On February 9th, a long-awaited decision came from A&M’s Board of Regents: A&M’s Qatar campus, dubbed TAMUQ, will be phased out by 2028. The decision was delivered by Board Chairman Bill Mahomes, who stated that The Board wants to advance A&M’s global outreach in other ways. “The university has numerous other ways to give international students opportunities to be Aggies and to give Aggies opportunities to study internationally,” Mahomes said. Ongoing tensions in the Middle East also played a significant role, as a press release cites “heightened instability” as a deciding factor.
TAMUQ opened in 2003 to specialize in chemical, electrical, mechanical, and petroleum engineering. It is one of six schools in Qatar’s Education City, a 2500 acre stretch of universities in Doha, Qatar’s capital. The goal? An effort to become the “premier provider of engineering education in the region” according to its mission statement. The US and Qatar are close allies, with the largest military base in the Middle East, Al Udeid, located just southwest of Doha. For A&M, industry provides an especially strategic advantage, as many Texas-based energy companies regularly do business in Qatar. Despite this, Mahomes notes that the work done at TAMUQ is simply “a fraction of what A&M accomplishes year after year”, adding that A&M successfully operates programs in 30 other countries without the need for campuses on foreign soil.
Many TAMUQ faculty members voiced their disapproval at a senate meeting, expressing concern about the inconsistent messages they’ve been receiving and the lack of planning involved. Brittany Bounds, a history professor, stated she and her students “can’t understand how local Texan politics can unilaterally determine a weighty decision”. Additionally, Bounds claimed her teaching contract was extended for another 10 years just a few years prior, adding to the confusion. Student government president Khalid Al-Sada has expressed similar concerns, stating he and his friends were left wondering ” what is going to happen to the dreams, the hopes we had”, adding that there are many questions left unanswered.
In an effort to clear up the confusion, A&M President Mark Welsh released a brief dispelling rumors regarding TAMUQ’s research initiatives and possible ulterior motives for closing. A&M has also launched a “transition team” to provide information and resources, such as counseling, throughout the process. Still, it remains to be seen whether these initiatives will put students and faculty at ease. For more information, refer to the links below: