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| The visitors at TAMUQ in Doha |
The visitors were in Qatar from January 8 to 16 as part of the university’s Corps of Cadets, one of six programmes at universities in the US that host senior level Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).
While not all cadets in the programme go on to serve in the military, many become US military officers.
The group of over 20 students and three leaders had come to Doha as part of the Corps of Cadets international excursion programme.
During the trip, they participated in seminars at Education City and visited Al-Jazeera Channel, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Fanar Cultural
Centre.
The programme serves the Corps of Cadets goal of developing leaders of character who are capable of dealing with global challenges by exposing students to different cultures, ideas and ways of living.
Colonel Glenn T Starnes (USMC, Ret), Cadet Training Officer, Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University, spoke exclusively with Gulf Times about the programme and its goals.
“The students are learning the historical and cultural background of Qatar, as well as the current role of the state in the greater Gulf and Middle Eastern region,” Starnes said.
“They are developing leadership skills and practising that leadership in discussions and group activities,” he added.
The Corps of Cadets chose to visit Qatar as a case study of a modernising, developing Arab state. “We wanted to visit an Arab country that is a player in geo-politics and military issues in the region,” Starnes said.
“This is the first visit of the Corps of Cadets international excursion programme to the Gulf region. Other countries visited in the past three years include China, Morocco, Egypt and Germany, and the programme will visit the Philippines and Korea later this year.”
Starnes hoped that the students will take the knowledge and experiences they gain on the Qatar trip home to share with their peers and that it will positively influence how they view the world.
“Many of these students had never travelled abroad,” he said. “We feel we have been successful in opening the eyes of students who had little understanding or experience with the Arab and international world by broadening their horizons and knowledge in a learning atmosphere.”
TAMUQ viewed hosting these students as an opportunity to contribute to their understanding of Qatar and its culture.
Dr Todd Kent, assistant dean for academic affairs at TAMUQ, observed that the university is proud to be a bridge between Qatar and Texas.
“Such cross-cultural exchange programmes enable students to return to their home campus with increased global understanding and greater respect for their student counterparts across the world. This prepares them for successful careers and interaction in an increasingly globalised world.”
