Education City in Qatar: Know the Universities

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development has taken an initiative called Education City. It is situated in Al Rayyan City, suburbia of Doha which is the capital of Qatar. The Education City is spread over 14 square kilometers or 5.4 miles. Provision of educational facilities from the school level to the research level along with some branch campuses of the eminent universities of the world is given. 

Education City is raised to instruct the students in the various fields of importance to the region of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It is a forum where the different universities share their research and establish relationships with the institutions and businesses in the private and public sectors. 

History of Education City:

In 1997, Qatar Foundation launched Education City. In the same year, Virginia Commonwealth University entered the campus. The official inauguration of the city took place in 2003.

Since then, the city has developed from a single school to a campus consisting of multiple universities. Students have joined the campus from more than 50 countries. A massive research fund was involved offering the golden opportunities for the furtherance of knowledge and research throughout all the disciplines. 

Universities in Education City:

In Education City, 6 American universities, 1 French, and 1 British university opened branch campuses along with 1 Qatari University. 

Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar School of Arts (VCUarts Qatar): It is the first international partner university that has its campus in educational City. The students can earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in subjects like graphic designing, fashion designing, painting, printmaking, and interior designing. Also, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Design are provided.

Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ): The campus of TAMUQ was settled in 2003. The students are offered Bachelor of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum Engineering. Also, Graduate degree programs in Chemical Engineering is offered.

Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar (WCM-Q): The innovative 6-years program of studies of WCM-Q take the students to the Cornell University MD degree. There is a 2-year pre-medical curriculum that concentrates on basic sciences related to medicine.  The 4-years medical curriculum tread on the heels of the successful program of Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q): It provides Bachelor of Science degrees in Journalism and Strategic Communication and Communication. The students avail the opportunity to obtain a minor in the Middle East Studies, and a minor in media and Politics. Then, a Certificate in Strategic Communication is provided to the learners. 
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q): This university offers undergraduate programs in Computer Science, Biological Sciences, Computational Biology, Business

Administration and Information Systems. 

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU): It has three national research institutes under its roof which are Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Qatar Computing Research Institute, and Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute. The educational efforts of HBKU accompany 5 colleges and a body dedicated to the executive education that are College of Health and Life Sciences, College of Islamic Studies, College of Humanities and Social sciences, College of Law & Public Policy, Executive Education Center, and College of Science & Engineering. 

Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q): This university offers a 4-year Bachelor of Science in Foreign service degree on the following subjects like International Economics, Culture and Politics, International politics, and International History. 

HEC Paris in Qatar: It offers courses like Master’s Programs, MBA, Summer School, Executive MBA, Ph.D., TRIUM Global Executive MBA Executive short programs, and Customized Executive Education programs for the companies. A specialized Master’s Degree in Strategic Business Unit Management is also offered.
UCL Qatar: The students are provided a dynamic and thorough learning environment including MA in Library and Information Studies, and Museum and Gallery Practice.

Transport System:

The construction work of the underground Education City Metro Station is going on. After completion, it will be a prime part o0f the Green Line of Doha Metro.

Controversies around Education City:

An ongoing criticism is going on about whether the American Universities having campuses in Education City is capable of maintaining a campus in Qatar, concerning the allegation of Qatari links to state-sponsored terrorism, absolute monarchy, and absence of freedom of speech.

Georgetown has also been the subject of criticism due to the acceptance of money from Qatar because of their support to terrorism throughout the world and their terrible records of human rights which is in the forefront up to the World Cup 2022.