On January 5, the College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) hosted a group of alumni from prestigious institutions in the United States, including Harvard University, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA). The delegation of 50 people arrived by an Arabian Gulf cruise ship with ports of call including Oman and Qatar. 

Dr. Tarek Swelim, art historian and program coordinator for CIS’ master’s program in Islamic Art, Architecture and Urbanism (IAAU), led the delegation during their stopover in Doha. The first leg of the tour was to Minaretein, the award-winning building that houses HBKU-CIS as well as the Education City Mosque. The delegation was introduced to the IAAU program and its unique academic components, and how it reinforces the wider HBKU vision to create impactful change agents. Graduate students and alumni of the IAAU program had the opportunity to interact with distinguished experts across related disciplines from visiting American institutions.

Speaking about the delegation visit, Dr. Swelim, said: “It was a pleasure to take the delegation on a tour of  the unusual architectural wonder that is the Minaretein building, and introduce them to the  unique programs provided by the College of Islamic Studies. The delegation  were fascinated by the state-of-the-art facilities designed for study and university life within the building and how it adds to the rich learning ecosystem HBKU strives to deliver.”

CIS is committed to forging local and international partnerships as a means of enhancing learning and outreach, and promoting a deeper understanding of the various aspects of Islam. In addition to hosting delegates from leading institutions, the college regularly participates in international events, including the 2018 Harvard Islamic Finance Conference and the World Halal Summit.