Hamad Bin Khalifa University at Web Summit Qatar 2026

The College of Public Policy (CPP) in partnership with the International Public Policy Association (IPPA), recently concluded the second International Winter School on Public Policy – Doha Edition 2026.

The program brought together more than 45 PhD students, early-career researchers, postdoctoral fellows, and assistant professors from over 20 countries. In doing so, the gathering created a diverse learning environment that connected emerging scholars with leading international experts and CPP faculty.

Welcome remarks from Dr. Esmat Zaidan, Associate Dean, CPP, and member of IPPA’s Executive Committee, and Dr. Logan Cochrane, Acting Dean, CPP, emphasized the importance of global academic collaboration, rigorous research, and evidence-informed policymaking in addressing complex challenges.

Designed to support advanced training in public policy, the Winter School featured lectures, intensive thematic courses, and research workshops. Participants, notably doctoral researchers, presented their work and received expert feedback, while deepening their theoretical, methodological, and practical understanding of public policy.

This year’s thematic course tracks were led by distinguished scholars: Dr. Giliberto Capano, Professor of Political Science and Public Policy, University of Bologna, Italy; Dr. Sarah Giest, Professor of Public Policy, Leiden University, Netherlands; and Dr. Leslie Pal, Professor Emeritus, Carleton University, Canada.

Plenary lectures, including Replication in Public Policy Research delivered by Dr. Kim Moloney and Dr. Logan Cochrane, Policy Design through Serious Lego Play by Dr. Evren Tok, and Small State, Big Influence: Mediation in Qatar’s Foreign Policy by Dr. Sultan Barakat, further enriched the program. These sessions generated engaging discussions and complemented the course and workshop activities. Proceedings concluded with a closing ceremony and certificate awards.

Through this initiative, CPP and IPPA continue to strengthen global academic partnerships and reinforce the college’s role as a hub for public policy research, innovation, and capacity building in Qatar and beyond.