Education Diplomacy in a Fractured World

Dr. Francisco Marmolejo: President of Higher Education, Qatar Foundation
H.E. Sheikha Dr. Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani: Chairperson and Founder, The Center for Wellbeing
Dr. Fanta Aw: Executive Director and CEO, NAFSA: Association of International Educators
Dr. Hilligje van’t Land: Secretary General, International Association of Universities
Alex Marquardt: Journalist, Independent (Moderator)

Education is one of the most powerful forms of diplomacy that shapes international relations through student mobility, knowledge, and cultural exchange. Education offers a pathway to dialogue and cooperation in a world marked by geopolitical conflict and competition. However, education diplomacy faces major challenges as geopolitical tensions and shifts toward nationalism threaten global academic exchange. This discussion will highlight how higher education ecosystems like Qatar Foundation’s Education City, housing multiple international university campuses, can sustain cross-border collaboration. The session will examine the risks associated with increasing restrictions on academic mobility, research cooperation, and marginalized communities’ access to education. The discussion will shed light on how institutions, policymakers, and educators can work together to reinforce education diplomacy’s role in advancing global dialogue, economic development, and peacebuilding.

In partnership with: Qatar Foundation