Ulster University: LGBT Pride ‘problematic’ for Qatar campus

A senior Ulster University academic has said sending information on LGBT Pride to students at its Qatar campus is “highly problematic”, while a rights group has said the comments sound like double standards, writes Brendan Hughes for BBC News.

The university established a partnership in Qatar with City University College in 2020 to offer a range of degree courses to students in its capital city Doha. The link-up has faced criticism due to the Middle Eastern country’s record on human rights. Homosexual acts are illegal in Qatar because they are considered immoral under Islamic Sharia law.

Professor Odette Hutchinson said that while the university should celebrate Pride, it needs to be “cognisant of different cultural expectations”. Hutchinson, Ulster University’s pro vice chancellor on academic quality and the student experience, made her remarks during a committee meeting in February. The committee was discussing the idea of tailoring communications to staff and students to be more specific to each campus.
Full report on the BBC News site