The New Post-oil Arab Gulf

The sharp increase in oil revenues since 2002 has left the Arab Gulf States with billions of petro-dollars. But how will these countries fare in the post-oil era? The rulers of these states are taking serious measures to ensure the survival of their economies, and indeed their regimes, in a world with scarce mineral resources. This volume explores the extent to which these countries have been and will be able to prepare for the future by transforming themselves into serious international destinations for tourism, finance, healthcare and education. It also considers the implications of failure for the future survival of their regimes. This study will provide food for thought for academics, policy makers and general readers.



Nabil Sultan is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Computer Science, Liverpool Hope University. David Weir is Professor of Intercultural Management at Liverpool Hope University. Zeinab Karake-Shalhoub is Director of Research at the Dubai International Financial Centre, UAE.



Contents: Acknowledgements 7 Introduction 9 1. Building the Foundation for a Post-Oil Era: The Case of the GCC Countries 15 2. GCC Sovereign Wealth Funds and Islamic Finance: Financial Foundations for the Post-Oil Gulf? 45 3.The GCC Countries as Knowledge-Based Economies: Future Aspirations and Challenges 73 4.Higher Education in the Gulf States: From Traditional to Modern 97 5.A 'Smart' Technology-Enhanced Learning for the Post-Oil Arab Gulf 117 6.The Role of Women in a Post-Oil Arab Gulf Future;143 Bibliography 175 Notes on Contributors;187 Index; 191