Organization:Qatar Foundation

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Short description: Non-profit organization in Qatar
Qatar Foundation
Qatar Foundation.png
Formation1995 (1995)
TypeNon-profit organization
HeadquartersEducation City, Doha, Qatar[1]
Location
  • Doha, Qatar
Key people
  • Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
    (Founder)
  • Moza bint Nasser
    (Chairperson & Co-Founder)
  • Hind bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
    (Vice Chairperson & CEO)
Websiteqf.org.qa

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (Arabic: مؤسسة قطر) is a state-led non-profit organization in Qatar,[2] founded in 1995 by then-emir Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his second wife Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned.[3]

According to the Qatar Foundation, its initiatives are oriented towards education, science and research, and community development. It has solicited a number of international universities to establish campuses in Qatar.[4] It has also made commercial investments.[5] The Qatar Foundation's activities have been characterized by critics as influence peddling or lobbying.[6] Qatar Foundation has been criticized to constitute a significant part of Qatar's international strategy to deflect criticism of its human rights violations, sponsorship and discrimination against LGBT.[7][8]

Education and research

The Qatar Foundation has established five Qatar Academy branches,[9] the Awsaj Academy for children with learning difficulties,[10] and the Academic Bridge Program, a post-secondary school program.[11] From 2003 to 2013, the Qatar Foundation ran the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute in a partnership with the RAND Corporation.[12]

In higher education, Qatar Foundation established branch campuses of eight international universities and one home-grown university at the main campus just outside Doha:

The US Education department has investigated Georgetown University, Texas A&M, Cornell and Rutgers over their funding from Qatar.[14]

The foundation sponsors the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), which has been held in Doha since 2009.[25]

The majority of the universities on Qatar Foundation's campus run their own research programs, often collaborating with QF's own applied research bodies.[26] QF has partnerships with the Royal Society and the James Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.[27]

Stars of Science, a reality TV show was launched in 2009 in order to discover "young Arab innovators".[28]

The Qatar Foundation has organized the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) since 2006,[29][30] and the Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) since 2009.[31] At an investment of more than $800 million by Qatar Foundation,[32] QSTP became Qatar's first free-trade zone.[33] QF launched the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) in 2010,[34] the Qatar Green Building Council in 2009,[35] the Qatar Environmental & Energy Research Institute (QEERI),[36] the Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI)[37] and the Sidra Medical and Research Center (endowed with $7.9 billion).[38][39] The Qatar Diabetes Association, founded in 1995, became a member of Qatar Foundation in 1999.[40]

Culture and arts

An Arabic calligraphy exhibition hosted by Qatar Foundation in September 2014

Al Shaqab,[41] and the Al Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC)[42] are members of the Qatar Foundation. On November 19, 2012, Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, announced plans for a new national library, Qatar National Library, in Education City.[43][44] The library hosts the Arab and Islamic Heritage section which contains a historic collection of books, periodicals, manuscripts, maps, and scientific instruments dating back to the 15th century.[45] One of the largest online collections of historic records on the Persian Gulf countries was digitized in October 2014 and made available on the website of the Qatar Digital Library (QDL).[46] The website was the culmination of a partnership established between Qatar Foundation, Qatar National Library, and the British Library in 2012.[47]

The Qatar Foundation has opened the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in 2007,[48][49] and the Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in 2010. The museum holds one of the largest collections of sculptures and paintings by Arab artists in the world,[50] and has published an online encyclopedia of Arab artists.[51]

Msheireb Properties (a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation) initiated a $5.5 billion commercial development project in Doha in January 2010.[52] Originally called "Heart of Doha", the project was renamed "Msheireb Downtown Doha" in reference to the historical name of the area.[53] The foundation established the Social Development Center in 1996,[54] Reach Out To Asia (ROTA) in 2005,[55][56] The Doha International Family Institute (DIFI) in 2006,[57] the QatarDebate Center in 2007[58][59] and the Qatar National Convention Centre in 2011.[60][61]

Joint ventures

Joint ventures in the fields of science and research, education and social development are deemed essential to Qatar's transition from an oil-based economy to a knowledge-based economy, as outlined in the Qatar National Vision 2030.[62] Thus, the foundation has set up a number of commercial joint ventures with global partners. Profits generated are shared by both parties, with Qatar Foundation's portion being distributed into its core nonprofit activities.[63]

Vodafone entered in a partnership with QF to launch Vodafone Qatar in 2009.[64] It was granted a fixed telecommunications in September 2008, thereby becoming the second mobile network operator to be licensed in the country.[65]

QF launched MEEZA in 2008,[66] and Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) in 2010.[67] In 2008, it launched the Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing (BQFP), which published books in Arabic and English.[68][69] It became defunct in 2015 and all of its publications (which included more than 200 books) were incorporated in the newly established HBKU Press, a member of QF.[70] Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals (BQFJ), founded in 2010, was also incorporated in HBKU Press.[70][71] The website maintained more than fifteen specialized and multidisciplinary journals in 2014.[72]

In December 2011, QSTec announced that it would be constructing a polysilicon production plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City.[73] In August 2017, SolarWorld founder Frank Asbeck and QSTec bought out SolarWorld in a joint venture deal and rebranded it as SolarWorld Industries.[74]

Sponsorship

On 10 December 2010, FC Barcelona announced it had agreed a shirt sponsorship deal worth up to €170 million with Qatar Sports Investments to place Qatar Foundation's name on the front of the team's shirts, ending Barcelona's tradition of not accepting payment for sponsors displayed on its jersey. The deal included a clause allowing a switch in sponsor after the first two seasons, so Qatar Airways took over as the main sponsor in July 2013.[75][76]

In October 2011, the Wikimedia Foundation announced a plan to work with the Qatar Foundation to support the growth of the Arabic Wikipedia.[77] Later, the media reported that the Wikipedia page for the Qatar Foundation was allegedly edited by a public relations associate of the foundation, for which there was "strong, if circumstantial evidence".[78] It was claimed by Qatar Foundation in November 2015 that the partnership had culminated in the creation of over 6,000 articles on the Arabic Wikipedia.[79] Qatar Foundation sponsorship of sports and education programs is considered by some critics as sportswashing or attempts to deflect criticism of Qatar's human rights violations.[7][80][8][81]

See also

  • Qatari involvement in higher education in the United States

References

  1. ↑ "Qatar Foundation Stadium". Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. http://www.sc.qa/en/stadiums/qatar-foundation-stadium. 
  2. ↑ Ennis, Crystal A. (2018). "Reading entrepreneurial power in small Gulf states: Qatar and the UAE" (in en). International Journal 73 (4): 573–595. doi:10.1177/0020702018809980. ISSN 0020-7020. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0020702018809980. Retrieved 2021-07-13. 
  3. ↑ "Qatar and its emir: He'll do it his way". The Economist. 27 May 2010. http://www.ocnus.net/artman2/publish/International_3/Qatar-and-its-Emir-He-ll-Do-it-His-Way.shtml. 
  4. ↑ "About us". Qatar Foundation Research & Development. http://www.qf-research-division.org/about.html. 
  5. ↑ Galani, Una (2012-10-02). "Qatar's sovereign funds: A guide for the perplexed" (in en). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/idINL3E8L25ZB20121002. 
  6. ↑ "Qatar's State-of-the-Art Foreign Lobbying Campaign" (in en). 2020-03-30. https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/israel-middle-east/articles/qatar-foreign-lobbying-campaign. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "How Qatar Became a World Leader in Sportswashing" (in en-US). https://www.journalofdemocracy.org/how-qatar-became-a-world-leader-in-sportswashing/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Qatar influence campaigns need much greater scrutiny" (in en). 2022-12-13. https://www.politico.eu/article/qatar-influence-campaigns-scrutiny-bribery-eva-kaili/. 
  9. ↑ "Qatar Academy Msheireb Opens Its Doors". Qatar Foundation. 17 September 2014. http://www.qf.org.qa/news/qatar-academy-msheireb-opens-doors. 
  10. ↑ "Qatar Foundation's Awsaj Academy students win prestigious awards for pioneering research". Al Bawaba. 7 July 2015. http://www.albawaba.com/business/pr/qatar-foundation%E2%80%99s-awsaj-academy-students-win-prestigious-awards-pioneering-research-716. 
  11. ↑ "Academic Bridge Program hosts international college fair". The Peninsula. 15 April 2015. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/doha-today/campus-plus/332473/academic-bridge-program-hosts-international-college-fair. 
  12. ↑ Shabina S. Khatri (23 December 2013). "Rand and Qatar Foundation officially part ways after 10 years". Doha News. http://dohanews.co/rand-and-qatar-foundation-officially-part-ways-after-10-years/. 
  13. ↑ Tom Gresham (14 November 2008). "VCU School of the Arts in Qatar Celebrates 10th Anniversary". VCU News. http://news.vcu.edu/article/VCU_School_of_the_Arts_in_Qatar_Celebrates_10th_Anniversary. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 "While Trump praises Qatar, education officials seek scrutiny" (in en). 2021-05-11. https://apnews.com/article/education-donald-trump-qatar-politics-ny-state-wire-20a162e45d5444829d2e9d0a11aeabdb. 
  15. ↑ "Opening of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar Celebrated". Weill Cornell Medical College. 12 October 2002. http://weill.cornell.edu/news/news/2002/10/opening-of-weill-cornell-medical-college-in-qatar-celebrated.html. 
  16. ↑ Reeve Hamilton (25 May 2012). "After 10 Years in Qatar, A&M Looking Forward to 10 More". The Texas Tribune. http://www.texastribune.org/2012/05/25/after-10-years-qatar-m-looking-forward-10-more/. 
  17. ↑ "History". Carnegie Mellon University Qatar. http://www.qatar.cmu.edu/history. 
  18. ↑ Ian Philbrick (29 January 2015). "DC to Qatar: A Georgetown presence in Doha". The Georgetown Voice. http://georgetownvoice.com/2015/01/29/dc-to-qatar-a-georgetown-presence-in-doha/. 
  19. ↑ "Trump administration reviewing foreign funding at U.S. colleges" (in en-us). 2019-06-13. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/education/trump-administration-reviewing-foreign-funding-at-u-s-colleges. 
  20. ↑ "Northwestern University in Qatar Hosts Students at Reception". Northwestern University. 15 April 2008. http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2008/04/qatarstudents.html. 
  21. ↑ "Hamad Bin Khalifa University Opens its Doors to Students from ...". https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/news/hbku-students-globe. 
  22. ↑ "1st anniversary of the HEC Executive MBA in Qatar". HEC Paris. 30 January 2012. http://www.exed.hec.edu/news/1st-anniversary-of-the-hec-executive-mba-in-qatar. 
  23. ↑ "Archived copy". https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ucl-close-qatar-campus-2020#:~:text=UCL%20has%20become%20the%20latest,contract%20with%20the%20Qatar%20Foundation.. 
  24. ↑ "University College London coming to Education City". The Peninsula. 29 October 2010. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/130737/university-college-london-coming-to-education-city. 
  25. ↑ "The WISE Summit". WISE Qatar. http://www.wise-qatar.org/about-summit. 
  26. ↑ Badry, Fatima; Willoughby, John (2015). Higher Education Revolutions in the Gulf: Globalization and Institutional Viability. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 978-0415505659. https://books.google.com/books?id=zi-vCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT66. Retrieved 2015-11-30. 
  27. ↑ "HBKU partners with Baker Institute for week-long student exchange program". 12 March 2014. http://www.qatarisbooming.com/article/hbku-partners-baker-institute-week-long-student-exchange-program. 
  28. ↑ "Syrian innovator wins Stars of Science finale". The Peninsula. 21 November 2015. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/359503/syrian-innovator-wins-stars-of-science-finale. 
  29. ↑ Gary Cecchine (2012). Sustaining the Qatar National Research Fund. RAND Institute. p. iii. ISBN 978-0-8330-5821-8. https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2012/RAND_TR1125.pdf. Retrieved 29 November 2015. 
  30. ↑ "Vision & mission". Qatar National Research Fund. http://www.qnrf.org/en-us/About-Us/Vision-Mission. 
  31. ↑ "Qatar Science and Technology Park". Qatar e-Government. http://portal.www.gov.qa/wps/portal/!ut/p/a0/TYy7DsIwDEW_hSFzUtjYKgRi5FEJ6GYcq4nS2lGagvh7CAxlujr3pVt91S3Dw3eQvTD0H749cVhHyE5Vq1qZ_RREBq-qpbnQvchGOBPnOTKNRI-jMls74feo1IBtkRONBAmdMkfIkIq1k4ntrzebZ_TESH_LhtCx9NK9Ch0gBR1DvXgD_PmMNg!!/. 
  32. ↑ Vineetha Menon (23 February 2009). "Qatar Foundation pumps $800 million into R&D hub". Arabian Business. http://www.arabianbusiness.com/qatar-foundation-pumps-800-million-into-r-d-hub-65118.html. 
  33. ↑ Lesley Walker (14 July 2015). "Qatari-Spanish JV win QR1.6bn contract to build new economic zone". Doha News. http://dohanews.co/qatari-spanish-jv-win-qr1-6bn-contract-to-build-new-economic-zone/. 
  34. ↑ "Karem Sakallah Continues Commitment to Qatar Computing Research Institute". Computer Science and Engineering School, University of Michigan. 3 February 2014. http://www.eecs.umich.edu/eecs/about/articles/2014/QCRI_connection.html. 
  35. ↑ Erika Widen (24 August 2015). "Meshal Al Shamari Believes In A Greener Future: Building Sustainably Is A Qatari Priority". Entrepreneur. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249835. 
  36. ↑ Miles Masterson (25 November 2012). "Leading Qatar's energy quest". The Edge. http://www.theedge.me/leading-qatars-energy-quest/. 
  37. ↑ "Qatar establishes itself as a regional base for research and innovation". Oxford Business Group. http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/qatar-establishes-itself-regional-base-research-and-innovation. 
  38. ↑ Peter Pallot (15 July 2014). "Qatar offers free health care – but red tape can cause stress". The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/expat-health/10961456/Qatar-offers-free-health-care-but-red-tape-can-cause-stress.html. 
  39. ↑ Fazeena Saleem (15 January 2018). "Sidra Medicine opens hospital building". The Peninsula. https://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/article/15/01/2018/Sidra-Medicine-opens-hospital-building. 
  40. ↑ Isabel Ovalle (14 October 2012). "Not a sweet life: Diabetes catches them young". The Peninsula. http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/doha-today/cover-plus/210769/not-a-sweet-life-diabetes-catches-them-young. 
  41. ↑ "History of Al Shaqab". Al Shaqab. http://www.alshaqab.com/about-us/the-role-of-al-shaqab/history-of-al-shaqab. 
  42. ↑ "Official: JCC to leave Qatar Foundation for Al Jazeera". Doha News. 15 June 2013. http://dohanews.co/official-jcc-to-leave-qatar-foundation-for-al-jazeera/. 
  43. ↑ Lux, Claudia (2014). "Qatar National Library – Architecture as innovation in the Arab world ." International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Journal, 40(3), 174-181; p. 176. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  44. ↑ "Director's Welcome". Qatar National Library. http://qnl.qa/about-the-library/learn-more-about-the-library/directors-welcome. 
  45. ↑ "Heritage Collection". Qatar National Library. http://qnl.qa/collections/aihl/home. 
  46. ↑ "Now, access Omani history online". Times of Oman. 21 October 2014. http://www.timesofoman.com/article/42142/Oman/-Now-access-Omani-history-online. 
  47. ↑ "One million rare, historical documents to go online". Gulf Times. 19 January 2015. http://www.gulf-times.com/qatar/178/details/423860/one-million-rare,-historical-documents-to-go-online. 
  48. ↑ Daniel J. Wakin (27 February 2009). "A New Orchestra, Built From Scratch". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/28/arts/music/28phil.html. 
  49. ↑ Rachel Morris (29 July 2010). "Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra". Oryx In-Flight Magazine. http://www.oryxinflightmagazine.com/middle-east/qatar-philharmonic-orchestra.html. 
  50. ↑ "In Qatar, Arab modern art gets its first museum". Al Arabiya. 17 February 2011. http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/pollack/mathaf-arab-museum-of-modern-art-in-doha12-23-10.asp. 
  51. ↑ Joanne Lisinski; Nada Shabout; Dr. Samia Touati (2014). "Mathaf Encyclopedia Of Modern Art And The Arab World". Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference Proceedings 1. doi:10.5339/qfarc.2014.SSPP1043. 
  52. ↑ "Carillion and QBC land $650m Msheireb contract". Construction Week Online. 6 December 2011. http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-14894-carillion-and-qbc-land-650m-msheireb-contract/. 
  53. ↑ "$5bn Dohaland project renamed Musheireb". Trade Arabia. 18 January 2010. http://www.tradearabia.com/news/CONS_173359.html. 
  54. ↑ "About us". Social Development Center. http://www.sdc.org.qa/about-us. 
  55. ↑ The Report: Qatar 2009. Oxford Business Group. 2009. p. 25. ISBN 9781902339252. https://books.google.com/books?id=8uk4ZcbbWmgC&pg=PA25. Retrieved 2015-11-30. 
  56. ↑ Coates Ulrichsen, Kristian (2014). Qatar and the Arab Spring. Oxford University Press. p. 76. ISBN 978-0190210977. https://books.google.com/books?id=nBMoBgAAQBAJ&pg=PP76. Retrieved 2015-11-30. 
  57. ↑ "Doha International Family Institute Announces Best Research Papers". Marhaba. 12 May 2015. http://marhaba.qa/doha-international-family-institute-announces-best-research-papers/. 
  58. ↑ "QatarDebate Center trained over 6,000 international students in three years". The Peninsula. 7 July 2010. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/119386/qatardebate-center-trained-over-6000-international-students-in-three-years. 
  59. ↑ Fazeena Saleem (1 April 2012). "Qatari jobseekers pin hopes on Career Fair". The Peninsula. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/news/qatar/189201/qatari-jobseekers-pin-hopes-on-career-fair. 
  60. ↑ Habib Toumi (4 December 2011). "National convention centre opens in Doha". Manama: Gulf News. http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/qatar/national-convention-centre-opens-in-doha-1.943141. 
  61. ↑ "Qatar National Convention Centre / Arata Isozaki". Arch Daily. 10 September 2013. http://www.archdaily.com/425521/qatar-national-convention-centre-arata-isozaki. 
  62. ↑ "Serving a Vision". Qatar Foundation. http://www.qf.org.qa/content/20th/serving-a-vision. 
  63. ↑ "QATAR FOUNDATION – Who we are and what we do" (Press kit). Qatar Foundation. p. 8. http://qatarsustainability.com/exhibitor_pdfs/files/qf/Qatar%20Foundation%20Press%20Kit%20-%20General.pdf. 
  64. ↑ "Vodafone Qatar raises $1bn as the Gulf rediscovers the joy of IPOs". The Telegraph. 3 May 2009. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/telecoms/5269300/Vodafone-Qatar-raises-1bn-as-the-Gulf-rediscovers-the-joy-of-IPOs.html. 
  65. ↑ "Second Fixed Telecom License Announced". ICT Qatar. 15 September 2008. http://www.ictqatar.qa/en/news-events/news/second-fixed-telecom-license-announced. 
  66. ↑ "Meeza opens new data centre". Trade Arabia. 7 March 2009. http://www.tradearabia.com/news/IT_157554.html. 
  67. ↑ Amanda H. Miller (8 June 2012). "Qatar Solar Technologies get unprecedented $1 billion in single-source financing". Clean Energy Authority. http://www.cleanenergyauthority.com/solar-energy-news/qatar-solar-technologies-1-billion-in-financing-060812/. 
  68. ↑ Harding, Sue-Ann (2014). "'But we don't read, Professor!' Translation, Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing, and building a 'vibrant literary culture'". Perspectives: Studies in Translatology 22 (4): Abstract. doi:10.1080/0907676X.2014.948891. 
  69. ↑ "Publishers seek new talent in Arab world". The Guardian. 15 October 2008. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/oct/16/middleeast-germany. 
  70. ↑ 70.0 70.1 Charlotte Eyre (22 December 2015). "Qatar's QF and Bloomsbury end partnership". The Bookseller. http://www.thebookseller.com/news/qatar-s-qf-and-bloomsbury-end-partnership-319122. 
  71. ↑ ""مؤسسة قطر" تطلق المنبر الإلكتروني QScience.com لنشر الدوريات" (in ar). Al Wasat News. 25 December 2010. http://www.alwasatnews.com/news/516920.html. 
  72. ↑ "QScience to adopt Rubriq's Independent peer review process to speed publication time and increase trust". Qatar Foundation. 17 February 2014. http://cdn.qf.com.qa/app/media/12676. 
  73. ↑ "Ray of light: Qatari Solar technology". The New Economy. 13 December 2011. http://www.theneweconomy.com/home/ray-of-light-qatari-solar-technology. 
  74. ↑ Tobias Buck (17 August 2017). "Solarworld resurrected with the help of Qatari investment". Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/5e886c80-835b-11e7-94e2-c5b903247afd. 
  75. ↑ "Record agreement with Qatar | FCBarcelona.cat". Fcbarcelona.com. 2011-07-01. http://www.fcbarcelona.com/web/english/noticies/club/temporada10-11/12/10/n101210114494.html. 
  76. ↑ "Barcelona agree record shirt deal". BBC News. 10 December 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/9276343.stm. 
  77. ↑ "Wikimedia Foundation to Launch Arabic catalyst". The Wikimedia Foundation. http://blog.wikimedia.org/2011/10/04/wikimedia-foundation-to-launch-arabic-catalyst/. 
  78. ↑ Tim Sampson (2014-03-21). "Major Wikipedia donors accused of conflict-of-interest editing". The Daily Dot. http://www.dailydot.com/business/wikipedia-conflict-editing-donation-benefactors/. 
  79. ↑ "Stars Of Science: Qatar Leads Arab World's Emerging Culture of Science". Qatar Foundation. 17 November 2015. http://cdn.qf.com.qa/app/media/40615. 
  80. ↑ "What “Sportswashing” Obscures - Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung" (in en-US). 2022-11-16. https://www.rosalux.de/en/news/id/49512/what-sportswashing-obscures. 
  81. ↑ "Why Qatar may see the World Cup as a big win despite criticism" (in en). 2022-12-16. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/qatar-world-cup-win-human-rights-criticism-rcna60279. 

External links



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