SFS-Qatar to Implement Immersive Telepresence in Classroom
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 September 2007 — Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service in Qatar announced today it will implement Polycom RealPresence Experience High Definition (RPX™HD), making it the first university in the Middle East to adopt immersive telepresence video conferencing as an educational tool. The deal was signed at Gitex through FVC, the authorized value-added distributor in the Middle East and North Africa for Polycom.
Georgetown University students and faculty work, study, and perform research around the globe. In 2005, the university deepened its commitment to global education by establishing a branch campus of its world-renowned School of Foreign Service in Qatar. The program provides a 4-year undergraduate degree in international politics to students in Qatar. The degree is identical to that offered to students in Washington, DC. The program accepts about 50 students annually from around the world.
“Georgetown prides itself on seeking to move beyond the traditional lecture-style delivery of material,” said Randy Bass, Director of the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship at Georgetown. “The distancing technologies of traditional formats are limited in their ability to engage bi-local students in more interactive pedagogies. The consequences, then, are not merely about comfort or affect, but the quality of the intellectual experience and consequential development.”
The Polycom RPX™HD will be used to deliver undergraduate courses to and from Washington. The system allows for “realistic” interaction between students and faculty since the system makes the technology more transparent, thus reducing the “distance” that some students feel. The system allows local students to take classes from well-known professors in Washington, DC. At the same time, it allows students in Washington to learn from the world-class faculty that are located in Qatar.
“We are working closely with TechnoQ, Polycom’s certified reseller in Qatar,” said K. S. Parag, Regional Director, FVC. “Together, we will implement the solution and provide the on-going customer support.”
“The RPX™HD was designed to give a life-like, natural experience, making it an ideal system for the educational, healthcare, government and enterprise sectors,” said Alain Civel, Regional Manager – MEA, Polycom. “It revolutionizes the way we do business by having immediate presence anywhere at anytime. Institutions and organizations can productively interact in real time with colleagues or avail expert resources from across the city or around the world. This allows access to up-to-date knowledge and provides the ability to make immediate decisions, consequently saving money and time on travel.”
“By allowing us to bring in the very best professors, be they in Washington, Doha, or elsewhere, this system allows Georgetown to offer our students the very best education in the world.” said Dean James Reardon-Anderson, Dean of School of Foreign Service in Qatar.
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Georgetown University students and faculty work, study, and perform research around the globe. In 2005, the university deepened its commitment to global education by establishing a branch campus of its world-renowned School of Foreign Service in Qatar. The program provides a 4-year undergraduate degree in international politics to students in Qatar. The degree is identical to that offered to students in Washington, DC. The program accepts about 50 students annually from around the world.
“Georgetown prides itself on seeking to move beyond the traditional lecture-style delivery of material,” said Randy Bass, Director of the Center for New Designs in Learning & Scholarship at Georgetown. “The distancing technologies of traditional formats are limited in their ability to engage bi-local students in more interactive pedagogies. The consequences, then, are not merely about comfort or affect, but the quality of the intellectual experience and consequential development.”
The Polycom RPX™HD will be used to deliver undergraduate courses to and from Washington. The system allows for “realistic” interaction between students and faculty since the system makes the technology more transparent, thus reducing the “distance” that some students feel. The system allows local students to take classes from well-known professors in Washington, DC. At the same time, it allows students in Washington to learn from the world-class faculty that are located in Qatar.
“We are working closely with TechnoQ, Polycom’s certified reseller in Qatar,” said K. S. Parag, Regional Director, FVC. “Together, we will implement the solution and provide the on-going customer support.”
“The RPX™HD was designed to give a life-like, natural experience, making it an ideal system for the educational, healthcare, government and enterprise sectors,” said Alain Civel, Regional Manager – MEA, Polycom. “It revolutionizes the way we do business by having immediate presence anywhere at anytime. Institutions and organizations can productively interact in real time with colleagues or avail expert resources from across the city or around the world. This allows access to up-to-date knowledge and provides the ability to make immediate decisions, consequently saving money and time on travel.”
“By allowing us to bring in the very best professors, be they in Washington, Doha, or elsewhere, this system allows Georgetown to offer our students the very best education in the world.” said Dean James Reardon-Anderson, Dean of School of Foreign Service in Qatar.
Events Calendar
Upcoming SFS-Qatar Events
- Nov 10, 6pm-7:30pm: Monthly Dialogue: John Crist
- Nov 17, 5pm: Faculty Film - The Last Wave
- Dec 1, 5:30pm: Faculty Film Series
SFS-Qatar News
- SFS Dean Discusses Changing Face of International Relations
More than 300 people gathered at the Four Seasons on Monday evening to listen to Georgetown professor Carol Lancaster discuss the “new world order” in international relations, and how this will impact the balance of wealth and power in the coming years. (October 14, 2009) - Georgetown Welcomes the Class of 2013
On Thursday, August 20, the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar) officially welcomed the Class of 2013 into the university during its New Student Convocation ceremony. (August 25, 2009) - Summer Camp Makes Global Knowledge Local
This July, teenagers from Qatar's 16 local schools participated in Planet Georgetown, an internationally-themed summer camp. (August 01, 2009)
