Celebrating Excellence: The Inaugural HBKU-GU-Q TradeLab Award Honors Top Student Achievements at Georgetown University in Qatar

Collaboration at Its Best: Celebrating Innovative Trade Projects

This year, the inaugural TradeLab Award ceremony at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) recognized two standout projects that addressed international trade law in today’s digital world. Teams from Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and GU-Q presented projects focused on generative AI and digital transformation in Asia.

These projects were part of the TradeLab Clinic, a unique collaboration between HBKU’s College of Law and GU-Q. The clinic engages students across five programs, including Juris Doctor and Master of Law degrees, to tackle real-world policy issues.

This year, students worked on four primary topics: commodity trade, World Trade Organization dispute reforms, digital trade, and the rising influence of generative AI in negotiations. Six interdisciplinary teams showcased how effective collaboration across institutions can lead to innovative solutions.

A committee of experts, led by Dr. Diego Iribarren, evaluated the submissions. Members included Asma Al-Khulaifi, Associate Legal Counsel at Qatar Investment Authority, and Amal Abdulla, Chief Information Officer at Hamad Medical Corporation. They looked for originality, research depth, and quality of writing.

The top prize recognized students including Leshamta Maina and Bothaina Firas Namos for their project, Handbook on the Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in International Treaty Interpretation. This report stood out for its unique insights and thorough research. It was guided by Georgetown Law Professor Katrin Kuhlmann.

The runners-up, Salem Al-Adba and Noof Al-Mansouri, submitted Recommendations to Promote Digital Transformation in Asia and the Pacific. Their analysis received praise for clarity and quality.

Dr. Safwan Masri, GU-Q Dean, and Dr. Susan Karamanian, Dean of HBKU’s College of Law, presented the awards, signaling strong support for the students’ hard work and the TradeLab initiative. This collaboration aligns with a growing trend in education, where interdisciplinary approaches are becoming essential in addressing complex global issues.

The TradeLab network connects students, academics, and practitioners to solve trade challenges worldwide. The joint HBKU-GU-Q clinic is facilitated by a team of dedicated professors and supported by the Industrial Policy for Digital Development (IPDD) Project, funded by the Qatar National Research Fund.

This partnership exemplifies how education can drive innovation and foster collaboration in addressing crucial issues in the global marketplace.

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