Texas A&M to close Qatar campus as school’s board notes instability in Middle East as factor

By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M University will close its 20-year-old campus in Qatar by 2028. University board members noted instability in the Middle East as a reason to review the school’s presence in the country. The school had recently defended itself against criticism over security of its research and and its partnership with the Qatar Foundation. The school has called that criticism unfounded and unrelated to the decision to shutter the Qatar campus. Texas A&M is one of several U.S. schools with a presence in Qatar. The Qatar Foundation criticized the closure as influenced by a disinformation campaign