NU-Q is the ‘first chapter in our success story’

President of Northwestern University and economist, Morton Schapiro who highlighted the importance of Qatar Foundation to the development of the country

Following the convocation of the first graduating class from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), the president of Northwestern Morton Schapiro has expressed his delight at the success of the university here, saying that the past four years have surpassed the institution’s expectations ahead of establishing a presence in Qatar.
Schapiro, an expert in the economics of higher education and a professor of economics at Northwestern in Evanston, lauded the vision of his predecessor and his team in deciding to open a branch campus in Qatar and heaped praise on HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser for her foresight and the emphasis she has placed on providing the highest levels of education for the benefit of her country and the region.
“I think she is a tremendous role model for everyone – not just for this country or the region, but for the whole world,” he told Gulf Times, adding “this is her vision, and to see her vision realised and to have Northwestern a part of it is magnificent.”
“There are different models of branch campuses, but this is a unique one,” he said, referring to the fact that each of the universities was hand-picked to come to Qatar because of their preeminence in certain fields.
“It is an extraordinary vision being realised more fruitfully and faster than anyone could have imagined,” he said.
Schapiro is also excited about the future of NU-Q, noting that the branch campus will be moving into its new premises in two years.   
He explained that the presidents of the universities at QF had a three-hour meeting with Sheikha Moza earlier this week, where they discussed the future of their collaboration and increased integration.
Schapiro admitted that there were many reputational risks involved in establishing a branch campus and offering Northwestern degrees to students outside of Chicago, primarily related to recreating the teaching standards of the home campus. 
However, the decision was made, and a large number of university officials have travelled to Doha to celebrate the inaugural graduation.
“They are very proud that they took a chance and it has paid off better than anyone could possibly have envisaged,” he noted.
“It has been great for us – we talk about bringing Northwestern to the world and there is nowhere better to do that from than here,” he said, adding “the number of students is not a lot, but it is amazing the impact it has had on our home campus.”
“It has been a great way to globalise our university,” he said.
Schapiro also highlighted the importance of the satellite campus in developing US relations with the Middle East between the younger generation.
“It starts with a cultural literacy that is so important that you only get by being in another country,” he said, arguing “it begins with dialogue and understanding – there are a lot of misconceptions from the Middle East and the western world, and I love the fact that we are trying to bridge that gap.”
The vision embodied by QF and the investment in higher education will also provide a major boost to the development of the country and region as a whole, he argued.
“There is no better investment; the percentage of GDP which goes into education has enormous explanatory power in explaining growth rates - it is particularly true in a globalised world where communication and transportation have made economies interlinked in a way that they weren’t, even 15 years ago,” he explained.
“I can think of no better bet than a bet such as Education City – I think it is transformative for Qatar,” he said.
And Schapiro believes that the media industry in Qatar and the rest of the region is ready to absorb the new talent graduating from NU-Q, and incorporate it into the future development of the media.

“Her Highness wanted to bring western style media to the region and that is what we have done,” he said.

With the media landscape constantly changing, teaching journalism requires a particularly high level of flexibility to produce graduates suited to the workforce.
“If we simply training students to enter print media I think we would be doing them a great disservice,” he said.

However, he still believes that there is a future for print journalism, despite others suggesting that the particular form of media is dying out.

“We still have a vibrant print media - so often the demise of a market has been predicted but not realised,” he said adding “and with scarcity comes value”.
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Whatever section of the media the students choose to pursue, they have undoubtedly benefitted from the opportunity to gain a Northwestern education here in Qatar, something of which Schapiro is understandably proud.
“This is just the beginning of our success story,” he said, adding “we have just started the first chapter.”