Globalization presents Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries with opportunities for economic growth and transformation, as many of these nations face economic challenges such as the need for a diversified knowledge-based economy because of the finite resource of hydrocarbons. This requires the development of human capital providing workers with new and advanced skills and competencies. Education has become increasingly important on national agendas in the GCC, leading to an increase in transferring educational reforms often founded on Human Capital Theory (HCT). This article examines how HCT is embedded in the development of knowledge economies and reforms in many GCC countries and identifies the possible differences between western understandings of Human Capital Development (HCD) and GCC nations. In particular, the article addresses cultural preservation, specifically identity and language, against the backdrop of HCD in the GCC nations. Discussion centers on HCD from a local perspective raising concerns about HCT as a guiding educational theory in the GCC. This is followed by several suggestions for policymakers to consider when developing an education system that includes the skills deemed necessary for economic development while simultaneously preserving national identity and the Arabic language.

全球化为海湾合作委员会（GCC）国家提供了经济增长和转型的机会，因为这些国家中的许多国家都面临着经济挑战，例如由于碳氢化合物资源有限而需要多样化的知识型经济。这就需要发展人力资本，为工人提供新的和先进的技能和能力。在海湾合作委员会的国家议程中，教育已变得越来越重要，这导致通常基于人力资本理论（HCT）的教育改革的转移有所增加。本文研究了HCT如何嵌入许多海湾合作委员会国家的知识经济和改革中，并确定了西方对人力资本开发（HCD）的理解与海湾合作委员会国家之间的可能差异。特别是，本文在海湾合作委员会国家的HCD背景下，论述了文化保护，特别是身份和语言。讨论从本地角度着眼于HCD，这引起了人们对HCT作为GCC指导教育理论的关注。其次是政策制定者在制定教育体系时应考虑的一些建议，该体系应包括被认为是经济发展所必需的技能，同时又要保留民族特色和阿拉伯语言。