In the 21st century knowledge economy, education plays an increasingly important role in
preparing new labor market entrants for the workforce and providing skill upgrading throughout
the working career. The vital role of education is propelled by the rapid pace of technological
change, as well as the interdependent, global economy, forces that together demand a workforce
with the capacity for leadership, problem solving, and collaboration and communication in a
wide range of economic sectors. Within this context, the education and workforce development
systems are critical for supporting human capital development throughout the life course. This
paper reviews these broader trends regarding the role of education in the labor market and then
considers the implications for education in the countries of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),
namely Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Where data
are available, the paper examines patterns of educational attainment overall in these countries,
evidence of the quality of the education systems and the graduates they produce, and the labor
market benefits of higher educational attainment. We also assess gender differences, where
possible, in each of these indicators of interest. The paper concludes by enumerating several key
challenges facing the Gulf countries in promoting strong education systems and well functioning
labor markets to meet the labor force needs in the private and public sectors in the 21st century
global economy.