Lusail University launches two master programmes in collaboration with UN agencies

As part of Lusail University's expansion of academic programmes at the master’s level, the university yesterday launched master programmes in International Criminal Justice and in International Affairs and Public Policy. The first is in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) while the second is in collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).The Master Programme in International Criminal Justice is the culmination of a strategic partnership with UNODC aimed at enhancing crime prevention through education for sustainable, peaceful and inclusive communities. Lusail University's objectives and willingness to raise awareness on the prevention of organised crime, corruption and terrorism in accordance with existing international conventions, standards and norms have coincided with UNODC's efforts and contributions to national and international efforts to prevent and combat crime through many approaches. These include the promotion of human well-being through educational measures.While addressing a press conference at the university, Professor Nitham Hindi, President of Lusail University, said that the objectives of the International Criminal Justice Master programme is helping students develop the tools and skills in drafting plans, legislation and writing reports. The programmes will prepare students to acquire the legal skills in criminal justice, cross-border crimes and counter-terrorism initiatives in a complex international context while encouraging analytical, critical and creative thinking skills, and providing the student with an extensive theoretical and practical knowledge in the area of criminal justice and human rights. It will also increase awareness of professional ethics and social values to underline the impact of crime on international relations,” he said.The International Criminal Justice Master Programme is based on promoting community awareness of crimes as a sustainable development goal that Qatar is pursuing. The programme was also an effective response to the contents of the Doha Declaration 2015, which emphasized the importance of education as a tool for crime prevention and urged support for the rule of law. The programme also reflects the goals of the Education for Justice Initiative E4J which is supported by Qatar and seeks to transfer knowledge and achieve a deeper understanding of rule of law issues.The programme will have an English and Arabic track. It’s also benchmarked with international programmes and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime oversight. It’s a two-year programme consisting of 36 credit hours distributed over four semesters. The programme has four concentrations. These are combating money laundering and terrorism financing, anti-corruption, human trafficking and migrant smuggling and cybercrime.Prof. Nitham said that the programme learning outcomes are "to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of the principles of organised and international crime, and to participate in the planning and drafting laws and legislations, to write academic research and legal reports, in addition to demonstrate knowledge of human rights, the rule of law, and the principle of justice, as well as knowledge of the court appeal processes related to international crime within national and international courts, and to determine areas of cross-border crime and its international jurisdiction.”This high-quality programme will provide an opportunity for all students with a bachelor's degree in various disciplines to study criminal justice. It is also designed in line with the laws applicable in Qatar and focuses on applied legal studies and practical and experimental programmes in order to refine the student's skills and prepare him for the labour market.The Master of Arts in International Affairs and Public Policy programme is offered by Lusail University in co-operation with its strategic partner UNITAR. This programme comes in response to the high demand in Qatar and the region for a Master of Arts in International Affairs and Public Policy. It addresses the needs of the workforce in the domestic, regional and international labour market, especially as the field of international affairs and public policy becomes increasingly important with the growth of the world and its interdependence through trade and business. It’s also an interesting topic with a heavy focus on the economy, culture, education and political science and examining its impact on society. This unique programme addresses two critical areas: international affairs with its various issues and public policy with its decisions that create the outcomes of the political system.The programme has many advantages, as faculty members serving in the programme have significant experience in teaching and international work and they are well-known and qualified. The programme will be made available with two tracks with first in Arabic and second in English. The programme aims at engaging students to work collaboratively with international experts in multidisciplinary and multicultural contexts, develop students' competence in dealing with challenges through the design public policies and their implications at global, regional and national levels, enhance students' technical, analytical and research skills to contribute to the generation of knowledge in the fields of international affairs, public policy and diplomacy, demonstrate to students the philosophies, theories and principles as well as key issues and concepts in international affairs and international relation.Prof Nitham said the master programme in International Affairs and Public Policy is the first and only programme in the Middle East in co-operation with UNITAR. "The programme will begin in August 2023 (Fall semester 2023). This comes as part of Lusail University's strategic plan. The programme is characterised by the fact that it supports the Qatar Vision 2030 while stressing the need for an educational system that rises to the level of distinguished international educational systems and provides citizens with what meets their needs and the needs of the Qatari society and includes educational curricula and training programmes that respond to the needs of the current and future labor market. It’s also based on an analysis of the needs of the local labor market and has high quality in terms of the teaching and learning process, indicators of quality assurance and international accreditation, and is taught by a specialized group of faculty members," he said.Regarding the admission criteria, Fatma al-Mesleh, Vice- President for Student Affairs, said the candidate must have a bachelor's degree from a university accredited by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education of Qatar with a GPA of at least 2.0/4.0 (C) or equivalent in case of at least three years' practical experience after and should pass the personal interview with the admissions committee.The application for the two master's programmes can be submitted online at the university's website with all personal and academic data, experience certificates and a curriculum vitae.Al-Mesleh said the applications are transferred to the Interview committee, noting that the application is open until April 27,and the interviews will be held from April 30 to May 30, while admission decisions will be announced on June 7 and studies will begin on August 20.Dr. Moulay Hicham Idrissi, Dean of the College of Law said the master's programme in criminal justice, which is the first in the region, aims to meet the need of Qatar to promote the principles of international criminal justice and the rule of law at the educational level. "As the programme is considered an actual response to the contents of the 2015 Doha Declaration, which emphasised the importance of education as a tool to prevent crime and support the rule of law,” he said noting that this programme embodies the goals of the "Education for Justice" initiative, which is supported by Qatar in an effort to impart knowledge and achieve a deeper understanding of issues related to the rule of law.Dr. Ramzi Nasser, Dean of the College of Education and Arts, said the Master of Arts programme in International Affairs and Public Policy is important because it focuses on studying the impact of economics, culture, education and political science on society. He added that the programme aims to provide students with theories, philosophies and concepts in international affairs and relations, in addition to improving their technical, analytical and research skills.Lusail University is witnessing remarkable development since it opened its doors for the first time in September 2020. In addition to being the first national private university in the State of Qatar, the university has been known for being responsive to the needs of the workforce, in addition to the success of the current high-quality academic programmes, which witnessed the enrollment of about 2,000 students full-time student since opening in fall 2020 and is known for its ability to maintain high academic standards. The university offers 15 undergraduate programmes in various academic disciplines from 4 colleges: the College of Education and Arts, the College of Law, the College of Commerce and Business and the College of Information Technology, and in three languages: Arabic, English and French.