Michael Trick
Dean, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q)
We strive for a balance at CMU-Q of Qatari citizens, Qatar residents of other nationalities, and international students. A diverse student population is a critical element in an undergraduate education. In university, students are exposed to different viewpoints, and they learn to share their perspectives with those from different backgrounds. We typically have a student population that includes about 40% Qatari citizens. Of the remainder, about half are Qatari residents and the other half international students. In this academic year, our students come from 53 different countries. CMU-Q and Qatar Foundation have had a partnership in education since 2004, and one of our shared goals is to empower women through education. Each year since we opened, more than half of our students have been women.
Pablo Martin de Holan
Dean, HEC Paris in Qatar
Gender diversity and inclusion are important topics for business around the world, and a subject of study in our programs. HEC Paris in Qatar works to ensure women rise to leadership positions if that is what they want to do, and ensure women are well skilled to perform at their best in the labor market, especially taking into consideration the scarcity of well-developed talent and the need for qualified and motivated people everywhere. Beyond that, HEC Paris in Qatar acts as an accelerator of careers. If someone is on the path of being an entrepreneur, a top manager, a CEO, or sitting on a board of directors, our school can accelerate that transition by giving them the tools, techniques, and skills that are required. For the ambitious individual’s career progression, HEC Paris in Qatar is the place to be.
Amir Berbic
Dean, VCUarts Qatar
It is an exciting time for Qatar. In recent years, we have seen so many activities in the creative industry here. There is the Msheireb area, which has incredibly new developments such as the Doha Design District and M7. There are a number of galleries opening up in the country and there is an active auction house through which our graduates have marketed their works of art. There are also many institutions working in the sector, and we are well integrated with them. Additionally, Qatar Media City is being established, and we want to be part of that story as well. There are exciting activities happening on the research front, and we are at the forefront of research activity within our own disciplines and in interdisciplinary, collaborative research endeavors that benefit from involvement and the expertise of designers, artists, and art historians. VCUarts Qatar already has an international reputation.
Ivan Ninov
Executive Dean, Al Rayyan International University College (ARIU) in partnership with University of Derby
Education is among the key priorities for Qatar. The next natural step in educational sector development is internationalization and attracting more international students. However, Qatar needs to put in place an attractive student visa scheme. The current objective is to build campuses for educational and training facilities, but international students also need affordable accommodation. Many people have heard about the quality of education in Qatar. However, there is still the operational dimension that requires improvement. We are keen to attract international students from the region and a wider geography. Indeed, we have had some students from Asia, the US and Europe. Another positive consideration for Qatar’s educational sector is that the country has many employment opportunities for high-performing graduates.
Brian Buckley
Principal & President, AFG College with the University of Aberdeen
AFG College with the University of Aberdeen is technically the first British university partnership in Qatar aside from Qatar Foundation. The Ministry of Education wanted more choice, and a British education tends to be a top choice for Qatari nationals, who feel a strong bond between the two countries. We successfully opened the campus in 2017, starting with a small number of students across 200 undergraduate programs, mainly offered through the business school at the University of Aberdeen. We had approximately 130 students when we started and have grown exponentially since then. We initially focused on business, though we also offer more programs that complement all areas of education. Our strategic plan is to offer a full range of university programs. Business management is an important field in this country, and Qatar is extremely entrepreneurial; business activities here, whether small, large, or family led, make up the focus and drive the agenda here.
Khalid Al-Horr
President, Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA)
QFBA in collaboration with Northumbria University launched a new master’s program in finance. We started it in 2018, and the aim is to grow the capacity of QFBA from a training academy into a higher education institution. Through that partnership, we offered our first bachelor’s program, which has since grown to become four bachelor programs. We also offered our first master’s program, and we aspire to offer more. The rationale behind it is the gap in the market. We look at the needs of the labor market and the economy to determine if it requires such a program. We identify demand and if there are people in Qatar who are interested in taking that kind of program. We only offer programs when the supply is low, and the need and demand are high. In 2017, we conducted a feasibility study and found that a low supply, high demand, and great need for financial-related bachelor programs.
Jeremy Brown
President, Global Studies Institute
Global Studies Institute plays an intermediary or a liaison type role, working with several international universities to offer their programs in select fields to students in Qatar. Our partner institutions provide opportunities for people who want to further their education by pursuing university degrees either directly or via transfer programs. We have found a niche where there is a need for higher education in certain fields, and we provide students with a quality education without having to leave Qatar. The Global Studies Institute is also an enabler to advance professional development in business, as a teacher in one of the local schools or other myriad options in response to national need.
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