Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF

Insider tips on student recruitment in Bahrain

Recently, we sat down with Sara Abdulla from Al Mawred Education Services based in Bahrain to pick up a few tips on how to appeal to Bahraini students. Our video interview below begins with a market background on Bahrain's education system, which is "the cornerstone of national development and the bridge to a bright future," according to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The country places a high value on education and has been recognised for its impressive literacy rate of 97.3%. Bahrain has benefited from a fast growing economy, but seeks to reduce its dependency on oil and create a globally competitive economy driven by the private sector and an even stronger education system. The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) has outlined an Economic Vision 2030 to serve as a guide to achieve this. "Over the next 10 years, the size of Bahrain's workforce will double. Currently, approximately 4,000 Bahrainis a year are entering the job market with at least a college degree. If present economic trends continue, the quality and number of jobs available will not satisfy the demand."

Their vision is to boost the middle class with an "ultimate aim to ensure that every Bahraini household has at least twice as much disposable income - in real terms - by 2030."

More disposable income means a greater ability to afford an education overseas, making Bahrain a country with long-term appeal. And with an increasing population base, the K-12 sector is receiving particular attention: "E-learning is being used on a large scale in [our] schools," said Minister of Education Dr Majid bin Ali Al-Naimi. Furthermore, the vocational and technical education sector has been identified as key to boosting skills and employability, and Bahrain agency Tamkeen has partnered with TVET UK to share best practices. The total number of students in government education in 2012/13 was 128,741 vs. 84,552 in non-government education. Most private schools in the country teach in English, but language skills are strong regardless of the type of school one attends. "Bahrain has the highest level of English language speakers in the region, which makes it very easy for the students to go abroad," explains Ms Abdulla, who also reveals the study preferences of Bahrainis, giving a glimpse into what educators might expect from these students. In Part 2 of our interview, we dig deeper into the nuances, exploring the differences between school and location choices in larger destinations such as the UK vs. the US and particularly on how Bahrainis adjust when abroad. We also look at the appeal of Arabic-speaking destinations such as Turkey and Malaysia, and Ms Abdulla stresses, "the [choice of] destination is dependent on how active this country or this institution is in marketing itself in Bahrain." Finally, Ms Abdulla discusses how to market to Bahraini students and parents  - which marketing messages will resonate with each audience - as well as the strong influence advertising and social media have along with in-person visits to Bahrain.

Most Recent

  • US institutions bracing for a challenging enrolment outlook for 2025/26 Read More
  • How the UK’s Agent Quality Framework will shape the future of agent training Read More
  • Dutch government walks back controversial measures to constrain English-taught degrees Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

US institutions bracing for a challenging enrolment outlook for 2025/26 The Institute of International Education’s (IIE) twice-yearly snapshot surveys are always required reading for international educators. That is...
Read more
How the UK’s Agent Quality Framework will shape the future of agent training This article was originally published in the ICEF Academy Knowledge Hub and is reproduced here with permission. International...
Read more
Dutch government walks back controversial measures to constrain English-taught degrees In a 3 July 2025 letter to the Dutch parliament, Education Minister Eppo Bruins explained that the government...
Read more
New Zealand announces strong foreign enrolment growth along with a new international education strategy Following a post-pandemic surge in 2023, Education New Zealand (ENZ) announced this week that the country’s international student...
Read more
The surging demand for skills training in a rapidly changing global economy With more than 175 million users, Coursera is the largest online learning platform in the world. It currently...
Read more
US issues corrected student visa data showing growth for 2024 while current trends point to an enrolment decline for 2025/26 In April 2025, we reported that foreign enrolments in the US had declined by -11% between March 2024...
Read more
Survey finds US institutions expanding agency engagement and focusing on new student markets AIRC (The Association of International Enrollment Management) and BONARD have just released a second edition of the State...
Read more
Canada’s language sector buffeted by policy changes in 2024 Amid reports of mounting job losses and programme cuts across Canadian education, the country’s language education providers are...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links