Stenden University Qatar has appointed Professor Robert Coelen as new Executive Dean. Professor Coelen was formerly vice-president international at Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, and takes over from former president Wayne Johnson.
In his new position, Professor Coelen will enhance Stenden University Qatar’s position as the region’s only professional hospitality and international business management college with an outstanding track record in graduate job placement and alumni career success.
Professor Coelen said: “I am honoured to be leading Stenden University Qatar in what is a very exciting time. Qatar is on the cusp of a hospitality boom, already home to 85 world-class hotels and with a further 110 under construction.
“Stenden University Qatar, which is under the patronage of Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, is in a unique position, offering the only hospitality management programme of its kind in the Gulf.
“As a forward-thinking institution, we ensure our students are trained to the highest international standards and as such we have an unrivalled reputation for securing for our students the best jobs after graduation — right here in Qatar and across the world.
“We are looking forward to building on this and offering programmes particularly focussed on providing Qatar and the region with high-calibre managers who can play an instrumental role in driving the tourism and hospitality industries at this important time.”
Professor Coelen, 57, has extensive experience in driving international strategy in higher education. In his former role at Stenden University in The Netherlands, he directed and managed Stenden’s four international branch campuses in Qatar, Bali, South Africa and Thailand and positioned Stenden as a key player in the field of managing international branch campuses.The Peninsula
