It is my pleasure to welcome you on behalf of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Q). In 2005, Georgetown brought its 200 year-old tradition of teaching excellence and global leadership focused on educating the whole person through exposure to different faiths, cultures and beliefs, to Qatar. In May 2011, we graduated our third class of 44 students earning Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS) degrees, majoring in International Politics and Culture and Politics. In August, we welcomed 74 new students for the ‘Class of 2015’, bringing our total student population to 203 students, composed of 54 nationalities. The new academic year 2011/12 also introduced our major in International Economics.

Recognized for the caliber of our scholars and successful graduates, the University’s Qatar campus represents the best of Georgetown’s rich heritage. We are a vibrant, multi-national community of outstanding students, faculty, alumni and professionals dedicated to applications of research, scholarship and service. Our students and faculty are involved in cutting-edge research relevant to both Qatar and the region. Our Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) provides a forum for global scholarship and research on international and regional affairs while encouraging in-depth examination and exchange of ideas. Just a small sample of recent and on-going research at SFS-Q includes projects on The Impact of Global Communications on Family Values; Global Public Private Partnerships; Transnational Families; Conflict Resolution by Qatar and Saudi Arabia; Inflation and its Implications for the GCC countries; Pedagogy for Heritage Learners of Arabic; Comparative Diaspora Politics; Nuclear Energy in the GCC; The Feminine in Religion; Phonology of Gulf Arabic; the History of Marriage in Islam; Islam and US Foreign Relations; and Arab Media.

Qatar, as the cross-roads of East and West and as a destination of choice for higher education, research and human development, provides opportunities unlike anywhere else in the world. Students at Georgetown’s Qatar campus take advantage of state of the art classrooms, remarkable recreational facilities and environmentally sound on-campus housing; Education City offers a unique environment of interaction with some of the world’s top universities all in one place.

Our students gain an in-depth understanding of global affairs, commerce and politics through immersion in courses such as War Ethnography, International Economics, and International Relations. While they polish their diplomacy and analysis skills in the classroom, outside the class they engage in service with community based learning grounded in Georgetown’s values of ‘women and men for others’ and ‘care for the person’. Recently our students participated in working trips to Rwanda, Bosnia, Bangladesh and South Africa to discuss the micro- and macro-economic factors affecting people, understand the realities of post-conflict reconstruction, help build homes, and support communities in need.

We offer opportunities for the community at large to engage scholars and hear from visiting speakers through the Faculty Seminars, Distinguished Lecture Series and the Monthly Dilalogues. These public events provide a forum where academics, decision-makers, and analysts share their insights and in-depth knowledge about the activities and policy decisions shaping our world.

This is an exciting time for Georgetown and its School of Foreign Service in Qatar. I encourage you to explore our website and to learn more about how you can share our journey to provide educational and developmental opportunities to a rapidly changing region at a critical time. Please visit us in person to immerse yourself in our public events and activities and to experience first-hand how we live our values.

I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Gerd Nonneman
Dean