Doha, December 22 (QNA) - Qatar Foundation (QF), Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD), and American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) entered into a two-year strategic partnership.
The partnership will see QF hosts students from Afghanistan who were temporarily evacuated to Qatar from their home country, in addition to some of the AUAF's faculty and staff. This would enable the students to continue their education they started at the American University of Afghanistan, thanks to a generous donation from QFFD that reflects the State of Qatar's commitment to providing good access to 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 universitys students, all of whom will reside and study in Doha through the temporary emergency relocation. At QFs 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.
President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation Francisco Marmolejo said that the the agreement reflects the efforts of Qatar to support the people in Afghanistan, including in the context of their continuing education.
"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," he added.
For his part, Deputy Director General for Strategic Planning of Qatar Fund For Development Ali Abdulla Al Dabbagh said that the State of Qatar is always a strong advocate for sustainable development Goal 4, and that 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," he added.
Meanwhile, President of AUAF Ian Bickford said that : "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. (QNA)