New Dean Named at School of Foreign Service in Qatar

Dynamic Leader

“Gerd brings with him years of valuable experience in both academia and foreign affairs,” says Georgetown President John J. DeGioia. “I very much look forward to our work together and the dynamic leadership he will bring to School of Foreign Service in Qatar in the years ahead.”

Nonneman has been on the faculty of University of Exeter since 2007, and previously served as director of its Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies.

"Given my long-standing admiration for Georgetown and the people I have worked with there before, both in D.C. and Doha, this is a huge honor for me," Nonneman says. "The chance to build on a shared vision for SFS-Q is simply exhilarating."

Academic Leadership

Prior to coming to the University of Exeter, Nonneman held the position of professor of Middle East politics at the U.K.’s Lancaster University, where he oversaw that university’s M.A. Studies program. 

He has a long record of engagement with the governmental and NGO policy community, both in the West and in the Gulf region. From 2003-2004, Nonneman assisted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman in developing the curriculum for its Diplomatic College.

He was a member of the U.K.’s 2001 Research Assessment Exercise on Middle Eastern Studies, and from 1998-2002 served as executive director of the British Society for Middle Eastern Studies.

Nonneman holds Licentiates (Honors) in development studies and oriental philology (Arabic) from Ghent University in Belgium, and a Ph.D. in Middle East politics from the University of Exeter.

Global Tradition

The School of Foreign Service in Qatar builds on Georgetown’s tradition of educating future global leaders through an interdisciplinary liberal arts undergraduate program focused on international affairs.

The school currently offers undergraduates a bachelor of science in Foreign Service.

For more information about Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in Qatar, visit its website.