Tribune News Network
Doha
The College of Islamic Studies (CIS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) has signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Al Sharq Forum (ASF), which is expected to play an integral part in rolling forward the impact of their programmes on to the region’s youth.
Under the agreement, the CIS will be one of the strategic academic partners to ASF, creating new exchange and joint research opportunities for scholars, researchers and students of the partner institutions. At the educational level, CIS faculty will be sharing their knowledge and expertise by co-producing courses with ASF to be published on the Al Sharq Academia Platform, which offers academic courses in fields that span the social sciences and humanities.
Other avenues of exchange will include CIS recommending faculty members to teach and mentor youth participating in ASF programmes, and promising CIS students participating in their internship programme.
Both will benefit from exploring relevant research collaboration possibilities and contributing to each other’s publications. The MoU also allows for CIS and ASF to engage their networks of experts and practitioners to co-host and co-organise workshops, summer schools, seminars and masterclasses.
ASF is a network of committed and active youth, leading change towards a more inclusive and just world under the wing of the Al Sharq Forum, which was established in 2013. Commenting on the agreement, Dr Mohammad Affan, acting research director and managing director, ASF, said: "Challenges that we are currently facing at the regional and international levels invite all institutions to gather forces in order to chart a better future for the new generations. This MoU with HBKU is a unique chance for Al Sharq Forum to pursue its projects and initiatives with a leading world-class partner, who shares the same values, commitment and aspirations as us.”
Dr M Evren Tok, associate professor and assistant dean of Innovation and Community Engagement, HBKU, said: "At a time when millions of youth around the world are impacted by the devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, this MoU will pave the way for successful collaboration between our two institutions to achieve mutually beneficial development goals that positively impact the lives of our youth in the near future. We look forward to collaborating with Al Sharq Youth Forum in the form of joint projects and initiatives and extending our shared goals through each other’s respective networks.”