DESCRIPTION

Mission 

Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q) is dedicated to fulfilling Georgetown University’s mission of promoting intellectual, ethical and spiritual understanding through serious and sustained discourse among people of different faiths, cultures and beliefs. Embodying this spirit of the University, Georgetown’s Qatar campus undertakes education, research and service in order to advance knowledge and provide students and the community with a holistic educational experience that produces global citizens committed to the service of humankind. We demonstrate the values of Georgetown University; seek to build upon the world-class reputation of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service; and work with our partner, Qatar Foundation, in its endeavors to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030.

Vision 

Our vision is to be recognized as the leading academic institution for International Affairs in the Middle East by demonstrating unfailing excellence in teaching, research and community outreach.

Strategy

Our strategic plan aims to fulfill this mission by embracing the following six strategic focus areas:

Research & Scholarship

In line with Georgetown University’s outstanding research tradition, SFS-Q has developed  to make research a joint-priority mission of the Qatar campus along with simultaneously delivering the strong academic curriculum of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service. This means we foster a strong research culture among faculty and students, and provide the supporting environment and structural framework to enable it. In turn, this necessitates building a more robust faculty body to allow implementation of a proper research policy that allows for adjusting structures to stimulate and facilitate research. It also requires a new framework for faculty recruitment, faculty titles, research semesters and career progression that reflects the focus on research of Georgetown University and of internationally-ranked competitors.

Curriculum Development & Excellence in Teaching

SFS-Q aims to deliver and to sustain a curriculum that is both robust and flexible in order to enhance the academic experience and to further the mission of Georgetown University in Qatar and the region, and to support the goals of the State of Qatar, Qatar Foundation and of Georgetown University as a whole. To this end, deans work with faculty members to diversify curricular offerings in relevant areas based on evolving needs of the region and our geographical comparative advantage. The University plans and manages faculty needs in keeping with the growing student body and the research mission. Faculty are deployed in line with curricular needs in a context sensitive to our research ambitions. We aim to provide collaborative opportunities with Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Qatar University (QU) and Georgetown University’s Main Campus. Sustained efforts to improve the teaching and learning experience draw on best practices in developing academic approaches and resources for students in writing, critical reading, language instruction and tutoring. Conscious efforts are made to embed research, critical reading and writing across the curricular offerings. Academic freedom remains a cornerstone, fundamental to high-quality teaching and learning.

Graduate Programs

In line with our own and Qatar Foundation’s aims and expectations, SFS-Q will explore options for the development and delivery of graduate level programs that reflect SFS-Q’s reputation for excellence and relevance in international relations and that also tie into the overarching goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030. This includes both independent programs and those developed in collaboration with HBKU, in either the traditional or executive format. Georgetown’s Qatar campus also offers a third of the curriculum for the HBKU Masters in Energy and Resources in partnership with Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMU-Q) and Hautes E´ tudes Commerciales de Paris in Qatar (HEC-Q).

Community Engagement

SFS-Q aims to engage the Qatari community in every way possible by extending our outreach and relationship development efforts to the national and regional communities. These endeavors help us reach our full potential in Qatar and increase the University’s contribution locally, regionally and internationally. Efforts in this realm build long-term relationships and networks of mutually beneficial support between the Qatari community and Georgetown University.

Within Qatar this strategy builds strategic alliances with external stakeholders and leverages our network of relationships to maximize mutual benefit. Accordingly SFS-Q has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Qatar's Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and developed training courses for the Ministry. An MoU with Brookings Doha Center offers credit-bearing internships for our junior- or senior-students. An agreement with the Josoor Institute creates the opportunity to provide world-class training and education programs in the sport related event management industry.

Beyond Qatar, this strategy aims to strengthen relationships in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the Levant, Asia and Europe. Agreements with specific institutions in Asia and Europe are being explored. Agreements are in place for summer internships in the London offices of Blue Rubicon and Georgetown has now hosted two student Model United Nations (MUN) conferences in Delhi, India. To read about some of our partners please visit partnerships.

Academic Collaboration

SFS-Q seeks opportunities to collaborate with other academic institutions to facilitate the mutual exchange of ideas, knowledge, services and resources available for the betterment of society as a whole while maintaining the unique values that make us inherently Georgetown. SFS-Q collaborates with developing programs of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and other partner universities through supporting mechanisms, joint programs and collaborative research. SFS-Q also actively explores challenges and seeks opportunities to partner with other Qatari, regional and international institutions. Along these lines, a collaboration agreement with Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) offers students a Certificate in Media and Politics. Beyond Qatar, academic collaboration agreements are already being explored with institutions in Asia and Europe.

Strategic Enrollment Framework

SFS-Q has developed a sustainable strategic framework for student enrollment that aims to achieve both a strong Qatari presence and genuine cohort diversity in terms of country of origin and socio-economic background. This serves our educational mission and enhances the student learning experience. As the University surpasses the original target of 200 students, staffing and support preparations have been made to provide matriculation support for up to 300 undergraduate students by the year 2015.