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Aboutvcuartsqatar

About VCUarts Qatar

VCUarts Qatar is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation, we offer students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design, Interior Design, and Painting and Printmaking, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Design.

VCUarts Qatar was the first campus established in Education City, and has since been joined by Weill Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Northwestern University, and HEC Paris.

In 2010, VCUarts Qatar more than doubled its facilities through a major expansion project. The project led to the integration of all of the university’s undergraduate and graduate programs under one roof, the connection of the research and entrepreneurship offices with curricular programs, and the expansion of technical spaces to support all forms of visualization and research with a media lab, digital fabrication lab, printmaking studios, photography studio, an expanded library, and the first materials library in the region.

The university hosts the biennial international art and design conference Tasmeem Doha and the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Symposium on Islamic Art, attracting globally recognized designers, artists, and academics while fostering sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic, and cultural vitality of Qatar.

VCUarts Qatar enjoys substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for their growth. We have established ourselves as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design.

VCUarts Qatar graduates are pursuing successful careers within the government, nonprofit and private industries in Qatar, and around the world. Many of our graduates have gone on to establish their own businesses, thereby contributing to the development of the small and medium enterprise culture in Qatar.

Vision

VCUarts Qatar strives to be the driving force of social and cultural development through the arts, design, and the humanities.

Mission

VCUarts Qatar’s mission is to cultivate impactful creative practices, cultural production, relevant research, innovative learning, and community engagement.

Strategic Objectives

Dynamic Academic Programs and Immersive Experiences
  • Contribute to relevant disciplinary developments
  • Respond to the evolving needs and aspirations of our contexts
  • Inspire and empower spirited engagement
Experimental Creative Practices and Research
  • Instill a culture conducive to exploration and creativity
  • Explore emerging paradigms of practice and research
  • Energize innovative teaching methodologies
  • Pursue new modes of engagement with external partners
Collaborative & Mutually Beneficial Partnerships
  • Support cross-disciplinary and cross-departmental teaching and research at VCUarts Qatar
  • Incentivize collaborative teaching and research within Education City (multiversity) and with other academic institutions in Qatar
  • Facilitate collaboration with the VCU main campus
  • Engage local community partners in dialogue and cooperative projects
  • Enhance collaboration with international partners
Inclusive and Diverse Community
  • Cultivate an environment that fosters inclusivity, acceptance, and pride in our uniqueness
  • Pursue diversity within our community
  • Embrace the diversity of our disciplines and perspectives
  • Promote principles of social justice
Impactful Local, Regional, and Global Engagement
  • Advocate for the value and importance of arts and design to Qatari society
  • Affect policies relative to arts, culture, and the creative industries
  • Contribute new knowledge in our disciplines through research and creative practices
  • Position VCUarts Qatar as an international voice in arts and design education
  • Facilitate public discourse on matters of critical importance

By the Numbers

More than 300 students representing 32 nationalities

More than 1,000 alumni representing 55 nationalities

82 Faculty representing 15 nationalities

73 Staff representing 22 nationalities