Texas A&M University at Qatar is experiencing a revolutionary change to campus. There are more women than men enrolled in the engineering college, and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned is the chairwoman of Qatar Foundation’s committee for Education, Science and Community Development.
“Her Highness has been actively engaged in education and social reform in Qatar for many years and has played a major role in spearheading various national and international development projects,” said Patti Urbina, director of Qatar student offices in College Station.
In a 2007 issue of Forbes magazine, Her Highness was named one of the 100 most powerful women in the world and The Times of London named her one of the 25 most influential business leaders in the Middle East.
“She is very revered in the whole region because as a woman, she has come to symbolize progressive thought,” said Texas A&M University President Elsa A. Murano. “She wants to do what she can to reform education in Qatar.”
As for A&M’s own woman-in-charge, Murano will be traveling to Qatar for her second time in May after being approached by Mark Weichold, dean and CEO of Qatar, to deliver the commencement address.
Murano is expecting the ceremony to be comparable to A&M’s with only minor differences, such as the graduation gowns.
The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Prasad Enjeti will carry the mace, and the processional will be followed by both the Qatari and United States national anthems. The ceremony will end with students and faculty singing “The Spirit of Aggieland.”
Murano said the A&M system is lucky to be a part of the Qatar education system. She said by having a campus there, A&M gets to help change the landscape of the country.
Murano said Qatar’s style of education used to be very traditional, having students memorize facts and formulas. Now it is more westernized, with professors using critical thinking and more hands-on methods to teach.
“Qatar Foundation is using innovative strategies and programs focusing on capacity building and character development at Education City,” Urbina said. “This unique form of education involves a select few institutions known for the quality of their programs, from early years to university education at undergraduate level and beyond.”
Urbina said learning and teaching is focused on creativity, curiosity, conveying knowledge and life skills, to create lifelong learners.
A&M at Qatar requires its students to follow the same curriculum as students on the main A&M campus.
“Because it is our campus and our administrators run it, there’s a lot of influence from Texas A&M University on how Texas A&M Qatar does things,” Murano said. “They even have to take Texas history.”
Qatar incorporated a “common ground” reading program for the Liberal Arts college in the fall with criteria for the literature including that it be a contemporary work, set in the United States, written by a native English speaker and have thought-provoking content.
Murano said A&M is influencing people in Qatar with its values.