The partnership agreement between CMU-Q and Fifty One East was signed at the Darwish Holding headquarters.
Bader al-Darwish, chairman and managing director of Fifty One East, said: “Fifty One East aims to play a pivotal role in contributing to the growth of Qatar, and collaborating with Carnegie Mellon Qatar is one important way we are encouraging the development of human potential.
“We are ready to offer CMU-Q students practical experience in the business world, while at the same time, CMU-Q will provide our organisation with important knowledge and insights. We look forward to a long and productive collaboration.”
The partnership also provides for collaborative conferences and workshops that will encourage student engagement as well as volunteer opportunities in the area of community service. The two entities will also share expertise, particularly in the areas of business administration and information systems, a press statement notes.
Michael Trick, dean of CMU-Q, said: “We are very pleased to join forces with Fifty One East. We look to industry so that our students can gain valuable, practical experience and apply their theoretical knowledge to real-world problem sets. We welcome this opportunity to co-operate and collaborate with Fifty One East.”
Fifty One East has emerged as Doha’s leading department store by transforming the retail experience for Qatar’s residents over the past 70 years.
“Its attention to detail, warm hospitality, multitude of compelling brands and flawless after-sales services have given it a competitive edge for decades. As Darwish Holding’s signature retail brand, Fifty One East has placed a major emphasis on contributing to the society and engaging with the local community: an ethos that translates to meaningful contributions across sports, academic, healthcare and social initiatives,” the statement notes.
Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar delivers select programmes that contribute to the long-term development of Qatar. Approximately 400 students from 38 countries study at CMU-Q in the areas of biological sciences, business administration, computational biology, computer science and information systems.