The third annual Liberal Arts International Conference hosted by Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMU-Q) started at Hamad Bin Khalifa Student Centre at Education City yesterday. About 70 scholars from more than 20 countries are presenting research papers in a variety of fields at the conference.
The theme of the conference is “Looking Forward, Looking Back: Transnational Perspectives on Globalisation.” The event will explore the impacts of globalisation from a variety of disciplinary lenses. The three-day conference will feature lectures and panels for students, faculty and staff of educational institutions and research centres in Qatar.
Dr Mark H Weichold, dean and CEO at TAMU-Q, said: “Texas A&M is recognised globally as a leader in engineering education and research. Part of its success rests on its multidisciplinary approach, which includes a strong commitment to the social sciences, arts and humanities. Our substantial social sciences, arts and humanities faculty include internationally recognised leaders in their fields, and all of our students take a variety of these courses to complement their engineering courses.”
Dr Troy Bickham, liberal arts programme chair and professor of history at TAMU-Q, said: “We are gratified by the large number of participating scholars within Qatar this year. The conference is a unique opportunity for scholars in the social sciences, arts and humanities to engage with each other and colleagues around the globe.”
Opening day keynote speaker was Dr David Jolliffe, professor and Brown chair of English literacy from the University of Arkansas, USA. His address, “Global Corporate Decisions, Local Impacts and the Need for Economic Literacy,” launched the conference.
The conference’s second day features a keynote speech by Dr Michael Reksulak, director, social sciences, arts and humanities at Qatar National Research Fund. Keynote speaker on the conference’s final day is Dr Tim Winter, professor and research chair of cultural heritage from Deakin University, Australia.
An expert speaking at one of the sessions.
