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Bilal Alhabian, a graduate of the Master of Public Policy (MPP’15) program at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, is giving back to his alma mater by taking a leading role in the initiation of its Executive Master’s degree -- a joint initiative with the Graduate Institute, Geneva (IHEID).
How and why did the idea for the IHEID Master’s program originate? What connection did you see between both the Geneva Institute and HBKU?
I am a graduate of Masters of Public Policy (MPP’15) program at HBKU and an Executive Master’s of Development Policy and Practices (DPP’19) alumnus at the Graduate Institute, Geneva (IHEID). This common ground clearly exposed me to a better understanding of the similarities and potential areas of collaboration between the two universities. I realized early on that the idea of a joint program will likely have a mutually beneficial relationship between the IHEID and HBKU, and will lead to other forms of collaboration. HBKU’s maintenance of high educational standards and alignment with various leading international universities around the world, and IHEID’s cutting-edge approach as an international development educational institution in Europe, mean that they are well placed for such a partnership. Worthwhile to mention as well that similar IHEID DPP partnerships and models have been implemented in the regions of Asia, Africa, Latin America, and are now available in the MENA region for the first time through HBKU.
What opportunities came out of this endeavour? What did you learn?
The conceptualization of the program was immediately welcomed by both institutions, and was endorsed and highly supported by generous funding from the Qatar Fund for Development. As a result, both institutions strived to co-design and form a multi-party partnership. The hope is for this partnership to evolve and generate a platform in Qatar and the Arab world, to facilitate research, knowledge sharing, as well as debate on issues related to international development. In line with that, I also advocated for the establishment of the first IHEID DPP regional hub in the MENA region, located within HBKU.
I learned a lot throughout the process and built on my experience in the area of academic program design and synergy. I was able to sharpen my negotiation and communication skills, while enhancing my capacities and understanding of international relations and affairs. As we formalized the partnership, it strengthened my belief in the inherent roles the alumni community needs to adopt, the importance of paying back, and leaving a long-lasting legacy for future incoming students.
Do you have previous experience facilitating or assisting with the inauguration of advanced degrees? In what capacity? Please explain.
I have almost 15 years of experience working with banks and international foundations. I am currently working with Education Above All Foundation as a Senior Manager of Strategy since 2015.
In addition to my work, I regularly speak on non-governmental and international events related to post-conflict reconstruction. In Qatar, I had the pleasure to be a guest speaker for the Strategic Management Course (EMBA) at HEC Paris in Qatar. I am also an experienced debater and debate adjudicator and I participated in global tournaments.
What does the alumni ambassador role entail? What was the criteria by which you were granted this role?
As an extension of my efforts with this partnership, the IHEID named me an ‘Alumni Ambassador’ for Qatar. In this role, the Alumni Ambassador may provide meaningful assistance and support the institute’s academic and research efforts. Another duty of the Ambassador’s is to connect with alumni from Qatar and the MENA region.
Why did you choose advancing education as a prospective route for your career and life? What value do you see in such a route?
I am passionate about international development, international relations, and public policy making. I have written research papers on education policies for refugees and the role of international aid conditionality.
I am interested in building further on my studies, education and experience in international development specifically for post-conflict countries.