The Carnegie Mellon University—Qatar (CMU-Q) will formally open its new building at the Education City tonight. Qatar Foundation also announced its plan for expansion. H H Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned will cut the ribbon to signify the official opening. She will be joined by CMU-Q students, CMU-Q dean Charles Thorpe and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) president Jared Cohon. “This is a very exciting two days for CMU, a milestone… It marks a new chapter for our university and signifies how global we have become,” said Cohon, who has been the president of CMU since 1997. Cohon said CMU-Q is a big part of CMU’s global strategy, and added great things can be expected in the university’s Qatar campus. “Great buildings inspire great people to do great things,” he said. The new building, which was provided to CMU-Q by the Qatar Foundation, is situated on Education City’s East/West Walkway. Work on the 460,000-sq-ft facility in the Education City started in August 2006. The building, which was designed by Mexican Legorreta+Legorreta Architects, revolves around a three-storey atrium and walkway that sits on one of the main green spines at the Education City. It features open spaces, water features and a warm palette of colours. “The philosophy of the Carnegie Mellon building is connected to the social experience of the university. Carnegie Mellon wanted to be located in the heart of the Education City. Having two sides of the building with a green spine in the middle was the basis of the design. Similar to buildings in other cultures, this design creates space for people to pass through and circulate,” said Ricardo Legorreta of Legorreta+Legorreta Architects. The university will “unveil a present” for Sheikha Mozah during the event for her “visionary leadership, which led to the partnership between Qatar Foundation and Carnegie Mellon.” Dr Mohd Fathy Saoud, president of Qatar Foundation said, Qatar Foundation is planning on having a Management Education and Research Centre for graduate students, get two European partners, as well as start a Graduate Law programme. “We are currently talking to prominent partners regarding this plan.” http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=February2009&file=Local_News2009022225933.xml

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