Overview
Education City is a 14-square-kilometre campus located on the outskirts of Doha, developed and administered by Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. It is the centrepiece of Qatar’s strategy to build a knowledge-based economy and the most visible expression of the Human Development Pillar of the Qatar National Vision 2030.
University Branch Campuses
Education City hosts branch campuses of several internationally recognised universities, each offering programmes in specific academic disciplines selected to address Qatar’s strategic human capital needs:
- Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar — pre-medical and medical programmes.
- Texas A&M University at Qatar — engineering programmes (chemical, electrical, mechanical, petroleum).
- Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar — computer science, business administration, information systems, and biological sciences.
- Georgetown University in Qatar — international affairs and foreign service.
- Northwestern University in Qatar — journalism and communication.
- Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar — art and design.
- HEC Paris in Qatar — executive education and MBA programmes.
Students at these branch campuses receive the same degrees as their counterparts at the home institutions and study under curricula designed and accredited by the parent universities.
Research and Innovation
Education City is also home to the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP), the Qatar National Research Fund, and multiple applied research centres. These institutions support the development of a domestic research ecosystem, facilitate technology transfer, and provide incubation services for technology startups.
The Qatar National Library, located within Education City, serves as a national research library and public knowledge resource.
Infrastructure and Legacy
Education City hosted several matches during the FIFA World Cup 2022 at the Education City Stadium. The campus is connected to central Doha by the Doha Metro Green Line and features residential, recreational, and cultural facilities alongside its academic institutions.
Significance
Education City represents a multi-billion-dollar investment in human capital formation. It is central to Qatar’s ambition to develop a nationally and regionally competitive higher education system, reduce dependence on overseas study for Qatari students, and create a knowledge infrastructure capable of supporting economic diversification.