Texas A&M University students in Qatar have sheltered in place or evacuated as conflict in the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran escalates.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman
As the war between Israel, U.S. and Iran escalates, Texas university students in Qatar are sheltering in place or leaving the country. Last Saturday, 282 students from six U.S. universities living in dorms in Qatar briefly evacuated during an Iranian missile strike.
Texas A&M University is one of the six U.S. universities with campuses in Education City, a hub of learning run by a nonprofit, the Qatar Foundation. Education City is typically considered safe due to high security, despite the volatility in the region.
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The evacuation may have included students from Texas A&M University, which has had a campus in Qatar since 2003. The TAMU Board of Regents voted to close the campus in 2024 to center learning in the United States and Texas, but the closure won’t go into effect until 2028 due to contractual obligations.
Spokesperson Tim Eaton said 330 Texas A&M University students study at its Qatar campus, but it’s unlikely any Texas A&M students were involved in the evacuation. He said 90% of the Texas-based school’s students are residents of Qatar or Qatari nationals, making it unlikely they were part of Saturday’s evacuation.
Amid the fighting, 10 Texas A&M students chose to leave the country voluntarily and continue their studies remotely. Two-thirds of faculty and staff have also left Qatar temporarily, Eaton said.
Since the U.S. and Israel forces targeted and killed Iran’s leader Feb. 28, the conflict has spread to at least a dozen countries, including Qatar, Al Jazeera has reported. Education City shut down all events until further notice and switched to remote online learning.
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Eaton said Texas A&M University at Qatar will be remote at least until April 5. The semester ends the last week of April.
“Most students who chose to relocate temporarily have either returned to their home country or are staying with family in a third country,” Eaton said. “There has been no change to the academic calendar, and students are attending classes online.”
Students in dorms had been sheltering in place for almost three weeks since the conflict began.
Some left the dorms just before 2 a.m. on Saturday amid threats of an attack. The Qatar Ministry of Defense said it intercepted a missile that night, and the students returned to campus later the same day, Inside Higher Ed reported.
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On Saturday, a Qatari official told media that its early warning system had successfully protected residents, and that shrapnel from the missile was reported at 600 sites, according to Al Jazeera.
Classes suspended
When the conflict broke out, the U.S. Department of State warned Americans to be alert or leave 14 countries potentially affected by the conflict, including Qatar. But thousands of flights were cancelled, preventing many from fleeing.
Southern Methodist University cancelled a program for graduate business students in Dubai after the war began, and the Dallas-based university confirmed that the students and staff have safely returned back to campus after a week away.
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Three Texas A&M University — College Station students were studying abroad in Qatar, Eaton said. Two were out of the country when the war began, and one sheltered in place until eventually leaving Qatar, Eaton said.
Texas A&M’s Qatar campus suspended classes a day after the conflict began and shifted to remote operations on March 2. The U.S. Embassy advised Americans to shelter in place, and Texas A&M shared that guidance and emergency updates with its students throughout the week. As of Tuesday, the embassy is still asking Americans to shelter in place and consider taking available commercial flights out of the region.
Texas A&M Interim President Tommy Williams told campus in an email March 5 that the university is “closely tracking developments” in the region as the university works to evacuate students.
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“In line with Embassy recommendations, we are making preparations to support their safe evacuation as soon as it becomes possible,” Williams wrote.
He also shared mental health resources with students. In a message immediately after the conflict began, he said he is praying for stability in the region and promises the university will “continue to stand with you and support you in every way we can.”