Eversheds Advises UCL on Landmark Middle East Partnership

UCL will become the first British university to open a campus in Doha, Qatar, following an agreement signed between UCL, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, a Qatari government body focused on innovation in education, and the Qatar Museums Authority (QMA). Approximately 150 students per year will eventually study a range of research programmes and master’s degrees in archaeology, conservation and museum studies at UCL in Qatar (UCL-Q), while a wide range of bespoke training courses will be provided for QMA’s museum and heritage professionals.

UCL-Q represents a unique three-way partnership between UCL, Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums Authority, in which each of the three partners brings to the partnership a network of other regional and international partners. This development will position Qatar as the regional centre of excellence in museum practice as well as furthering the understanding of Arab and Islamic archaeology. It will also establish Qatar as an international centre of excellence in research in archaeology, conservation, cultural heritage and museology.

Amjad Hussain, partner at international law firm Eversheds, led the team in Qatar with Farah Naim and Jennifer Westall who advised UCL on throughout the arrangement.

Amjad said:

“We have worked with UCL for many years but this has to be, without a doubt, one of the most exciting initiatives that we’ve been involved in for them. Being the first British university to be invited to establish a centre of excellence by Qatar Foundation is a great honour. As well as strengthening UCL’s international reputation for archaeology, conservation and museum studies, this agreement will put Doha on the map as a centre for Arabic archaeology.”

Jack Foster, UCL Director of Special Projects said

“ We very much look forward to establishing our centre in Qatar and are delighted to have been honoured by the invitation to open the centre. We have worked extensively with Eversheds international education team on a number of our international projects and were, once again, very pleased with the advice we received. The mix of an experienced local team in Qatar and their knowledge of us was invaluable.”