The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center, in partnership with the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, yesterday celebrated the inaugural graduation ceremony for the University of Sussex students, who have now completed the LLM Corruption, Law and Governance, taught in Qatar.

The ceremony was attended by H.E. Dr. Ali Bin Fetais Al Marri, Attorney General of Qatar, and Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Sussex, along with a number of other distinguished dignitaries.

The event was opened by Professor Adam Tickell, who praised the graduates for their commitment to their studies as well as outlining the huge impact that a transformative education can have on tackling some of world’s most complex issues. H.E. Dr. Ali Bin Fetais Al-Marri spoke on the importance of sharing knowledge and expertise between Qatar and the United Kingdom. In addition, a commencement speech was delivered by Ms. Reem Al-Ansari, graduate of the LLM who spoke on the importance of the fight against corruption in the region. The ceremony provided the opportunity for University of Sussex staff and LLM students to meet Ministers to discuss their learning and its relevance to Qatar and the MENA region.

The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Center is an institution for public interest that focuses on increasing knowledge of the rule of law, good governance and anti-corruption issues in Qatar and the MENA region. In addition to the LLM Corruption Law and Governance, it also delivers the Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani International Anti-Corruption Excellence Award, as well as a number of training and professional development courses in support of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

The University of Sussex LLM in Corruption, Law and Governance seeks to provide students in Qatar with access to the most current thinking on corruption, as well as deepening their understanding of the most pressing issues relating to the rule of law and good governance. The teaching is provided by University of Sussex academics, who are leading experts in the field of corruption analysis who travel to Qatar to deliver the lectures and seminars. The students have now become graduates of the University of Sussex, receiving a Masters in Corruption, Law and Governance, which is accredited and certified by the Ministry of Education in Qatar.

H.E. Dr. Al Marri spoke on the significance of this partnership, and the importance of sharing knowledge between the United Kingdom and Qatar in order to effectively combat corruption on a global scale.

Commented Professor Tickell: “The University of Sussex is home to world leading experts in corruption knowledge and analysis. We believe strongly that it’s only through developing an understanding of what causes corruption and recognising it in practice that it can truly be effectively tackled. Our partnership with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre in Qatar enables us to open our doors to this educational experience to a wider group of students around the world. I wish our graduates all the very best in using their learnings in the next stage of their successful careers and professional aspirations.”

The University of Sussex is a leading higher education and research institution near Brighton, in the south of England. The University was the first of the new wave of UK universities founded in the 1960s, receiving its Royal Charter in 1961.The University has had three Nobel Prize winners. University of Sussex lecturers deliver programmes of study that inspire students to develop the skills that make their education count, and that give them the confident to make their mark in their chosen field.