Interim Northwestern University president Henry Bienen said he is 'positive about the relationship' between the university and Qatar as the school reviews whether to renew its contract to operate a campus in Doha beyond 2028. Bienen, who first established the partnership during his earlier tenure as president, said discussions with Qatar are ongoing and that the final decision will rest with the university’s board.

Northwestern’s contract requires students, faculty, and staff in Qatar to follow Qatari laws and respect the country’s cultural and social customs. Qatar criminalizes criticism of its government and restricts online content it considers harmful. After the October 7, 2023, terror attack by Hamas, the Qatari government urged United States universities with campuses there to align official communications, and Northwestern’s Doha campus did not circulate a message condemning the attack.

The partnership has drawn scrutiny because of Qatar’s ties to Hamas and the presence of faculty with past connections to organizations accused of supporting the group. Critics have also pointed to the influence of prominent Qatari families among graduates. University officials have defended the campus, saying it expands access to an elite Western education and advances the foreign policy interests of the United States.