Doha, December 07 (QNA) - Experts at Doha Forum 2025 discussed the growing role of higher education in building bridges among nations and strengthening dialogue amid escalating geopolitical tensions around the globe.

This came during a session titled "Education Diplomacy in a Fractured World". The key speakers included HE chairperson and founder of the Wellbeing and Career Development Training Center, Sheikha Dr. Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani; Higher Education President at Qatar Foundation (QF), Dr. Francisco Marmolejo; executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Dr. Fanta Aw; and Secretary General of the International Association of Universities (IAU), Dr. Hilligje van't Land. The discussion was moderated by journalist Alex Marquardt.

Speakers agreed that higher education has become a central instrument for peacebuilding, advancing international understanding, and offering solutions to global challenges. They stressed that investment in educational diplomacy is no longer optional, but a necessity for economic development, strengthening intercultural communication, and preparing future generations of leaders.

HE Sheikha Dr. Hessa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani affirmed that education lies at the heart of modern diplomacy, serving as a key pillar for contact between peoples and for building bridges of understanding.

Her Excellency noted that human beings are naturally driven to seek knowledge wherever it may be found, comparing the movement of students, teachers, and academics to migratory birds traveling between environments in search of learning, thus strengthening capabilities and the exchange of expertise.

She stressed that the success of educational diplomacy depends on comprehensive, clear evaluation indicators that remain free from political considerations, explaining that policymakers respect numbers and require accurate measurement that genuinely reflects the outcomes of educational programs.

Her Excellency added that ignorance remains the foremost enemy of trust, pointing to the mounting challenges facing educational institutions as artificial intelligence enters classrooms and introduces new, sometimes conflicting values that educators must navigate on a daily basis.

For his part, Dr. Marmolejo underlined that voices questioning the value of educational institutions overlook the fact that education systems remain the only mechanism capable of preparing individuals to deal with the complexities facing the world.

He noted that Qatar Foundation's model has, over the past three decades, succeeded in building one of the most comprehensive ecosystems of education and innovation worldwide, bringing together international universities, research centers, and community service institutions under one umbrella to unlock human potential as a universal right.

He revealed that 50 percent of Qatar Foundation's students are international, but considered that insufficient globally, given that 97 percent of the world’s students do not experience education across borders.

He warned that ignoring these challenges risks marginalizing the impact of global education within geopolitical debate, stressing that the real challenge lies in persuading communities who have not benefited from similar opportunities of the value of education.

Dr. Hilligje van't Land expressed her satisfaction at the inclusion of education on the Doha Forum agenda, saying that the Forum itself constituted a learning experience linking sectors and enabling collaborative action.

She said the world is facing complex agendas in development, climate, and peace—issues that can only be addressed through quality education, not just education for its own sake.

She explained that higher education is often neglected within the continuum from early childhood education to lifelong learning, despite its distinctive ability to build bridges between countries, peoples, and knowledge systems, adding that universities continue to build such bridges despite new barriers erected by states that hinder academic cooperation.

She stressed that academic and scientific diplomacy have become fundamental pillars in building a more stable future, highlighting the importance of dialogue, mutual understanding, and dismantling stereotypes, core functions carried out by higher education institutions.

For her part, Dr. Fanta Aw said education represents the first bridge at risk of collapse in a world beset by growing divisions, pointing to unprecedented threats facing higher education, including shrinking academic freedoms and reduced access to educational opportunities.

She argued that educational diplomacy must be understood as a smart power that protects education as a global public good. (QNA)