Balancing Cultures at the American University of Kuwait

Abstract

The large numbers of Western educational institutions that have recently opened in the Arabian Gulf are largely transplants from abroad. The American University of Kuwait (AUK) is unique in that it is a locally owned, for-profit liberal arts institution, operating under Kuwaiti laws and regulations. The educational, cultural and administrative structure, methods and standards, however, are explicitly based on the American model of higher learning. American expectations and Kuwaiti realities are examined in the areas of governance, finance, research opportunities and academic standards. Only seven years old, AUK is still a work in progress as it seeks international accreditation while being subject to close government supervision.