Conversations around national and global identity construction within international schools are rising in the field of international education. These conversations have taken place largely outside of the Middle Eastern context, and that of the United Arab Emirates, where some of the highest percentages of international migrants and residents in the world exist. For this reason, this research project explored various aspects of student identity which were then examined in relation to an international school in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah. This perspective is important considering previous policy research in the region has demonstrated the importance of assessing and addressing local needs within the context of wider global trends. In this case, the diversity and cohesion that uniquely characterizes the region are taken as pivotal factors to explore the tensions between the global and the local within international schooling in Ras Al Khaimah. The findings are reported on this basis and respective policy recommendations are presented.
Recommended citation: Omaigan, A. (2020). Diversity and cohesion in international schools in the United Arab Emirates (Policy Paper No. 36). Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.18502/aqf.0136