American University of Afghanistan students to continue education in Qatar through strategic agreement with QF and QFFD

Students from Afghanistan who have been temporarily evacuated to Qatar from their home country are to continue their learning journey in Doha, through a strategic agreement between Qatar Fund For Development, Qatar Foundation, and the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF).

Over the next two years, students from the university, faculty and staff, will be temporarily hosted at Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City in order to continue their regular studies at AUAF, with all funding being provided by Qatar Fund For Development (QFFD) in a move that reflects Qatar’s ongoing commitment to providing access to quality education.

The strategic agreement between QF, QFFD, and AUAF has been formed due the current circumstances in Afghanistan and will support the continued education of many of the university’s students, all of whom will reside and study in Doha through the temporary emergency relocation. At QF’s Education City – an ecosystem that is home to multiple schools, homegrown and international universities, research and innovation centers, and community facilities – they will be provided with accommodation and classroom space so they can continue to learn in a safe, diverse, and multicultural environment, through a blended learning approach.

“This agreement reflects the efforts of Qatar to support the people in Afghanistan, including in the context of their continuing education,” said Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education, Qatar Foundation.

“It reflects the belief of Qatar Foundation, Qatar Fund For Development, and our nation as a whole that no barriers should stand in the way of learning, and that every young person should have the opportunity to grow, explore, innovate, and realize their potential.

“For the students who will benefit through this agreement, much-needed support will be provided in what has been such a difficult time for them. During their time at Education City, they will be welcomed to our community, and we hope that being within such a vibrant landscape of knowledge will benefit them both in their senior year, and in their lives beyond university.”

Ali Abdulla Al Dabbagh, Deputy Director General for Strategic Planning, Qatar Fund For Development, said: “The State of Qatar is always a strong advocate for Sustainable Development Goal 4, and Qatar Fund for Development firmly believes that the right to access quality education is a basic, inalienable right that should never be compromised under any circumstances.

“Consequently, Qatar Fund For Development has joined hands with its strategic partner, Qatar Foundation, to provide students from the American University of Afghanistan with an opportunity to continue their higher education within Education City during their temporary stay in Qatar. We are confident that the opportunity will open avenues for these students to realize their full potential, and ultimately empower them to become positive change citizens, setting them on a path for greater achievements for their communities and in their nation in the future.”

Ian Bickford, President of AUAF, said: “All of us at AUAF are deeply grateful to the Qatar Fund For Development and Qatar Foundation for welcoming and supporting our students and members of our professional community, whose lives have been dramatically altered by events in Afghanistan.

“In the face of crisis, this agreement is a gesture of the most profound generosity, hope, and optimism.”

Under the two-year agreement, AUAF’s presence in Qatar will see it continue to operate as an independent entity, with its degree programs being business, law, social science and humanities, and information technology. The first batch of students to arrive in Qatar, together with faculty and staff, are due to begin their classes in the coming months.

The tripartite agreement has been formed as part of Qatar’s efforts to support the people of Afghanistan. The university is currently working with other institutions in Central Asia and the wider Middle East to support other displaced AUAF students.