Her Excellency Sheikha Hind Attends Asia Cooperation Dialogue Education Workshop at Qatar Foundation

Event organized by QF and Ministry of Foreign Affairs discusses pan-Asian collaboration in higher education

Doha, Qatar, March 13, 2019: Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation (QF), today attended the opening of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Education Workshop, organized by QF and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the 2015 building (QF Headquarters).

Held in partnership with the ACD – a pan-Asian forum that aims to maximize the expertise, strengths, and resources of its member states to elevate the continent’s global competitiveness – and the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), a QF initiative, the workshop is focusing on enhancing collaboration in the field of higher education across Asia. Qatar is one of the 18 founding members of the ACD and holds the chairmanship of the forum for 2019.

The two-day workshop is taking place under the theme ‘Learning from Neighbours: A Pan-Asian Effort to Build Contextualized Education Policies’, with participants including representatives from QF member Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), QF’s partner universities, and other higher education institutions in Qatar, as well as from members of the ACD University Network and other universities from ACD member states.

Its goal is to advance a common agenda among decision-makers, at a regional and continental level, that will improve educational access and quality, promote global citizenship, and foster competitive workforces, with two interactive sessions today focusing on ‘Building an entrepreneurship education framework’.

The forum is also providing delegates with the opportunity to learn about impactful education- related partnerships that have been formed in Qatar, including those driven by QF, with its debates being intended to help inform education policy and explore potential new educational initiatives.

His Excellency Ambassador Khalid Ibrahim Abdulrahman Al-Hamar, Director of the Asian Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, praised the success of the workshop and the high level of attendance. He said that Qatar focuses its attention on, and places great importance on, the ACD, and that organizing this workshop has aligned with Qatar's focus on education and the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, emphasizing the importance of education as one
of the cornerstones of societal development.

Explaining that the aim of the workshop is to share experiences and build education policies, he said: This is one of the main activities that comes within the context of Qatar’s presidency/chairmanship of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue for 2019.

“In addition, Doha will host the 16th ministerial meeting of the member states of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue in 2019. It will coincide with hosting the forum for businessmen from April 30-May 2, 2019, as well as organizing a workshop on culture in September.

“These events are part of Qatar's aim to support the joint efforts of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, and its commitment to integration by increasing cooperation between Asian countries in all areas and fields.”

Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Marwan Khraisheh, Senior Research Director, HBKU, said: “Many higher education institutions around the world face difficulties and dilemmas in trying to be ‘international’.

“They look to ensure their students and faculty can benefit from knowledge exchanges and cross-cultural collaboration with multiple institutions from abroad, while at the same time ensuring they stay true to, and focused on, the specific needs of the society they are part of. Striking this balance can be challenging. But it becomes less daunting when there are pathways that allow open dialogue and the exchange of support between different institutions.”

For more information about the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, please visit www.acd-dialogue.org