Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities

Abstract This paper introduces the prospects enjoyed and anticipated challenges faced by the student extracurricular activities programs in some of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) universities. Limited data and relatively little research on such programs exist, and little reliable information...

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Main Author: Nazar Hilal
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Student Affairs in Africa 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
Subjects:
Online Access:https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/5197
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author Nazar Hilal
author_facet Nazar Hilal
author_sort Nazar Hilal
collection DOAJ
description Abstract This paper introduces the prospects enjoyed and anticipated challenges faced by the student extracurricular activities programs in some of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) universities. Limited data and relatively little research on such programs exist, and little reliable information is available on the websites of some of the national universities in the GCC region. For this reason, the study restricted itself to examining two institutions—Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University in Sultanate of Oman—as case studies. These two universities were chosen due to their significant engagement in student extracurricular activities and their substantial students enrollment numbers. Indeed, the student extracurricular activities program is a growing section in some GCC universities, with different orientations, concentrations on, and comparative advantages to be found among them. Nonetheless, these programs may face several expected challenges within the GCC setting due to the disparities in rules, practices, and objectives across different universities. Quest. 1: In what ways are Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University in the GCC region effectively integrating their extracurricular activities programs as essential components of educational and developmental policy?  Quest. 2: What motivates Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University to engage in student extracurricular activities programs?  Quest 3: What challenges are expected to confront these programs at the two universities? Addressing these study concerns necessitates an explanation of the policies and practices that are forming and impacting the development of the student extracurricular activities program as a valuable initiative.   Keywords: University student extracurricular activities, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), student organization, theory of student involvement
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spelling doaj-art-bf58e5c9fbff4796bbbeae2fffbe4b532025-08-20T02:57:41ZengJournal of Student Affairs in AfricaJournal of Student Affairs in Africa2311-17712307-62672025-07-0113110.24085/jsaa.v13i1.5197Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universitiesNazar Hilal0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1703-7542Qatar University - College of Arts and Sciences. P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar Abstract This paper introduces the prospects enjoyed and anticipated challenges faced by the student extracurricular activities programs in some of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) universities. Limited data and relatively little research on such programs exist, and little reliable information is available on the websites of some of the national universities in the GCC region. For this reason, the study restricted itself to examining two institutions—Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University in Sultanate of Oman—as case studies. These two universities were chosen due to their significant engagement in student extracurricular activities and their substantial students enrollment numbers. Indeed, the student extracurricular activities program is a growing section in some GCC universities, with different orientations, concentrations on, and comparative advantages to be found among them. Nonetheless, these programs may face several expected challenges within the GCC setting due to the disparities in rules, practices, and objectives across different universities. Quest. 1: In what ways are Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University in the GCC region effectively integrating their extracurricular activities programs as essential components of educational and developmental policy?  Quest. 2: What motivates Qatar University and Sultan Qaboos University to engage in student extracurricular activities programs?  Quest 3: What challenges are expected to confront these programs at the two universities? Addressing these study concerns necessitates an explanation of the policies and practices that are forming and impacting the development of the student extracurricular activities program as a valuable initiative.   Keywords: University student extracurricular activities, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), student organization, theory of student involvement https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/5197University student extracurricular activitiesGulf Cooperation Council (GCC)student organisationtheory of student involvement
spellingShingle Nazar Hilal
Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
University student extracurricular activities
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
student organisation
theory of student involvement
title Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
title_full Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
title_fullStr Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
title_full_unstemmed Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
title_short Students’ extracurricular activities programmes: Prospects and challenges in Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)universities
title_sort students extracurricular activities programmes prospects and challenges in arabian gulf cooperation council gcc universities
topic University student extracurricular activities
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
student organisation
theory of student involvement
url https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/5197
work_keys_str_mv AT nazarhilal studentsextracurricularactivitiesprogrammesprospectsandchallengesinarabiangulfcooperationcouncilgccuniversities