By Golda Mizrahi for Medium – 10 January 2024
A recent report from the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) has raised serious questions about Texas A&M University’s collaboration with Qatar, suggesting potential illicit funding and national security risks. According to the ISGAP report, the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development, in partnership with Texas A&M, oversees a Qatar branch with full ownership of over 500 research projects at the university. The report, citing a 2012 study titled “Follow the Money,” alleges that the funding for the Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ) involves over one billion USD and more than 500 research projects, potentially creating a situation where Qatar gains significant access to intellectual property, including in nuclear energy research.
ISGAP Director Dr. Charles Asher Small expressed concern over the potential national security risks, stating that Qatar’s control over sensitive research and access to nuclear information is alarming and could have consequences beyond the region. The report contends that allowing Qatar, with its alleged links to terrorist organizations, to have control over intellectual property raises risks of technology transfer and appropriation of breakthroughs with military applications.
Texas A&M and Qatar deny these allegations. Texas A&M President Mark Welsh emphasized the university’s compliance with U.S. laws and regulations governing international engagements, asserting that research and funding at the Qatar campus are subject to the same review processes as the main campus. While concerns have been raised, the university and Qatar maintain that they follow all relevant policies related to research and funding, including state and federal regulations.