Determinants of College and University Choice for High-School Students in Qatar

Drawing on existing research, this paper investigates various predictors of high school students’ college and university choice decisions in Qatar. Based on a 2015 survey of 1,427 participants, this study utilized exploratory factor analysis to identify variables that affect student choice of higher educational institutions (HEI). Three factors were extracted from the analysis, revealing the following aspects of the academic experience as important when choosing a HEI: quality of education, cultural values, and the cost of education. To further the understanding of the relevance of these factors for different student demographics, we employed ordinal logistic regression to test whether several independent variables (student’s gender, nationality, parental education, and parental occupation) act as significant predictors of the three extracted dimensions (dependent variables). The analysis revealed that, indeed, demographic characteristics significantly predict, to varying degrees, all three factors affecting student’s HEI choice. Discussion on postulated reasons behind the recorded relationships will follow, along with implications and recommendations for further study and research. Findings of this study will help HEIs in Qatar and the broader region to position themselves more effectively, and develop targeted strategies that attract a diverse student population

Legacy perceptions among Qatari nationals: What legacies will the 2022 World Cup bring?

Qatar has been awarded to host the 2022 World Cup. For the Middle East this event can bring a number of changes in the region for sport and urban development. Given that the event was awarded very early in Qatar (2010) by FIFA, the planning time is significantly large for the country to be ready. Thus, the residents of the country will witness preparation efforts for about 12 years. It is with this mindset, that this study wanted to understand the Qatari population perceptions about the expected legacies of the event

Examining the cross-cultural attitudes of Qataris and expatriates in Qatar, the host country of 2022 World Cup

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how residents in Qatar, the host country of the 2022 World Cup, interact, socialize and acculturate in order to create a more harmonic society, a critical factor for the event delivery and preparations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from Qatari nationals and expatriates residing in the country of Qatar using a survey. A stratified random sampling approach was applied using as sampling framework all households having a mailing address with the country’s electric company. In total, 2,398 Qataris were contacted and 1,020 completed the survey. From the expatriate population, 1,852 were contacted and 1,134 completed the survey. Findings The results showed Qatari nationals were favorable toward Arab and Asian expatriates but not as favorable as Arab and Asian expatriates were toward them. Both groups of residents showed high quality of life (QOL) perceptions, with the locals having slightly higher QOL. Finally, Asian expatriates were more open to socializing with the locals and Arab expatriates. Research limitations/implications The results of the study shed light into the acculturation process in host societies of mega sport events such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Originality/value This is the first study that examined a mega event’s host country resident’s cultural interactions to identify potential issues that can arise and interfere with the event experience of the 2022 World Cup in a very diverse society