Georgetown SFS-Q and Qatar’s National University Sign MoU to Collaborate on Various Education Endeavors

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) and Qatar’s national university, Qatar University (QU) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Sunday (February 19) to broaden their partnership in what is set to serve as a new gateway for collaborations between the two prestigious educational institutions.The five-year-long agreement expands the scope of cooperation between the two organizations in wide-ranging academic activities such as research, teaching, curriculum development, staff and/or faculty exchanges, training, mentoring and consultancy. The signing ceremony was led by SFS-Q dean, Prof. Gerd Nonneman and QU president, Prof. Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad, in the presence of senior administrative officials and faculty from both sides.Commenting on the partnership, Dean Nonneman said: “We at Georgetown SFS-Qatar are proud to partner with Qatar University, to build synergies wherever we can. Qatar University, as by far the country’s largest, has been making huge strides in recent years under the energetic leadership of Prof. Sheikha Al-Misnad, and to us it would be unthinkable not to collaborate.”“This fits our fundamental aim of engaging with the wider Qatari society and education, as part of Georgetown’s own development and mission. Both of our institutions’ students and faculty will benefit from the exchange of ideas and knowledge, whether in pedagogy or in research. We hope our exchange of expertise leads to long-term relationships of mutual benefit among teaching faculty, staff and administrative leaders, and will help serve the needs of Qatar and the region.”

“Today’s MoU is very much in line with what we feel is the right next step in the development of both Georgetown’s own endeavors in Qatar, and the development of Qatar as a regional leader in higher education.”

Prof Al-Misnad said: “We value the special relations we have with Georgetown and look forward to broadening and deepening this partnership.”

The MoU effectively translates the intentions of both institutions to encourage an exchange of academic and professional staff through professional development programs, including a Shadowing Program; and a Pairing Program, intended for faculty from both organizations. Both institutions also vowed to explore the possibility of exchanges of Research Fellows.The MoU further enables QU to seek SFS-Q’s advice and assistance with the major academic projects it undertakes and programs it runs or may develop. SFS-Q will also, where possible, act as a facilitator for collaboration between Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and QU. Students from both institutions stand to benefit as well as they take courses at each other’s respective campuses, and as universities agree to exchange academic materials and information relevant to their program. Georgetown University and Qatar University have developed strong ties in the realm of education and research over the years. The Center for Contemporary Arab Studies at Georgetown’s D.C. campus currently offers a “Qatar Scholarship Program” to dedicated Arabic-language students from the US to master their skills in an intensive language program at QU for an entire academic year.