The College of Islamic Studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University recently hosted participants enrolled in the Executive Master’s in Development Policies and Practices (DPP)-MENA for the program’s Doha Module. The degree is offered in collaboration with the Geneva Graduate Institute, Switzerland, with support from the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD).

Launched in 2020, the degree is designed to equip working professionals from across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region with strategic analysis tools and build their leadership capacity to help them emerge as development experts and competent policymakers.

Dr. Evren Tok, Assistant Dean of Innovation and Community Engagement at CIS, and the coordinator for DPP said: “This was the first year that we were able to host participants  in Doha due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been an exciting and valuable journey where we, as well as the participants  from all around the MENA region, have learned a lot. We were happy to teach the participants  more about Qatar and introduce them to all the amazing partners we work with.” 

After attending the module in Doha, the participants  will undergo four months of distance learning, and then head to the last module in Geneva where they will meet DPP participants from around the world.

Commenting on the importance of their partnership, Dr. Alexandre Dormeier Freire, Director of the Executive Programmes in Development Policies and Practices at the Geneva Graduate Instituteremarked: “We are grateful to QFFD for the trust shown to DPP MENA over the past three years. Promoting new solutions to pressing development issues based on common values such as peace, equity and diversity can only be achieved through a solid and mutually enriching partnership. I am confident that, together with our Qatari academic partner HBKU, we can contribute to bringing a different vision to these issues within the MENA region.”

Upon completion of the program, the graduates will be prepared to address the challenges of social work in developing regional contexts and contribute toward shaping impactful development policies that translate into effective and sustainable operational practices.

Dr. Alaa Tartir, the Academic Coordinator for MENA Region for the Executive Master’s in DPP, said: “Over the past three years, we have had 43 participants coming from 16 countries, with equal gender balance, and representing a multiplicity of institutions including governmental bodies, UN institutions, international organizations, private sector, and local civil society and NGOs. The diversity of the participants and the expertise they bring to the program are remarkable and inspiring, and we are delighted to accompany them in their learning journey, with our partners at HBKU and QFFD.”

Admissions for the next batch of DPP-MENA will open on September 15, learn more at www.hbku.edu.qa and https://www.graduateinstitute.ch/dpp