Solidarity through action: combating global poverty through partnerships
The University of Doha for Science and Technology demonstrates the impact of education and vocational training in reducing poverty and improving food accessibility
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The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) in Qatar was established as a national higher education institution in 2022, having previously operated as a vocational outreach college. In its new role, the university is committed to innovating its teaching and aligning its research with both national priorities and pressing global challenges. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is instrumental in achieving the university’s strategic vision.
Michael Phillips, STEM and TVET specialist and Unesco chair on TVET and sustainable development at UDST, has a wide-ranging role in leading the university’s contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He helps UDST leverage its expertise in STEM and vocational training to combat poverty and enhance food security worldwide – overlapping objectives of SDGs 1, 2 and 3.
“TVET equips individuals with employable skills that directly improve livelihoods, raise household incomes and reduce poverty while also addressing hunger and health challenges,” says Phillips. He is also the coordinator of the Unesco-UNEVOC Centre based at UDST, which focuses on strengthening and promoting TVET in Qatar. “By partnering with Unesco and international organisations, we facilitate capacity building, knowledge transfer, and scalable solutions,” he explains.
UDST is the first national university in Qatar to specialise in applied education and professional skills training. “Our research is linked to the needs of the country. It is focused on finding solutions for industrial and societal problems,” says Phillips.
“It’s a coherent strategy,” Phillips notes. The colleges within the university contribute to four key pillars: sustainable development, digital technologies, health and wellbeing, and STEM and TVET education. “The university ensures that they are not siloed,” he adds. “They have permeable borders. All colleges contribute to advancing them collectively.”
The courses at UDST remain agile as challenges and disciplines evolve. On the topic of sustainability, for example, assessments require students to focus on identifying new ways of reducing carbon emissions, improving waste management and innovative solutions that support the SDGs.
Students can submit their projects to UDST’s business incubator, uHUB, to explore their potential for commercial and practical application. One stand-out example is a real-time, AI-driven groundwater resilience dashboard, which uses multifunctional hydrogels that enable farmers to monitor groundwater levels and introduce measures to protect crops. Other notable projects include an AI-based smart vertical farming system and an Internet of Things framework to support sustainable livestock management.
UDST supports underserved communities worldwide by leveraging its vocational and research expertise through initiatives such as Unesco’s Campus Africa programme. The university develops open-access academic resources and toolkits for international partners. “We have digital modules tailored for learners in low connectivity environments,” says Phillips. “We deliver hands-on skills training in food technology, renewable energy and water resource management. And we’ve been doing curriculum co-design with UNEVOC centres and ministries of education in low-income countries.”
The university is also working with Penn State University’s Center for Nanotechnology Education and Utilization in the US to deliver microcredential training in nanotechnology, agricultural technology and digital health in East Africa and South Asia.
The university is a strong advocate of collaborations and knowledge sharing among institutions in the Global South, improving equity in higher education partnerships. UDST was one of the 10 Global South universities to participate in a sustainable innovation bootcamp led by South-South University Cooperation Network and the Unesco International Institute for Higher Education. UDST’s team presented a , a compact composting system equipped with sensors to monitor greenhouse gas emissions, which was highlighted as one of the best innovations in the showcase.
Through education, innovation and South-South partnerships, UDST advances applied research while contributing to poverty eradication, reinforcing its commitment to SDG 1 as a global priority.
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