The Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) welcomed the Class of 2022 at a special event held recently for the newly-admitted students and their families.

The ‘Hayakom/Welcome’ event was held for a total of 103 students accepted to VCUarts Qatar this year. VCUarts Qatar currently has 361 students representing 41 nationalities. They were the first university to open at Qatar Foundation.

The students were greeted by VCUarts Qatar’s Executive Dean Dr Donald N Baker, who proudly welcomed the new students to the university.

You are about to embark on a unique and challenging journey that will lead you to earn a degree from the Number 1 School of Arts in the United States. Your hard work and perseverance is what granted you this spot here today, hence I encourage you to take full advantage of what our programmes have to offer, as you are the ambassador of your own brand and shall represent this university in shaping tomorrow’s creative future.’

The Class of 2022 were then introduced to the chairs of the Departments of Interior Design, Graphic Design, Fashion Design, Painting and Printmaking, Art History, and MFA in Design, who gave the students an overview of each of their programmes.

VCUarts qatar

Sean Roberts, the Interim Chair of VCUarts Qatar’s Art History programme told the assembled students that they were the only university offering a program of this kind in the region – and one of the few in the world which focuses on the arts of the Islamic world in a global context. He invited the students to make connections between cultures of the broader Mediterranean world, Asia, and even the Americas, from the ancient world up to the present moment.

Roberts explained that the success of the programme ‘has been fostered by the incredible support provided by Qatar Foundation, by partners like Qatar Museums, and by the school’s home institution, Virginia Commonwealth University. 

It is also driven by our unique curriculum designed to capitalise on the distinctive location of Qatar, which since Antiquity has been part of international trade routes linking both the Central Islamic lands, the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean.’

Immediately after the event, the Class of 2022 were invited to join the Admissions Department as they cut a specially-baked cake at the Pick-up Your Admissions Packet-Party.

For more information about VCUarts Qatar, visit their website at qatar.vcu.edu.