Qatar University (QU) has joined the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), which is a worldwide association for institutions of higher education and research.
The announcement was made at a press conference on Wednesday in the presence of Dr Hassan al-Derham, QU president; Jean-Baptiste Faivre, French ambassador; Dr Jean-Noel Baleo, regional director of the AUF; Prof Lara Karam Boustany, president of the Univesite La Sagesse in Lebanon and president of the Conference of Rectors and Presidents of the Middle East Region; Cesar Wazen, director of International Affairs Office, QU, as well as a number of vice presidents and officials from QU.
Dr al-Derham said: “We are very pleased to have joined the AUF, due to its significance, which will open wide horizons for the university to have co-operation with prestigious French universities, as well as in Canada and important French-speaking African and Arab countries. Qatar University, in its role as the national university, seeks to take advantage of the distinguished relations between Qatar and France, in all fields, and to expand this co-operation to include educational aspects. The inclusion of Qatar University to the AUF will open the opportunity for us to work together with French universities in the academic and humanitarian fields.”
Dr Baleo introduced the AUF to the audience, explaining its tasks and objectives and said: “We do work to promote the entrepreneurship of the students, we have a network capacity so we work on the international networking and co-operation, and of course quality of education.”
Ambassador Faivre said that the membership of QU to AUF reflects the will of the university to develop the teaching of the French language and in a general way, training and research in Francophone literatures and civilisations. He also expressed interest in and support for any initiative taken by the AUF and QU in the enrichment of the activities of Francophone training.
The AUF mission aims at promoting an interdependent French-speaking university-based community committed to the social, economic and cultural development of society. AUF supports its member institutions to meet the three challenges they face: quality of education, research and academic governance, the challenge of professional integration and employability, and the challenge of involvement in social development in general.
Dr al-Derham said: “We are very pleased to have joined the AUF, due to its significance, which will open wide horizons for the university to have co-operation with prestigious French universities, as well as in Canada and important French-speaking African and Arab countries. Qatar University, in its role as the national university, seeks to take advantage of the distinguished relations between Qatar and France, in all fields, and to expand this co-operation to include educational aspects. The inclusion of Qatar University to the AUF will open the opportunity for us to work together with French universities in the academic and humanitarian fields.”
Dr Baleo introduced the AUF to the audience, explaining its tasks and objectives and said: “We do work to promote the entrepreneurship of the students, we have a network capacity so we work on the international networking and co-operation, and of course quality of education.”
Ambassador Faivre said that the membership of QU to AUF reflects the will of the university to develop the teaching of the French language and in a general way, training and research in Francophone literatures and civilisations. He also expressed interest in and support for any initiative taken by the AUF and QU in the enrichment of the activities of Francophone training.
The AUF mission aims at promoting an interdependent French-speaking university-based community committed to the social, economic and cultural development of society. AUF supports its member institutions to meet the three challenges they face: quality of education, research and academic governance, the challenge of professional integration and employability, and the challenge of involvement in social development in general.
