Welcome from the Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning
It gives me a great pleasure to welcome you to the web pages of our Department of Architecture and Urban Planning-AUP. Operating at the intersection of art and design, technology, and society, the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning at Qatar University addresses societal and environmental challenges facing the local and regional built environment and focuses on the opportunities those challenges create.
The recent rapid development of Qatar is associated with a fast track urbanization process, marked by large scale work, learning and residential environments, and mixed use developments with sustained attempts to strike a balance between tradition and modernity. The unprecedented growth in the building and urban development industry, already considered the second largest industry in the state of Qatar—following the Oil and Gas industries, has created a pressing demand for architects and planners with specialized training to design, plan and direct the activities of the industry.
These growth indicators at both the architectural and urban scales mandate the presence of academic units and programs that address the practical realities of local and regional development while graduating professionals capable of addressing these realities efficiently and effectively.
Responding to these demands and challenges, the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning offers innovative undergraduate and graduate programs amenable to graduating professionals capable of creating and managing sustainable environments. Our programs strike a balance between knowledge content and knowledge delivery while implementing hands-on experiential, active, and outcome based learning approaches.
We are fortunate to be part of a growing and dynamic learning and research institution through its current implementation of futuristic pedagogical approaches and investment in educational and research infrastructure. Capitalizing on these opportunities our students’ intake is governed by rigorous admission process, our facilities reflect up to date instructional technology, and our faculty members are responsive educators with research and professional expertise that foster the effective delivery of our programs. In this respect, the department vision is to become a leading provider of architectural and urban education in the region.
Whatever the purpose of your visit to our website is, I invite you to navigate different pages, to know more about the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning and explore our programs and resources.
Professor Ashraf M. Salama,
Ph.D. FRSA, FHEA
Head of the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning