Turkish President gets honorary doctorate from QU

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan receiving the honorary doctorate from QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham on Wednesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was awarded an honorary doctorate by Qatar University (QU) at a ceremony on Wednesday.

QU president Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham presented the award to President Erdoğan at the university’s Ibn Khaldoon Hall, described as a fitting venue for the event since it was named after one of the most important figures in the field of history and sociology in Muslim history.

Turkish ambassador to Qatar Ahmet Demirok, a number of ministers, diplomats, members of QU leadership and faculty staff, embassy officials, and students attended the ceremony.

“As Qatari-Turkish relations witness significant developments in the field of economy, this visit will foster further co-operation between the two countries in the areas of education and culture,” Dr al-Derham said.

Stressing the importance of human development for Qatar, Dr al-Derham highlighted the country’s commitment to advancing investment in human capital through quality education, innovative research, state-of-the-art health services and career opportunities.

These, he noted, empower future generations to become leaders of positive change towards Qatar Vision National 2030.

Addressing the Turkish President, Dr al-Derham said: “As the national university, QU plays a pivotal role in fostering knowledge, nurturing talent, and developing leadership skills as top priorities.”

He added that education must go beyond building knowledge and acquiring skills.

“Student encounters with contemporary role-models of leadership inspire them as they carve out their personal paths in life. In this context, your visit today holds special meaning to our university,” Dr al-Derham told President Erdoğan.

“The relationship between our countries reflects shared principles rooted in the Islamic values of fairness, courage, and steadfastness in the face of injustice,” he said. “We believe that an education is only complete when it rests on such a foundation of honorable values.”

Accepting the award, President Erdoğan thanked QU for its generous honorary doctorate award. He highlighted Turkey’s long relationship with Qatar and the importance both countries place on education.

Citing the ongoing collaboration among Turkish and Qatari academic institutions, the Turkish President noted that a number of students from sharia colleges in Turkish universities are currently studying Arabic at QU and expressed hope that students from QU will also go to Turkey to pursue their studies.

President Erdoğan also cited issues in the region touching on Syria, Yemen, the Russian incident, and the status of refugees fleeing to Europe.

On the sidelines of the visit, a Turkish cultural festival was held at the QU College of Medicine square led by the QU Anatolian Club. It aimed at strengthening cultural ties between Turkish and Qatari students.

Twelve Turkish students (eight women and four men) who received scholarships to pursue their studies at QU gave their QU counterparts and other visitors information on Turkish culture, history, and traditions.

The event also featured a number of booths named after Turkish cities such as Ankara, Istanbul, Trabzon, Çanakkale, Gaziantep, Izmir, Erzurum, and Nawanshahr. It also showcased ‘Youth Lens’ project booth and a social lounge for students to meet and interact with their colleagues and share insights into Qatari and Turkish culture and customs.