Northwestern University Interim President Henry Bienen has reaffirmed his support for the institution's partnership with Qatar, despite ongoing scrutiny over the Gulf state's ties to Hamas and restrictions on academic freedom at the university's Doha campus. Bienen, who established the Qatar campus during his first tenure from 1995 to 2009, stated he is "positive about the relationship" during a Monday interview with the Daily Northwestern.
Contract Details and Academic Freedom Concerns
The 2008 contract between Northwestern and Qatar mandates that the university and its affiliates "respect the cultural, religious, and social customs of the State of Qatar," which includes a penal code criminalizing criticism of the government. Following Hamas's October 7, 2023, terror attack, Qatari authorities reportedly required U.S. universities with Doha campuses to align communications with regime directives. Northwestern's Qatar branch did not distribute an October 13, 2023, message condemning the attack as "abhorrent and horrific," according to a House committee report.
Bienen acknowledged Qatar's interest in renewing the contract set to expire after the 2028 academic year, calling the ongoing discussions "a process of back and forth." He added, "Of course, Qatar is a board decision. I have my ideas. I'm positive about the relationship, frankly."
Hamas Ties and Georgetown's Parallel Agreement
Northwestern's Doha faculty includes Ibrahim Abusharif, who teaches the campus's signature seminar. Abusharif previously served as treasurer for the Quranic Literary Institute, a nonprofit found liable in 2008 for aiding Hamas. Bienen defended the Qatar partnership in 2008 by citing Al Jazeera's global influence, though the network has faced scrutiny for employing journalists linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The university has emphasized its Doha campus's role in educating international students, 70% of whom are women. However, records show roughly 9% of graduates since 2014 hail from influential Qatari families, including over 10% with the Al Thani surname, suggesting close ties to the ruling elite.
Northwestern is not alone in facing criticism. Georgetown University's interim president, Robert Groves, told the House Education and Workforce Committee in July he was "very proud" of its Qatar agreement, which requires consulting a Qatari government group on event themes and speakers in Washington, D.C. The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law called such provisions "the secret creation of propaganda under the direction of a foreign nation."
Northwestern did not respond to a request for comment.