HCC to Open Campus in Qatar

Houston Community College has signed a $45 million, five-year contract with the government of Qatar, in the Persan Gulf, to open the nation's first community college.

Community College of Qatar is set to open this fall, offering job training and basic academic programs. Students who complete the program will be considered graduates of HCC.

Chancellor Mary Spangler told the Houston Chronicle that the project is a natural extension of the community college's role. “We need to prepare our students to be comfortable in a global environment,” she said. “They need to recognize that Houston isn't the start and end of their world.”

The move will provide students from Houston with the opportunities for international exchanges, she added.

In the past, HCC has worked with institutions in Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil, "experience that may come in handy as it hires faculty and staff for the Qatari campus over the next few months," according to the article. But unlike the earlier projects, which involved existing institutions, HCC will be creating a college from scratch in Qatar.

Dr. Spangler said HCC will receive “slightly less than 10 percent” of the $45 million operating budget covered in the contract.

“This is not costing taxpayers money,” she said. “We are not doing less at home because we're doing this. We're bringing larger opportunities.”

Here's another piece on the subject, in Inside Higher Ed.

Comments

[Frank Johnson]

How can I apply for a faculty position in the new CC in Qatar?

[helene wardlow]

This Qutar article got my attention. I'm a support staff with HCC. I sure you will be needing staff support as well as faculty. How can i apply for a position in Qatar.