VCUarts Qatar’s achievements showcased in Richmond

A series of events highlighting the skills, experiences and achievements of VCUarts Qatar’s alumni, faculty and students recently took place during Qatar Week at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.Qatar Week opened with an exhibition at Anderson Gallery comprising works by VCUarts Qatar's foundation year students.Amir Berbic, dean of VCUarts Qatar, welcomed everyone to the exhibition, and said: "Today we celebrate the remarkable talent of our students, whose work not only reflects their individual creativity but also speaks to the rich tapestry of cultural narratives that shape our very special overseas campus in Qatar.”VCUarts dean, Dr Carmenita Higginbotham, and Berbic hosted a reception at historic Scott House, where VCU president Dr Michael Rao and Lolwa al-Naemi, Qatar Foundation (QF) director of Strategic Partnerships, were featured speakers."We have benefitted from the vision of the Qatar Foundation to better the world through education, research and human development,” said Dr Rao, "As a result of our partnership, VCUarts Qatar has become a worldwide leader in creativity and design, underpinned by a culture of innovation and experimentation.”Al-Naemi spoke sharing QF’s appreciation for the longstanding partnership and playing a video for the assembled guests that captures the comprehensive impact of QF on multiple sectors, including higher education.Qatar Week also featured the Research Pecha Kucha, back by popular demand. The Pecha Kucha was opened by Dr Higginbotham, who noted the remarkable achievements of both schools’ research endeavours. The Research Pecha Kucha featured ten fast-paced presentations by both VCUarts and VCUarts Qatar’s faculty researchers. Topics ranged from Arabic type and AI, to sustainability and reuse, to machine learning and robotics.Qatar Week wrapped up with a student dialogue, where students from both campuses engaged in presentations and discussion about art, student leadership, semester exchange and new areas of collaboration between the two campuses.