Fragility of regionalism as a critical lens for understanding internationalisation policies and staff mobility

The aim of this presentation is to unpack the ways in which higher education internationalisation policies in the GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) shape different modes of academic mobility. The GCC countries include: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman. The diversity of modes of mobility in the region includes, for instance, short term consultancy-type ‘come and go’ mobility (in Bahrain), longer-term presence of foreign academics at international branch campuses (IBC) (in Oman and the UAE), movement of ideas rather than people through institutional affiliations (Oman) and creating ‘HE leaders’ through Islamic values and without imitating models of other states (Saudi Arabia). I aim to show in the presentation how this diversity of modes of mobility is linked to inter-state competition in internationalisation which emerges despite historical and political alliance of the GCC. Beyond the specific examples from the GCC countries, there are theoretical implications which will encourage a critique of regionalism as a lens with which to understand internationalisation and competition for ‘talent’. The presentation will show the fragility of ‘regionalism’ and ‘regional’ theoretical perspectives in understanding why, despite all six states’ cultural, historical and political allegiance to the GCC alliance and shared HE heritage, the unity between these states is challenged when it comes to internationalisation.