Qatar Foundation, Georgetown University Renew Partnership for Another Decade

Qatar Foundation (QF) and Georgetown University signed an agreement on Wednesday in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson, QF to renew their partnership for another 10 years.

At a celebratory event, marking the 20th anniversary of Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), the agreement was signed by HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO, QF, and Georgetown University's interim president Robert Groves.

At the event, Groves presented Her Highness Sheikha Moza with Georgetown University President’s Medal which is granted to a select few very distinguished global leaders and renowned academics for their meritorious service to the humanity.

Speaking at the event, Her Highness commented on the renewed partnership between QF and Georgetown University stating: “Qatar Foundation is committed to forging a path that leads to cross-cultural understanding, respect and collaboration, a commitment that is shared by Georgetown University. Together we will inspire and nurture those who will have the courage to build bridges between nations and lead our world into a better future.”

Addressing the gathering, HE Sheikha Hind said: “The longevity, impact, and success of our partnership with Georgetown University is a testament to collective vision, and a shared belief in what knowledge makes possible.

“When Qatar Foundation embarked on its journey to provide world-class education to the youth of Qatar and our region, we sought international partners in education who not only offered academic excellence, but whose values aligned with ours.

 Georgetown University was one such institution with the foresight to recognise what such a partnership could achieve – contributing to the advancement of a nation and a region, while amplifying its own capacity for scholarly research and discovery.

“From the students it has nurtured to become agents of change and true global citizens in so many fields, to the wealth of new and regionally relevant academic thought it has produced, Georgetown University in Qatar exemplifies what can be achieved by partnering in the name of knowledge.

"We are proud that this partnership, which has already spanned 20 years, will continue to nurture leaders of the future and support human and social development on a national and regional scale – together, QF and Georgetown University aim to ensure that what we have achieved together over the past two decades is merely the beginning.”

Also in attendance were HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, number of excellencies and other dignitaries, top leadership of QF and several leaders of Georgetown University, deans of various universities in Education City and leading academics from various orgaisations in the country among others.

Safwan Masri, dean of GU-Q welcomed the gathering and highlighted the importance of the partnership between the two great institutions. 

He said: “Georgetown University could bring its deepest convictions of diplomacy, justice and history into a new terrain and find them met with an enthusiasm that gives them fresh urgency and direction. From a single floor in a shared building, and a handful of faculty and staff who stepped into the unknown, came the beginning of something enduring. And today, GU-Q stands as an indelible part of Georgetown's identity and a vital force in Qatar's academic landscape.”

Following the signing ceremony, seven distinguished GU-Q alumni who are making a meaningful impact in Qatar and internationally, were recognised with the Alumni Impact Awards, underscoring the far-reaching influence of the academic partnership. Salma Mousa (SFS’12); Mohammed AlSudairi (SFS’11); AlJawhara Hassan al-Thani (SFS’11) Amna Mohammed al-Thani, (SFS’11) Haajerah Khan, (SFS’10); Ousaman Camara ( SFS’20) and Haya al-Noaimi( SFS’09) were those honoured.

In his remarks, Groves noted that Georgetown University's 20 years of service in Qatar was made possible by the vision of Her Highness Sheikha Moza.

“If we go back just over 20 years, this campus was just an idea. It was, however, a big idea. Her Highness Sheikha Moza and the Royal Family of Qatar had a vision of a new kind of academic community, really unprecedented in the world, with multiple schools, a diversity of perspectives, various forms of expertise. 

All were gathered together with a unified purpose to help a region and indeed a global community of students,” he pointed out.

Francisco Marmolejo, president of Higher Education at QF noted that Qatar Foundation has the genuine conviction that education is the key to unlock the human potential. He stated: “This conviction is the one that brings us together today and it will be what will continue to keep us together. 

The simple fact we are celebrating today is a stronger and more impactful partnership. Right from 2005, Georgetown University in Qatar has ben a central pillar in Education City”

“ Education at its best is transformative and the dedicated team at GU-Q has been making it easy to happen. This is a community of scholars deeply committed to contributing meaningfully to our global conversations,” added, Soyica Diggs Colbert, interim provost at Georgetown University.

QF’s ecosystem of education includes GU-Q, six other international partner universities, QF’s homegrown Hamad Bin Khalifa University, and 13 schools, including specialised schools.

 In the 2024-25 academic year, over 4,000 students of 102 nationalities are enrolled in universities at QF, with 64% female and 47% Qatari. Over 9,900 students have graduated from these universities, a number that will rise next month when their Classes of 2025 graduate.

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Georgetown University offers its Bachelor’s of Science in Foreign Service Degree to students matriculating at GU-Q, with specialisations in International Politics, Culture and Politics, International Economics, and International History.

GU-Q also trains mid-level professionals in the field of foreign affairs through its Executive Masters in Diplomacy and International Affairs. In 2024, Georgetown University was ranked first worldwide by Foreign Policy magazine for its undergraduate and master’s programs in international relations.

GU-Q’s inaugural graduating class was composed of 18 students. The university’s Class of 2025 numbers 134 students representing nearly 80 nationalities. Since its establishment as a QF partner university in 2005, GU-Q has graduated nearly 1,100 undergraduate and master’s degree students.