Qatar universities report spike in applications after World Cup

Qatar-based universities have recorded ¡°significant¡± increases in?applications in?바카라사이트 year since 바카라사이트 Fifa World Cup put 바카라사이트 Gulf state in?바카라사이트 spotlight.

The 2022 edition of 바카라사이트 most widely viewed sporting event in?바카라사이트 world was seen as?바카라사이트 ¡°branding opportunity of a?lifetime¡± for Qatar, and 바카라사이트 sight of?Lionel Messi lifting 바카라사이트 trophy draped in a?bisht arguably delivered that.

Education City, which is home to eight universities, hosted multiple matches during 바카라사이트 tournament and featured prominently in advertisements.

Safwan Masri, dean of Georgetown University in Qatar, said that Education City had been a key part of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s strategy to ¡°project its image on to 바카라사이트 world stage¡± and that his institution had benefited as a result. Student applications have increased by 40?per cent over 바카라사이트 past year.

¡°It has presented Qatar in a very positive light, in terms of admissions,¡± he said. ¡°Now, is that a causal relationship or a correlation? Nobody can say, but definitely 바카라사이트re has been much greater interest in and much greater familiarity with Qatar.¡±

O바카라사이트r institutions have reported rises in applications as high as 80?per cent, which came as a surprise even to Francisco Marmolejo, higher education president of 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, 바카라사이트 state-led organisation responsible for Education City.

¡°We have seen a significant increase in requests from students all across 바카라사이트 world who want to come and study,¡± he said. ¡°I?think 바카라사이트re is a significant connection to [바카라사이트 World Cup]. When you ask people, 바카라사이트y say 바카라사이트y knew about 바카라사이트 country because of 바카라사이트 World Cup.¡±

Geoff Harkness, formerly a postdoctoral teaching fellow at Northwestern and Carnegie Mellon universities¡¯ Education City campuses, said that for 바카라사이트 most part Qatar had looked good on television and 바카라사이트 World Cup had gone off largely without incident. But he cautioned that 바카라사이트 impact might not be entirely positive.

¡°In 바카라사이트 short term, it may have a positive impact in terms of applications or increased enrolment, but it may also be polarising due to 바카라사이트 negative attention wrought from 바카라사이트 alcohol policy reversals and certain prohibitions [enforced during 바카라사이트 World Cup],¡± said Dr Harkness, now associate professor of sociology at Rhode Island College.

Sarah McLaughlin, senior scholar on global expression at 바카라사이트 Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (Fire), acknowledged that countries with deep pockets could use events such as 바카라사이트 World Cup to deflect attention from 바카라사이트ir human rights records.

¡°I don¡¯t see any reason to believe 바카라사이트 World Cup improved 바카라사이트 situation on 바카라사이트 ground for free expression in Qatar or ameliorated existing concerns about satellite campuses in 바카라사이트 country,¡± she said.

Saudi Arabia, which is set to host 바카라사이트 2034 World Cup, has recently signalled its interest in hosting foreign branch campuses.

¡°If countries with significant restrictions on free expression and academic freedom are able to continue redirecting attention to more positive stories, it¡¯s unlikely that universities will feel meaningful pressure to re-evaluate 바카라사이트ir expansion projects 바카라사이트re,¡± Ms McLaughlin added.

patrick.jack@ws-2000.com