tag

The School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, in partnership with the Asian Association of World Historians (AAWH), inaugurated on Saturday 25 October 2025 the 6th Congress under the title "The Gulf and the World".The two-day event is being held with the participation of an elite group of scholars and historians from Asia, Europe, the United States and the Arab region.It comes as a continuation of the Association's previous conferences held in Osaka (2009), Seoul (2012), Singapore (2015), Osaka (2018) and New Delhi (2022), thereby affirming the Association's leading role in advancing research and education in world history with a special focus on Asia and enhancing south, south scholarly dialogue.The conference program includes four keynote lectures and thirteen academic sessions, in which approximately fifty research presentations will be delivered in a hybrid format combining in-person attendance and online participation.President of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies Dr. Abdelwahab El Effendi affirmed that holding this conference for the first time in the region represents an important step toward understanding the interconnection between Asia and global history.El Effendi said that Asia is not just a part of the world; one could say it is the world itself, as the great beginnings of humanity originated here.He added that the fragmentation of identities, Arab, Indian, Japanese, and others, has led each to view itself as an independent world, and this is the essence of the challenge to the historical unity, stressing the need to value our shared history and to restore awareness of the united destiny of the peoples of Asia and Africa.For her part, President of the Asian Association of World Historians Sucheta Mahajan said: "Holding the 6th Congress of the AAWH at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies marks a milestone in the Association's trajectory, which has sought since its establishment to institutionalise studies in global and transcontinental history in Asia." After noting that East Asian cities had hosted the event for years, she continued: "Its convening in Doha, in West Asia, embodies the Association's inclusive Asian dimension and strengthens the scholarly dialogue from the Gulf to the eastern part of the continent."Mahajan added: "We have received a wide range of papers that transcend the traditional conference themes, to highlight world history from a new Gulf and Asian perspective. The hybrid format of the conference also enables wide global participation, making it truly an international event anchored in a solid Asian base."Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the Doha Institute Amal Ghazal said: "The congress brings together a distinguished group of researchers and historians from Asia, Europe, the United States and the Arab region to discuss historical issues from a perspective that places the Gulf region and the Asian continent at the heart of global economic, cultural and political transformations."She added: "This event is the fruit of an academic collaboration between the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies and the Asian Association of World Historians, aimed at enhancing south-south academic dialogue and expanding the horizons of comparative historical research. The congress constitutes a platform for dialogue among historians from diverse backgrounds and historiographical schools and is an opportunity to re-centre the history of the Arabian Gulf within the context of Asian and world history."Following the opening session, parallel sessions began. Led by Issam Nassar (Doha Institute for Graduate Studies), a session titled "The Gulf in the World" convened, during which papers on national identity, Gulf diplomacy and the comparative history of regional relations were discussed. At the same time, two other sessions were held: "Late-20th Century Transformations", chaired by Shigeru Akita (Osaka University, Japan), and "Techniques of the Past and Future", chaired by Hong Liu (Nanyang Technological University, Singapore); these addressed energy transformations, political economy and technologies in modern and contemporary history.

The first edition of the Arab Moot Court Competition for Human Rights has concluded at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI).The competition was organised by the United Nations Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre for Southwest Asia and the Arab Region and hosted by the DI’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities.This pioneering event – the first of its kind in the Arab region – brought together more than 50 law students from Qatar, Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Oman, Palestine, and Syria aiming to develop their legal advocacy and argumentation skills through realistic simulations of international and regional court proceedings, with a particular focus on human rights issues.The closing session, which featured the announcement of the winning teams, was attended by prominent academics and human rights experts, representatives from the UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre, and DI faculty and students.The competition was launched by the UN Centre in March of this year, and received 53 applications from universities across the Arab world.The applicants then participated in awareness and training sessions organised by the Centre’s Human Rights Education Unit.Participating teams were required to submit written reports addressing the case topic – both for the applicant and respondent sides.Based on the evaluation criteria, 11 teams were selected to take part in the oral rounds hosted at the DI, as part of the Institute’s ongoing efforts to foster academic dialogue and promote justice and human rights in the Arab region.These efforts align with the goals of the Human Right master’s programme at the School of Social Sciences and Humanities.Following several competitive rounds, the first-place prize was awarded to Sultan Qaboos University, while the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies secured second place.The third place was shared between An-Najah National University (Palestine) and Menoufia University (Egypt).In their closing remarks, the organisers emphasised that this initiative represents a distinctive academic platform for developing students’ legal capacities and strengthening the integration between practical training and academic study in human rights while keeping pace with regional international developments in this vital field.They further noted that the success of this competition underscores its importance as an interactive platform for Arab youth, enabling them to gain the practical skills and experience necessary to advocate for human rights in their professional careers.The high level of engagement and enthusiasm reflected the shared vision of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the DI to continue organising future editions of the competition and foster greater human rights awareness across the region through education and training.

The first edition of the Arab Moot Court for Human Rights competition kicked off Tuesday at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI). The event is organised by the United Nations Center for Training and Documentation in the Field of Human Rights for Southwest Asia and the Arab Region of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and hosted by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at the DI. Students from various Arab universities are participating in this competition, which is the first of its kind in the region, and aims to enhance awareness of human rights issues and develop pleading and moot court skills.The opening session, attended by distinguished academic and human rights figures, was opened by Dr. Amal Ghazal, Dean of the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, welcoming the participants and stressing that this competition reflects the School’s deep interest in promoting the principles and culture of human rights, not only as an academic subject, but also as an ethical and professional commitment. Dr. Ghazal pointed out that the event aligns with the school’s mission to strengthen students' practical abilities in legal analysis, formulating arguments, advocacy, and applying critical thinking towards issues of justice and equality, locally and globally.Dr. Abdelwahab El-Afendi, President of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, highlighted in his speech the importance of experimental legal education in preparing a generation of Arab youth capable of defending human rights at the national, regional and international levels.In her speech, Dr. Abeer Al-Kheraisha, Director of the UN Human Rights Training and Documentation Centre, explained that this competition is a leading interactive educational platform, designed to enable students to gain integrated practical experience in the field of international human rights law. It provides them with a unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge to real-life cases that mimic contemporary legal and humanitarian challenges, by engaging in in-depth legal research and analysis, formulating legal arguments and pleadings, working in a team spirit, and enhancing communication and defense skills.Al-kheraisha pointed out that the competition contributes to consolidating awareness of the principlesDr. Moataz El-Fujairy, Head of the Human Rights Program at DI and Moderator of the opening session, emphasised that the competition represents a practical step in linking academic knowledge with professional practice. He explained that organising moot court competitions in the field of Human Rights is a well-established tradition in European Universities, and it strengthens students’ capabilities in comparative law, advocacy, and strategic litigation. Dr. El-Fujairy also said that there is an urgent need to institutionalise this tradition in the Arab region to help establish a regional human rights protection system that safeguards individuals’ rights and is based on independent judicial mechanisms. Dr. Ahmed Khalifa, Academic Advisor of the competition, explained that the idea of the moot court was conceived to enhance students’ research and legal analysis skills, and to provide them with hands-on experience in advocacy. He added that this competition is unique as it offers a realistic and interactive learning environment that uses competition to motivate learning through inquiring, analysing, developing an opinion and clearly expressing it orally as well as in writing. Dr. Khalifa clarified that the ultimate objective is to help create a new generation of lawyers capable of defending human rights through a conscious understanding of the protected interests and by applying coherent reasoning based on critical thinking that enables them to analyse legal issues and view them from multiple perspectives. Following the opening session, a panel discussion titled "The Future of the Human Rights System and Regional Guarantees in the Arab World" was held, with the participation of Mr. Sultan Al-Jamali, Secretary-General of the National Human Rights Commission in Qatar, and Hindam Rajoub, Human Rights Officer at the United Nations Training and Documentation Centre. The session was moderated by Bushra Elias, Coordinator of the Education and Awareness Unit at the Centre.This was followed by a second session on "The Future of the Human Rights System and the Changing Reality of International Politics", in which Fadl Abdel Ghani, President of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, participated alongside Dr. Moataz Al-Fujairi, and was moderated by Dr. Abdul Karim Amankai, Professor of Comparative Politics at the DI.After the sessions, the oral competition began with a special session that included an explanation of the rules and evaluation mechanisms, as well as distribution of the participating teams into advocacy rounds. The competition continued for two days, with the first and second rounds being held on Wednesday, followed by the announcement of the teams qualifying for the semi-finals. The final round and the closing ceremony will be held on Thursday, in which the winning team will be announced and certificates of participation will be distributed. The Doha Institute's hosting of this event reflects its academic efforts to consolidate a culture of human rights and promote human rights dialogue in the Arab region, as part of the activities of the master’s program in Human Rights. This initiative supports the efforts of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in the field of education, through a realistic simulation of international and regional court procedures, offering students a unique practical experience that builds their confidence and ability to defend rights and freedoms.The organisers described the competition as a significant addition to academic and human rights activities in the region, and a clear message about the importance of investing in university youth as opinion leaders and agents of change in their communities.

The Doha Institute for Graduate Studies (DI) announced Tuesday the opening of online applications for master's and doctoral programs for the 2026-2027 academic year, with submissions accepted until January 15, 2026.In a press release, DI indicated that this year it offers eight doctoral programs: Development Economics, Public Administration, Political Science and International Relations, Arabic Linguistics and Lexicography, History, Sociology, Media Studies, and Critical Security Studies.The master's programs include 18 offerings: Philosophy, History, Sociology and Anthropology, Political Science and International Relations, Journalism, Media Studies, Arabic Linguistics and Lexicography, Comparative Literature, Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action, Critical Security Studies, Human Rights, Social Work, Clinical Psychology, Clinical Psychology (Social Track), Public Administration, Public Policy, Development Economics, and the Executive Master of Public Administration.The doctoral programs are offered by the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, while the master's programs are provided by both the School of Social Sciences and Humanities and the School of Economics, Administration, and Public Policy.DI offers a variety of scholarships, including the Tamim Scholarship, which is merit-based and awarded to academically outstanding students, and the Sand Scholarship, which is need-based and available to all students.For the 2025-2026 academic year, DI welcomed 301 new master's students distributed across 18 master's programs and 8 doctoral programs, with 204 students in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, 97 in the School of Economics, Administration, and Public Policy, and 6 doctoral students.This cohort represents the largest in the institute's history and is also the first cohort in its second decade since its inception.According to the academic calendar, classes for the 2025-2026 academic year commenced on Aug. 24, following the celebration of nine graduating cohorts since the institute's founding, totaling 1,630 graduates.