DOHA, QATAR – Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar hosted an outreach event for mathematics teachers on Thursday 2 December, 2010. The participants were engaged in conversations about teaching mathematics in Doha schools and identifying the most important goals, and the most significant challenges. There were 77 attendees at the event.

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar worked with the local schools and the education authorities to enhance the effectiveness of mathematics education efforts in Qatar. “I firmly believe that this kind of partnership – between the Supreme Education Council, teachers in local schools and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, represents a unique opportunity to examine the issues involved in teaching and learning mathematics in Qatar at both the school and university level. By bringing first-hand experience, expertise and multiple points of view into a dialogue, we hope to uncover ways in which local schools and Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar can collaborate to the benefit of mathematical education in Qatar.” said Dr. Dale Winter, Associate teaching professor of mathematics and director of the academic resource center, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.

“We aim to work together to identify and address the mathematical teaching and learning issues of today in order to prepare more of our current generation of students for the most desirable, challenging and lucrative jobs which will require a high level of mathematical training and sophistication” Dr. Dale Winter continued.

Carnegie Mellon University have always taken initiative in leading outreach events that positively impact its local community. This tradition has carried over to the campus in Qatar, where there is large potential to make impact in the region. The mathematical partnership initiative is a part of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar’s strategy to focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) learning.