Destinations · Middle East
Qatar & UAE
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates show how two young Gulf states have built global media, education and business hubs within a few decades. A faculty-led course can compare Doha, Dubai and Abu Dhabi in a short itinerary.
Overview
Qatar & UAE as a classroom
Qatar and the UAE were small pearling and trading societies before oil and gas changed their economies in the twentieth century. Today Doha hosts Education City, international branch campuses and one of the world's major news networks, while Dubai and Abu Dhabi serve as global centers for trade, aviation, finance and tourism. Both societies rely heavily on foreign workers, which raises questions about labor, citizenship and identity. Students can see how national vision plans drive museums, universities and city design.
ARAMFO has run faculty development programs on journalism and global news, including Al Jazeera in Doha, and on innovations in journalism, film and visual arts across Qatar and the UAE. Every faculty-led course is customized to the professor's syllabus and travel dates.
Good to know
- Language
- Arabic is official in both; English is widely used in business and education.
- Currency
- Qatari riyal (QAR) in Qatar and UAE dirham (AED) in the UAE.
- Best season
- November to March
- Typical length
- 8-12 days (customizable)
Highlights
What students will see and do
- Museum of Islamic Art, DohaI. M. Pei designed the museum on the Doha waterfront, which holds a broad collection of Islamic art from three continents.
- Souq WaqifThe restored market in Doha is a place to see traditional trade, crafts and food in a rebuilt historic quarter.
- Education CityThis campus outside Doha hosts branch campuses of several international universities alongside Qatari institutions.
- Burj Khalifa, DubaiAt 828 meters, it is the tallest building in the world and anchors Downtown Dubai.
- Sheikh Zayed Grand MosqueThe marble mosque in Abu Dhabi opened in 2007 and welcomes visitors of all faiths outside prayer times.
- Louvre Abu DhabiJean Nouvel designed this museum, which opened in 2017 and presents art from different civilizations in a shared narrative.
Faculty-led travel courses
Courses that fit Qatar & UAE
Professors build their own syllabus; ARAMFO arranges the visits that bring it to life.
Journalism, Film & MediaStudents could study regional and global news production, press freedom debates and how media networks shape coverage of the Middle East.
Business & EntrepreneurshipA course could examine the Gulf's economic diversification, free zones, aviation and tourism sectors and sovereign investment.
Education & Teacher PreparationStudents could study international branch campuses, English-medium instruction and higher education policy in the Gulf.
Art, Architecture & HistoryA course could look at Gulf museum building, Islamic art collections and the architecture of rapidly growing cities.
Programs
ARAMFO programs in Qatar & UAE
Programs ARAMFO has run or published here. Each can be adapted into a faculty-led travel course for your own students, on your dates.
On the ground
Academic and professional visits
Visits are chosen with the professor to match the course. ARAMFO also arranges flights, housing, meals, local transport, guides and entrance fees.
- Broadcast newsrooms and media institutes
- Branch campuses and university faculty seminars
- Museum and cultural institution briefings
- Business, trade and free zone organizations
Get started
Plan a course in Qatar & UAE
Tell us about your course and we will reply with a draft itinerary and cost.
More destinations
Other destinations
Countries where ARAMFO has run or published faculty-led courses and faculty development programs.
