our main one in Tampa, Florida, which is currently going through a hurricane, one in Singapore which opened in 2009 for the Asia-Pacific region, and one in Amsterdam, which opened in 2015, where I’m based, covering Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

I’ve been with AACSB for almost nine years, focusing initially on accreditation, especially in the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region. For the past three years, I’ve been the Regional Head for the Middle East and Africa. Basically, my focus is the Arabic speaking countries of which there are 23, but not all are represented at AACSB. As you can imagine, we don’t have any members in Syria, Yemen, and so on.

How many AACSB member institutions are there in the Middle East?

In the Middle East, we currently have 96 member institutions.

What percentage of schools in the Middle East are AACSB accredited?

I would say less than 5%.

Have you seen an increase in interest from Middle Eastern schools seeking AACSB accreditation?

Yes. I would say in the last seven to eight years, interest was at its highest peak. The Middle East has been one of the fastest-growing regions for us because we plateaued in other regions like in the Americas, Asia Pacific and so on.

Also, in the Middle East, there is an interest in American style education, particularly in the GCC and the Gulf region. There they have the accessibility, the knowledge, the wealth, and resources for it.

But, the peak is slowing down a bit.

What is the student makeup at the big schools in the region? Are they mostly regional students, or are international students coming to study in the Middle East?

The Middle East is very diverse, in terms of opportunities but also in challenges. In countries like the UAE and Bahrain, it is very global and very open. Other countries, like Jordan or Egypt, have good schools but it’s not an international destination for students.

When you look at the GCC — countries like the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and others — you’ll see data showing 70 to 80 different nationalities among enrolled students. It might seem like a hub for higher education, but most of these students are actually residents, not international students

Take the United Arab Emirates, for example. The country’s population is very international, as it relies heavily on expatriates. Out of a population of 10 million, only about 2 million are nationals, meaning as many as 90% of the population are expats. Naturally, their children attend schools in the country, which creates a diverse and international student body. However, this diversity is not due to cross-border students moving to the UAE for education, like in the U.S., U.K., or the Netherlands, which are known for attracting international students.

Historically, students did move to countries like Lebanon and Egypt because they had world-class universities like the American University of Beirut and the American University in Cairo. While some countries in the region aspire to become educational hubs, it’s still a very expensive prospect, there are visa considerations and so on.

Which countries or schools aspire to become hubs for higher business education?

The UAE is always at the front, always ahead of the game in terms of program offerings. It is one of the fastest and most agile in recognizing trends in higher education. They are data driven and they respond to the data. We work closely with the Minister Higher Education so we see this firsthand.

Qatar is another country aspiring to become a higher education hub, and it’s changing rapidly. They hosted the World Cup which shows they want to be open and they want to be attractive. Saudi Arabia is also aspiring to do it and doing a lot to change their image, to show that they are open and safe.

All of these schools and working to attract qualified faculty, and overseas schools are coming to open their own campuses. For example, NYU has a campus there, University of Birmingham, University of Manchester, and INSEAD all have campuses in the region.

What about the business landscape in the Middle East? Why would some of these world institutions want to have a campus, or a footprint, in the region?

First, there’s the wealth, people can afford it. The government also invests heavily in subsidizing education. For example, in Qatar, there’s an entire area dedicated to higher education, funded by the government, called Education City. You have major institutions like Carnegie Mellon, Texas A&M, and Cornell with campuses there, and the buildings are subsidized, essentially gifted by the government. Naturally, this makes it very attractive for universities to set up campuses.

Second, it’s still a conservative society. Families, particularly with daughters, often prefer that their children stay close to home. At the same time, they want them to receive a world-class education. So, students can attend universities like Carnegie Mellon or Cornell, right in their own country, and come home every day. This is a major factor behind the appeal.

Is the business outlook in the region showing growth as well? Is there a strong reason for people to want to study there to work in business?

It is. It’s similar to when Singapore went through its transformation and became a business hub. Dubai, to a certain extent, is like that, if not exceeding it in some specific industries. You’ll find that many, if not most, of the people doing business education there are already employees. They’re already working and want to elevate their careers. So, you don’t typically go there to study and then find a job – usually, you’re already working or you’re a resident, or it’s for your kids.

If you look at Dubai or the UAE as a whole, it’s a stable place and has been progressing as a financial hub, with real estate and other industries expanding. The region can accommodate this growth on a large scale. That’s why you see a peak in the number of schools. It’s unbelievable the number of universities popping up every month. People want to study, and the region has the capacity to support it.

What are the main AACSB schools in the Middle East that you work with?

As I highlighted earlier, you have the American University of Beirut, which is truly a world-class institution. The American University of Cairo is of the same caliber – they’re both over 150 years old and very well-established institutions.

Then, there’s the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), which is the Federal University of the UAE. You also have Qatar University, which is the National Public University of Qatar – very strong, especially in research.

Lastly, there’s King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia. They maintain high quality in both research and business education.

In the region, sometimes you lose quality as a public institution due to bureaucracy, but these institutions maintain that quality.

From a Western perspective, business schools often emphasize DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) and sustainability. Are these concerns relevant in the Middle East? Specifically, what is the situation for women in terms of parity in education and leadership roles?

We have to take regional differences into consideration. Even neighboring countries in the Middle East can vary significantly. For example, in the United Arab Emirates, there has already been significant progress in terms of gender parity. It has its limitations still, you have to look at diversity and inclusion through a Middle Eastern lens. However, women are making big strides in their own contexts, and we recognize and understand that. Context matters.

Countries like Saudi Arabia are also making big jumps. They’re working hard to advance gender parity, and we’re seeing more women deans of business schools than ever before. Recently, a public university in Saudi Arabia appointed a female president. That is a big deal.

As for sustainability, context matters as well. There they are making the biggest shift. Historically, the region has been fossil fuel-focused, but renewable energy is becoming a big area of interest. We’ve seen this reflected in our new AACSB standards from 2020, which include a requirement for institutions to demonstrate societal impact. It’s not just about token efforts like beach clean-ups or tree planting. Schools need to have a clear, strategic approach to societal impact.

You see some institutions that are still struggling to understand and implement these changes. For example, in Kuwait, they’re not quite there yet. But in other parts of the region, institutions are moving forward because sustainability and societal impact are part of their institutional DNA. I think they’re doing a good job. Business schools are making that shift, embracing these changes.

Some schools have even opened doors for women in business education where those opportunities didn’t exist before. For instance, there’s a school in Oman, a university in a remote area on the border with Yemen, that became the only provider of higher education for women. At this particular university, women were not allowed to cover their faces by law while on campus. These are important leaps, and they show the powerful role business schools can play in driving change. We shouldn’t underestimate their impact.

Considering the ongoing Israeli conflict, and other wars and conflicts in the region, how do these affect your work in the Middle East?

Again, it’s very specific to each country. For instance, we’ve seen similar issues elsewhere – like with the invasion of Ukraine, China and Taiwan. Every part of the world there’s something. So, we assess each situation based on what’s happening in that particular country and figure out how we can support business schools there. It doesn’t really affect the overall operation or mobility of business schools in the region.

For example, we’re still planning to hold our MENA conference in Dubai on January 15-16, and that hasn’t been interrupted. However, we do go out of our way to communicate with schools in conflict-affected areas. When the Ukraine crisis started, we reached out to all members or schools in the accreditation process, giving them extensions and helping accommodate their circumstances. We’re doing the same now with Israeli and Lebanese schools. We stay in close communication, asking how we can support them and ensure that they’re able to continue their operations, especially when it comes to AACSB accreditation, which follows a strict timeline. We’re flexible and take all of these factors into consideration, but overall, instability doesn’t significantly impact our work in the region as a whole.

Considering prospective students, what are some of the most interesting programs or innovations coming from these schools? What stands out to you?

A lot of what these schools are doing is data-driven in their program design, focusing on specialized programs. To your earlier question, these are often designed for people who want to work in specific industries or elevate their professional profiles. You’ll find a lot of industry-driven programs, and that’s where the niche of the market lies.

For example, there are specialized programs in hospitality, oil and gas (which has been around for a while), data analytics, Fintech and AI. There’s a new master’s in cryptocurrencies. It’s very cool, very current.

Less so in research. Research remains traditional in specific institutions, but they are innovating in specialized programs.

Can you identify the biggest differences you see in trends in Middle Eastern education compared to, say, the U.S.?

One of the main differences is the focus on research-driven programs that is lagging behind in the Middle East. There isn’t as much of a traditional pathway, where students move from a master’s degree to research programs and then on to doctoral studies. That kind of academic progression is lacking in the Middle East.

What about the MBA? Is it a popular degree, or are there more specialized master’s programs?

For a while, the MBA was the trend, especially among engineers, doctors, and professionals who wanted to advance their careers. But now, specialized programs have become more popular.

Is the MBA structured like the traditional two-year model in the U.S., or the one-year model popular in Europe?

One year because most of the students are working professionals, so the programs are on weekends and evenings. You won’t find many full-time MBA programs here.

Is there a strong presence of undergraduate programs, or is the focus more on graduate-level education?

There’s a balance, but you’ll find a lot of undergraduate programs. The region has a young population, so there’s a strong demand for bachelor’s degrees as well,

What do you think are the most interesting trends right now in business education in the region?

I’d say data-driven programs are one of the key trends. Data analytics programs are particularly interesting, and sustainability is a buzzword. AI is now joining that list as well. Accounting, interestingly, never dies out – it’s a strong field, and graduates tend to find jobs very easily.

However, more and more schools are focusing on sustainability programs and those related to data management. These areas are very trendy, and schools are quick to respond to what’s happening in the market. The demand for these programs is strong, and governments are showing a lot of interest in them as well. Most of the schools I’ve spoken to are at full capacity.

What are AACSB’s aspirations in the region?

Membership is definitely an area of interest for growth, but in a realistic way. We don’t want to add members just for the sake of adding members. We want members who are actively engaged. There’s no point in a school paying the membership fee but doing nothing. So our focus is more on engaging the existing members.

We also aim to grow the number of accredited institutions, which helps maintain quality assurance and continuous improvement. Accreditation is a process that occurs every six years, ensuring that institutions stay up to standard.

We also want to customize some of our offerings for the region. Historically, we’ve been very U.S.-centric, and added a European focus, but now we’re adapting more for the Middle East. We’re already doing this with our conferences and seminars, which are held in the region rather than just in Europe.

Another area we’re exploring, and have piloted in the Middle East, is program certification. It’s not full accreditation but a quasi-assurance for programs. Most institutions can manage that, and it’s one of the initiatives we’ve tested in the Middle East.

Do you get a sense that the schools you work with aspire to join the global network and attract students from other countries, not just local residents?

Definitely, many schools are interested in doing that. They understand that, as a business model, attracting international students is more sustainable. However, given the young population in the region, they can still focus on providing education for locals, and the model works well since many students are subsidized. For nationals, the government often covers the tuition fees. Even if a school charges $100,000, the government is paying. So, it’s still an attractive model.

But I think these schools aspire to more because they want to challenge their students with a global mindset. It also makes things more interesting for faculty to attract international students. That’s why many schools pursue accreditation—it opens doors for partnerships. Many institutions in the West refuse to partner with non-AACSB-accredited schools, so accreditation becomes a key incentive to recruit quality faculty and partner with overseas institutions.

Is there anything I missed or haven’t asked about that you think is interesting or noteworthy?

One point I’d like to highlight is the lack of knowledge in the Middle East about accreditation among prospective students and their parents. They often don’t understand what accreditation means or how it relates to quality education. They know about rankings, but they don’t realize that rankings require accreditation. This is something we at AACSB are working on, pushing to establish more knowledge and resources so schools can communicate the importance of accreditation to prospective students.

Another area that needs improvement in the region is the focus on soft skills. While students are learning the technical aspects of business education, there’s less emphasis on developing soft skills – how to present, communicate, and pass an interview. I think soft skills should be, and are becoming, a major focus in the region’s business education.

 

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