At the invitation of Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, SPU leaders traveled to Qatar in September to explore developing a relationship between the University and the Middle Eastern country.

The Qatari leader studied English on the SPU campus in 1981 through the Associates in Cultural Exchange (A.C.E.) Language Institute. Since that time, he studied in the United Kingdom, served in the Qatari military, and rose to his current leadership positions.

“He is a leader who wants friendships and educational partnerships with the West to help build mutual understanding,” says President Dan Martin. “We want to build an educational bridge to Qatar for student enrollment, research, diplomacy, and advancement.”

Martin, along with A.C.E leaders, Vice President for Advancement Louise Furrow, and Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing Nate Mouttet, met with Qatari leaders and officials from Qatar University, and toured the Islamic Museum of Art and other cultural sites.