Tadween Roundup: News and Analysis in Publishing and Academia from the Arab World

News and stories with a focus on the publishing industry, education, and technology from across the Arab world.

Spotlight on Arab Publishing 2013
(Publishers Weekly)

In honor of the Sharjah International Book Fair (6-16 November), Publishers Weekly and Book Brunch released a special edition titled “Spotlight on Arab Publishing” available for free by scribd reader.

EdX in Talks with Mideast Schools to Host Arabic-language Courses
By John Everington (The National)

Online education platform EdX is reportedly in talks with several education institutions in the Middle East to host Arabic-language MOOCs (massive open online courses).

American Publication Plans University Rankings for MENA Region
By Christina Maria Paschyn (Al- Fanar Media)

U.S. News & World Report, known for their Best Colleges guide that ranks U.S. colleges and universities, announced that they will also develop a university ranking guide for the Middle East and North Africa within the next three years.

Education-Research Conference Stirs a Hornet’s Nest
By Nay El Rahi (Al-Fanar Media)

A conference on educational research in Lebanon, titled “Graduate and Postgraduate Programs in Education in Arab Universities: Quality and Added Value,” assesses the difficulty of how to improve the quality of educational research in Arab universities.

Syrian Publishing Houses Survive Amid Crisis
By Hibatallah Ghalayini (Al Monitor)

Hibatallah Ghalyini explains how the conflict in Syria is affecting the country’s publishing houses, causing some to pursue illegal means to sell and produce books.

Responding to Syria’s Education Crisis: Critical Points for the International Community
By Xanthe Ackerman (Brookings)

According to UNHCR, ninety percent of Syrian children and youth between the ages of six and seventeen are out of school. The current crisis gripping the country is also wreaking havoc on the education of Syrian children, whether still inside Syria or seeking shelter in neighboring countries. Xanthe Ackerman recommends several points for the international community to consider when responding to Syria’s education crisis.

Rowayat: A New Literary Magazine for Egypt (in English)
By M. Lynx Qualey (Arabic Literature [in English])

Hoping to add diversity to Egypt’s many literary magazines, Rowayat is a new literary journal that focuses on Egyptian writers who write in English.

Al-Azhar Campus Battles
By Mai Shams El-Din (Mada Masr)

Al-Azhar University has become a new battle ground for the political struggle between the Egyptian military and the Muslim Brotherhood.

Will This Egyptian-Based Startup Succeed in Digitizing the Education System?
By Jad-Ev Nasser (ArabNet)

Nafham, a new online educational platform, is seeking to tackle Egypt’s education problem by transforming the traditional education experience into a digitized environment of visual learning.

Egypt’s Overwhelmed Schools Struggle to Make the Grade
(Global Post)

Egypt’s education system came in last place in September’s Global Competitiveness Report, highlighting the woes of the country’s crumbling and overcrowded schools.

In Tunisia: The Health of the Book
By Chiara Comito (Arabic Literature [in English])

Chiara Comito highlights how Tunisia’s tumultuous political situation is negatively affecting the country’s publishing industry and how non-fiction publications are overshadowing fiction.

To Shape Young Palestinians, Hamas Creates Its Own Textbooks
By Fares Akram and Jodi Rudoren (New York Times)

Turning away from the Palestinian Authority’s approved curriculum, Hamas is beginning to use new textbooks in the Gaza Strip in order to “infuse the next generation with its militant ideology,” according the New York Times.

Cash Crunch Cripples Palestinian Colleges
By Khalid Amayreh (Al Jazeera)

Shortages in public and private funding are forcing Palestinian colleges to make severe budget cuts.

Middle East Turmoil Sends Scholars and Students Packing
By Ursula Lindsey (Chronicle of Higher Education)

Political conflict in Egypt is forcing many scholars and students to reroute their academic work and study abroad options.