Dr. Leslie Pal, founding Dean of College of Public Policy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University. Pic: Salim Matramkot / The Peninsula
Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation, is set to launch its new College of Public Policy in September. It aims to be one of the leading public policy schools in the region and the world.
The College of Public Policy will be a bilingual, interdisciplinary professional graduate school designed to support policy-makers and policy-making in Qatar and the region and thus will improve public policy outcomes, said Dr Leslie Pal, the founding Dean of College of Public Policies at HBKU.
“The College’s first program, beginning in Fall 2019, is its flagship Master of Public Policy program. The two year program will compliment the priority that HBKU places on supporting and contributing to effective policy development and implementation for the Qatar National Vision 2030,” he told The Peninsula.
The program builds on the four pillars of public policy: politics, economics, public management ethics, and research methodology. It is designed to integrate analysis, research, and practical application of knowledge from an interdisciplinary perspective. Other distinctive features include a strong focus on ethics in program design, and on real-world experiences. “The Master of Public Policy program with innovative features will test and excite our students. Core courses include policy analysis and design, ethics, public management, global political economy, research methods and economics, and comparative public policy,” said Dr Pal.
“Students will develop a solid core of theoretical knowledge and have the opportunity to then specialize in either social policy or in energy and environmental policy,” he added. He said that in HBKU, being a homegrown research institute, the College of Public Policy and its Master of Public Policy program will focus on research to a great extend.
The College is currently recruiting leading faculty, inviting distinguished speakers, and establishing research networks and projects within the region and globally.
It aims to be one of the leading schools in the region and in the world, a bridge between different approaches to common problems, and a thought leader on public issues.
“Our growing faculty is committed to supporting the intellectual growth and development of each of our students. We will demand the most from them but will demand as much of ourselves. Theory will be combined with practice, and the College is building partnerships with the wider government, private sector, and research communities to ensure that our students have opportunities to test their knowledge against real world challenges,” said Dr. Pal.
Initially its Master of Public Policy programme will recruit 10 students with an aim to eventually admitting 20 new students each year. The College of Public Policy will join HBKU’s other leading institutions in promoting QF’s vision of unlocking human potential. HBKU, a homegrown research university, is a catalyst for positive transformation in Qatar and the region while having global impact. The College of Public Policy is expected to work closely with HBKU’s five existing colleges.
