GU-Q students with officials during their visit to Indonesia.
Doha, Qatar: Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) is expanding its global footprint, giving students more opportunities to engage with the world beyond the classroom.
Recently, 21 students travelled to Indonesia through the Zones of Conflict, Zones of Peace (ZCZP) programme, where they explored the lasting impact of colonialism on the country’s environment and society.
During their time in Indonesia, the 21 students taking a 3-credit course on Empire and Environment engaged with policymakers, activists, and local communities to better understand the long-term environmental impact of colonial-era policies. With site visits and discussions that highlighted the delicate balance between economic growth and sustainability, the trip provided a firsthand look at how history and policy intersect in everyday life. “Through the Zones trip to Indonesia, I had the chance to take what I’ve learned at Georgetown beyond the classroom,” shared Lo’ay Ramadan (GU-Q’27).
The itinerary included visits to Jakarta’s Parliament, environmental conservation projects, and local communities, where students witnessed firsthand the complexities of balancing economic growth and social policies with sustainability.
“The most invaluable part was the opportunity to meet grassroots leaders, people, and culture, and to see the contrast in perspective of people from rural and urban settings. Seeing how protecting their forests and homes is not ‘activism’, but rather their life, their dreams, and where their ambitions lie,” explained Amira Zhanat (GU-Q’27).
Visiting Georgetown’s Jakarta campus
The course and trip were led by GU-Q professors Dr. Firat Oruc and Dr. Raha Hakimdavar, who took the opportunity to create a first-of-its-kind engagement with the newly launched Georgetown School of Foreign Service Asia Pacific (GSAP) programme in Jakarta. Offering an Executive Master’s in Diplomacy and International Affairs, the programme employs a multi-location learning model in the strategically significant cities of Jakarta, Doha, and Washington, DC.
“We organised a colloquium at our Georgetown Jakarta campus centred on Indonesia’s environmental crossroads through multifaceted themes that invited students to engage critically across disciplines,” said Dr. Oruc.
“It was a dynamic and intellectually rich exchange that broadened our students’ perspectives on environmental conflict in Indonesia. Engaging directly with their peers in Jakarta encouraged them to reflect more deeply on how local challenges are shaped by—and contribute to—global environmental realities.”
The new GSAP initiative which includes a residential at the Qatar campus coordinated through the Office of Executive and Professional Education, further strengthens Georgetown’s presence in the Asia-Pacific region, creating new opportunities for intellectual exchange and regional collaboration. As GU-Q marks its 20th anniversary, programmes like ZCZP and GSAP continue to provide students with transformative, real-world experiences that bridge academic learning with global engagement, reinforcing the university’s commitment to shaping future leaders with a global perspective.
