The experience of the past years of blockade was a challenge that Qatar University (QU) proved capable of facing in more than one field. QU continued to complete its research and educational plans and develop them in the best way.
“We have proven our active presence in international forums and participated in various activities and events and have won prestigious awards and patents,” said Professor Mariam Al-Ali Al-Maadeed, Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Professor Al-Maadeed said: “We have also developed plans and cooperated with the state authorities in addressing the risks and challenges of the corona pandemic in all its aspects. We expanded university and research institutions, including the establishment of the QU’s publishing house and opened the Water Research Center in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Municipality. We also launched research and educational programs with UNESCO that addressed our national environmental and water priorities, and we are looking for more.”
Professor Al-Maadeed said the research centers have achieved their targets in research and creativity programs, and the number of students has increased, and added that QU has excelled in terms of the quality and quantity of research production and higher education, due to the recognition of universities’ rankings.
“Our research partnerships with various higher education institutions in the region and the world have increased and we have strengthened existing partnerships, giving them new horizons,” Al-Maadeed said.
Professor Mariam Al-Maadeed pointed out that the QU issued around 5,600 joint research papers with about 2,675 cooperating institutions during the past three years.
On the other hand, QU contained the crisis of Qatari students who were forced to disrupt their university education in the blockading countries, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and other concerned parties. They were allowed to continue their education in various fields of specializations, providing them with various academic and administrative support, said Professor Al-Maadeed.
“We also provided the necessary assistance to the students of the blockading countries and dealt with them with humanity and concern for their future, as we did for the future of our students”. The university’s achievements in research and higher education are progressive and continued as normal, regardless to the consequences of the blockade, she told The Peninsula.
About the cohesion between the leadership and the people on the one hand and between citizens and residents during the past three years of siege, she said: “By the grace of Allah Almighty and wisdom and determination of wise leadership and the solidarity, sincerity of citizens and residents, we have overcome the blockade”.
All security, political, military, economic and media campaigns they carried out against Qatar came to nothing, she said, noting that Qatar has turned the blockade into disappointment for blockading states by failing their conspiracies, which have been unable to affect the consensus and unity of Qataris in loving their country, firm stand with their leadership, and willingness to make sacrifices for the sovereignty and integrity of their country.
The blockade has become a catalyst for the State of Qatar to strengthen its diplomatic ties, building its defence capabilities and enhancing its economic and media capacities in refuting the lies and the false accusations of the blockade countries.
Citizens and residents stood together to confront the hostility of the siege and defeat the plots, turning the challenges into opportunity by accelerating the pace of development, said Professor Mariam Al-Ali Al-Maadeed, Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies.
She stated: “I can say that we are now fine without the siege countries, which have harmed themselves more than they did to us. It was like a magic turned against the magician, and the ordeal turned into a blessing."
Furthermore, QU’s Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies, believes that the blockade has become a mere memory and something from the past, since Qatar has managed to avoid its repercussions and stave off its challenges, and ensured self-sufficiency.
It may be enough, she said, to mention the launch of major projects in the food, pharmaceutical and other industries sectors, along with exploration of alternative markets, sources of supply and greatly enhancing industrial and service activities.
The blockade countries have lost credibility and failed to obtain domestic or global support for their claims. Also, their security, military and economic crises have worsened.
She added that the State of Qatar won the support and sympathy of the international community gaining respect and strengthening its position globally.
The third anniversary of the siege has comes at the time when the first psychological trauma has disappeared while morale, confidence has increased and unity behind the leadership has become much stronger and solid, Al-Maadeed stressed.
Nevertheless, Qatar has affirmed its keenness, in the past, present and will do in future, on unity of the Gulf in the framework of constructive dialogue, respect for sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of states avoiding conspiracy and dictation, Professor Mariam Al-Maadeed underlined.
“We sincerely hope that the quartet will return to their senses and adhere to the principles of international law, ethics, good neighbourliness and belongingness”.
Speaking about families separated from their loved ones because of the measures taken by the siege countries, Professor Al-Maadeed said the blockade revealed its ugly, inhuman and immoral face, especially with regard to families, students and patients. “It is indeed a painful point that we deeply regret and we hope to overcome it as soon as we can,” she added.
“The siege struck the Gulf’s social fabric, afflicted mixed families, caused separation and severed social ties, and even destroyed the unity of the Gulf. The blockading countries instilled a spirit of division and enmity among the brothers and violated the rights of movement, education, health, work, freedom of opinion and residence.
“In Qatar we are against all forms of rupture of social ties between the Gulf people regardless to the difference and positions of the countries. We continue to adhere to the ties of blood, belonging and brotherhood in compliance with our Arab, Islamic and human values” said Al-Maadeed.
‘We consider the blockade a blatant attack on our Gulf people and even on human rights everywhere,” she added.
The blockade and the current COVID-19 pandemic did not prevent Qatar from commitment to its principles and values, where the State of Qatar had honorable stances when this epidemic spread across the world, bringing death and confusing global health systems, the Vice-President for Research and Graduate Studies said.
The State of Qatar was quick to provide aid to many affected countries, such as China, Iran, Palestine, Italy, Tunisia, Nepal, Rwanda, and others.
Qatar also put its military and civilian capabilities and aircraft to transport thousands of stranded people across the world and help them return their countries.
The coronavirus pandemic has shown Qatar as a unique model for global humanitarian cooperation in times of crisis, said Professor Mariam Al-Maadeed, affirming that the State of Qatar took various measures, using its all capabilities to provide healthcare for citizens and residents equally.
