Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Ibn Haldun University (IHU), Turkey, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Istanbul. 
The agreement will see both higher education institutions co-operate on graduate-level education, as well as collaborate on joint research, publications, specialist area projects and language programmes. 
The agreement also creates a scope for HBKU and IHU to jointly organise symposia, seminars and conferences. 
Dr Ahmad M Hasnah, president of HBKU, and Dr Recep Sentürk, president of IHU, signed the agreement in the presence of members of Turkey’s greater academic community and public guests.
Dr Hasnah said, “This partnership with IHU aims to provide scholars at both institutions with a platform to share knowledge and expertise, which will help them tackle the challenges that face modern societies at the political, social and economic levels. It will also give students the opportunity to study and examine these issues within a dynamic environment and benefit immensely from different educational setups.”
Sentürk said, “Ibn Haldun University is committed to furthering its ties with HBKU as we go from success to more success given our ideals of excellence and impact. I look forward to seeing the fruits of our co-operation, as we share the same purpose of striving to do more for our societies and to realise new paradigms of possibility for our nations and fields of knowledge.’’
As part of the new agreement, HBKU’s College of Islamic Studies and College of Humanities and Social Sciences will co-operate with Ibn Haldun University on various aspects of their master’s programme on offer in Qatar, namely Islamic Studies; Islamic Finance and Economy; Islam and Global Affairs; Digital Humanities and Societies; Women, Society and Development; Translation Studies; and Audiovisual Translation
The agreement also involves a student exchange across relevant programmes and information. The two academic institutions will facilitate visiting researchers and collaborate on research projects 
between HBKU’s and IHU’s respective colleges. Additionally, the universities will establish multidisciplinary summer programmes between the two campuses to create a reciprocal relationship of co-teaching, co-supervising 
and rotational visits. 
Both institutions will also collaborate on aspects of Ottoman history, Middle East and North Africa studies, and Gulf studies. As this goes into effect, HBKU and IHU will aim to make their Arabic and Turkish language schools available to students and language specialists of each other’s campuses.