VCUQatar Fashion Design Department wins two awards at the World Education Congress

VCUQatar was also presented with the Best Educational Institute in Fashion award at the ceremony.

The WEC Global Awards for excellence in education, leadership and teaching, recognize individuals and institutions with the best and highest talent. The 2011 WEC Asia Awards were presented to 17 individual and 14 institutional categories in education with over 100 awards presented to recipients in the various disciplines.

“It was truly humbling for me on a personal level to be recognized by my peers,” said Sandra Wilkins on receiving both the awards for VCUQatar. “More importantly it was an honor to be recognized for the work the University and I have done over the past 13 years in promoting fashion as a career in Qatar and the region.”

Sandra Wilkins holds her B.F.A. in Fashion from VCU in Richmond. She became a member of the Fashion Department Faculty in VCU Richmond in 1978 and served as acting chair of the department from 1992-1996. She joined the faculty here in Qatar in 1999 where she has served as the department chair since 2004.

“I’m honored and proud for VCUQatar to have received the award,” said VCUQatar Dean Allyson Vanstone. “We are extremely fortunate to have Sandra with us at VCUQatar. Her experience, insight and depth of understanding of fashion and culture, together with her extensive international profile have been of immense value in helping us develop and expand the fashion program at the University. Sandra has helped make it possible for many young men and women in Qatar and the region to join what is now one of the largest industries in the world, she rightly deserves this recognition.”

The World Education Congress is a rendezvous, in which participants discuss “Evolving Trends in Education”. The congress examines modern as well as traditional knowledge systems. Besides networking opportunities, the conference offers unique in-depth approaches to understanding important academic issues that affect an Institution’s viability in today’s fast-paced business environment. Attendees included senior leaders and top educational institutes from countries including Bahrain, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and the UAE. The 2012 World Education Congress Asia is scheduled for June 2012.