Through the QSAP program, supported by Afghan Future Fund (AFF) and partner organizations, 24 Afghan scholars arrived in Saskatchewan, Canada, between Jan. 16 and 18 to begin their studies at the University of Regina. University representatives met them at the airport, welcoming each student with a toque, or warm winter hat, to ease the transition to Canada’s winter and their new academic home.
“The University of Regina is honored to partner with QSAP — a coalition with a remarkable commitment to supporting displaced and at-risk students — to provide a lifeline through education for Afghan students,” said Jeff Keshen, president of the University of Regina. “Our organizations’ work to protect access to education complements one another and reflects a shared global response to an urgent humanitarian need. As part of that global response, we are thrilled to welcome this cohort of distinguished Afghan scholars to our university.”
These students join more than 70 QSAP scholars who began their studies this past fall at more than 25 partner universities across Albania, Canada, Germany and the United States. Their fields of study include cybersecurity, law, accounting, business administration, international relations and global health — all critically important to rebuilding Afghanistan and contributing to global development.
“We’re pleased to count the University of Regina among the institutions hosting QSAP scholars, allowing these students to continue their education,” said Jonah Kokodyniak, executive vice president for program development and partner services at the Institute of International Education. “This expanding coalition across countries and universities is a testament to the resiliency of these students and the power of international cooperation to meet their evolving needs,” he said.
The University of Regina’s participation in the program was inspired by Project Resilience, an initiative the university launched in 2022 to support students affected by war or political violence. To help the new arrivals settle in, staff from the University of Regina’s international office took the students shopping for winter essentials. When the students departed Doha, Qatar, temperatures were about 68 degrees Fahrenheit. They arrived in Saskatchewan to temperatures near minus 14 degrees. The cohort at the University of Regina is expected to grow by two additional QSAP scholars as visa processing is finalized.
About the Qatar Scholarship for Afghans Project
QSAP, in partnership with multiple higher education institutions, provides Afghan refugee students with opportunities to continue their education at colleges and universities outside Afghanistan. Since its inception, the program has placed more than 400 students at more than 60 institutions in the United States, Albania, Canada, Germany, Qatar and the United Kingdom.
The project is supported by the Education Above All Foundation, the Qatar Fund for Development, the Institute of International Education, Afghan Future Fund and the Yalda Hakim Foundation.