Imported Expertise in World-class Knowledge Infrastructures: The Problematic Development of Knowledge Cities in the Gulf Region

Informationswissenschaft in der Urbanistik

“…Die schließlich recht gut ausgebildeten Absolventen stehen vor einem sehr schwierigen Übergang in die Arbeitsmärkte. Die Einheimischen ziehen es trotz Studiums nämlich vor, in gut bezahlten Stellen im öffentlichen Dienst wenig und wenig anspruchsvoll zu arbeiten, anstelle wissensintensive Arbeitsplätze in privaten Unternehmen oder Hochschulen anzunehmen (Kosior et al, 2015).…”

“…Politisches Gegensteuern wie die "Emiratisierung", "Katarisierung" usw. mit dem Ziel, die inländischen Arbeitskräfte in privatwirtschaftliche wie wissensintensive Arbeitsplätze zu integrieren, scheitert derzeit (Kosior et al, 2015).…”

Informational Urbanism. A Conceptual Framework of Smart Cities

“…ICs take the production and use of scientific, technical, medical (STM) knowledge, but also of everyday knowledge very serious and build on education, their universities and science parks. The advancement of knowledge cities is measureable [44], by science input indicators (knowledge infrastructures, academics, expenditures on R&D) and output indicators (amount of STM publications and patents as well as number of graduates). In cities on the Arabian Gulf we found world-class infrastructures (as Education City and Qatar University in Doha), mostly imported knowledge (insofar most of the academics are expats) and a very problematic transition of the native graduates into the labor markets as natives prefer to work in well-paid routine jobs over knowledge-intensive jobs in private companies or institutions of higher education [44].…”

“…The Qatar National Library combines all functions of public libraries, academic libraries and the national library, be it physical or digital, in only one library, generating synergies. It is located in Doha's Education City in close proximity to all branch campuses in Qatar [44].…”

“…Political counteractions as "Emiratization," "Qatarization," etc. with the goal of re-integrating domestic workforce into jobs outside (very well paid) public services still fail [44]. Some of our interview partners talked about the possible loss of identity of "their" city: In many cities of the world the same architects and the same construction companies design exchangeable cityscapes, and in their shopping malls and shopping streets always nearly the same products are offered.…”