Engineers in Qatar and Language Diversity: Applications for Transnational Engineering Education
Abstract
This research looks at the cross-cultural communication practices, in particular those related to languages, used by engineers working in Arabian Gulf multinational corporations. Cross-cultural communication was particularly chosen to be the focus of that research as it is needed in any field, not only engineering, and an important skill that students from different backgrounds should have to excel in their careers in a global setting. Language is particularly of interest in this region of the world as more than fifty percent of the students currently enrolled at TAMUQ have a first language different from English, and they are living in Qatar, where Arabic is the official first language. At the same time every day they go out to either work in a predominantly English environment or go to classes at an American Institute. This environment makes them shift between languages daily, and over time they start losing skills of their own native language. Some of the questions this research is trying to answer are how do the alumni use language, English and their mother tongue, daily compared to undergraduate students? And, what can individuals and institutions do to protect their own language? The study is based in Qatar, where Texas A&M University one of the branch campuses is located. In this project interviews were used to study the different languages practices used by the engineering Aggie alumni, as well as current students. The outcome of this research will take the form of a list of recommendations directed at individuals, educational institutions, and to companies on how each of them can implement practices that both preserve languages and promote cultural diversity.
Citation
Abdalla, Alaa (2019). Engineers in Qatar and Language Diversity: Applications for Transnational Engineering Education. Undergraduate Research Scholars Program. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /175417.
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