UDST selected for inaugural Innovation Sandbox of the Future Universities Alliance

The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) has been chosen for the inaugural Innovation Sandbox of the Future Universities Alliance, a global learning network established by Duke University. UDST is the sole institution from Qatar and the only one from the Gulf to be part of the inaugural cohort, which consists of 49 institutions from 23 countries across five continents.

The selection was based on a competitive process assessing strategic priority, leadership commitment, readiness to act, and compatibility with a diverse global cohort.

The Innovation Sandbox is a 12-month global peer learning program that allows institutions to tackle ambitious, institution-shaping challenges. Participants share active institutional issues in facilitated pod sessions, milestone meetings, and the annual Global Summit. Noah Pickus, the founder of the Future Universities Alliance and Head of Global Strategy and Partnerships at Duke University, explained that the Innovation Sandbox aims to address the lack of structures to connect, share, and sustain innovation in higher education.

UDST president Dr. Salem al-Naemi emphasized that the university was founded on the principle of agility and a willingness to reconsider its operations. By joining the inaugural Innovation Sandbox, UDST can contribute a Gulf perspective to a global dialogue on the future of universities. UDST will be participating in the "New Initiatives in Existing Institutions" pathway, where they will employ an artificial intelligence (AI) framework that they built in-house.

The AI system uses multiple independent agents to review exam questions and ensures they measure learning outcomes accurately and at the right level of thinking before acceptance.

Through the Sandbox, UDST aims to develop this AI framework into a method that other universities can adopt. The project aligns with the Alliance's first principle, "innovate toward quality," which focuses on the depth, coherence, and durability of learning. Dr. Seifeddine Bouallegue, Dr. Brian McCommons, and Robert Ford from UDST will also be part of the initiative, working alongside other participants to innovate and improve higher education.