Summary
Originally published as an exclusive interview in the Gulf Times, this piece features Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) Dean Michael Trick discussing the growing potential of university-industry partnerships in Qatar. Dean Trick highlights strong existing corporate engagement (such as with QNB, QIA, and Snoonu) and emphasizes how CMU-Q prepares its business and information systems graduates for the evolving workforce through foundational adaptability and practical AI integration.
Gulf Times interview with Dean Trick, Part Two: Private sector engagement strengthens academics and learning
In Part Two of Dean Trick’s exclusive interview with Gulf Times, he discusses cultivating strong relationships with industry and government entities in order to enrich learning and research.
This story was originally published in Gulf Times, June 26, 2026, as “Private sector engagement strengthens academic links, says educator.”
By Peter Alagos
Private sector leaders and major Qatari corporations have stepped up engagement with local universities. However, the region’s business community has yet to embrace academic institutions as primary engines for research and development.
In an exclusive interview with Gulf Times, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) dean Michael Trick explained the gap between practice and potential.
Highlighting “outstanding” private sector engagement, Trick said QNB, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), technology platform Snoonu, and “numerous other companies” have been strong partners to CMU-Q, collaborating with students on practical projects and hiring its graduates.
“These entities have been highly supportive of our educational mission, collaborating with our students on practical projects, hiring our graduates, and deeply valuing their skill sets,” he said.
“When compared to highly mature markets like the US, there is still room to grow. While financial and collaborative support exists, regional companies do not yet fully view universities as primary engines for core research and development.”
He said, however, that this mindset is steadily shifting and corporate research collaboration is consistently increasing,” Trick also said.
The “most significant barrier,” Trick pointed out, is not unique to Qatar but is a global challenge — “a fundamental misalignment in goals, expectations, and timelines between the two sectors.”
Trick noted, “Academia operates on a long-term, reflective cycle, which frequently clashes with the rapid, immediate demands of the business world. Corporate entities are often unaware of the full spectrum of capabilities and expertise that academic institutions can offer.”
“Overcoming this requires fostering more frequent, structured interactions to bridge the gap between these two distinct organisational cultures,” Trick further pointed out.
On whether business graduates in Qatar and the Gulf more broadly are equipped with the skills employers actually need, Trick said higher education must balance immediate industry requirements against foundational principles, and that not every concept taught at university is designed to be applied from day one.
He said CMU-Q graduates enter the workforce with a thorough understanding of AI and modern business methodologies, making them ready assets to employers.
“If a company needs to train a graduate on specific proprietary software, the most valuable skill our students develop is the capacity to learn rapidly. This adaptability allows them to swiftly master any specific tools required by industry,” Trick said.
On how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing what a business education needs to deliver, Trick said the essential skill set now centres on integrating AI into personal workflows, leveraging data to optimise business operations, and navigating a rapidly evolving digital economy.
“Students require a sophisticated understanding of both the capabilities and the inherent limitations of artificial intelligence,” he said.
Trick explained that this focus is embedded in the curriculum. While CMU-Q’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence students are trained to build advanced AI architectures, its Business Administration and Information Systems graduates are equipped to apply these technologies to solve complex business challenges, he added.
