The Gulf Studies Center at the College of Arts and Sciences at Qatar University is the world's first to focus exclusively on the Gulf within the region itself. This unique and niche Center, which aims to advance teaching and scholarship in the Gulf Studies field, was initially developed in 2011, by offering MA in Gulf Studies. Due to the increasing regional and global interest in this strategic area, the Gulf Studies Research Center was established in the fall of 2013. The Center is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and scholarship on the Gulf region. The Gulf Studies Center encompasses three core research areas, including: Politics and Security, Energy and Economics, and Social Issues. Each of the areas is coordinated under the leadership of a research coordinator, and directs a number of interdisciplinary research clusters. As the Gulf States emerge as major international players, there is a growing need for in-depth research and scholarship on the Gulf. The field of Gulf Studies is one that is wide-ranging – from issues of politics and regional security, labor migration, and education, to resource management and sustainable development.
The Center also hosts a number of conferences and research events in collaboration with other regional and international partners. These partnerships bring new perspectives, and assist in creating a growing body and network of scholars with expertise on the Gulf region.
To complement the success, and to cater for the increasing interest and demand, the PhD Program in Gulf Studies was launched in 2015. Gulf Studies at Qatar University continues to grow and now consist of two taught graduate programs (MA and PhD) that are integrally linked to the Gulf Studies Research Center which conducts research in three areas: energy and economics, politics and security and social issues. With the combination of graduate programs and the research center, Gulf Studies at Qatar University is now a global leader in the field offering students a unique and unprecedented opportunity to study the Gulf while living in the region itself.