German-Qatar Forum Saxony

Federal state
Saxony
City
Leipzig
Date
Group photo at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony in the Old Senate Hall of Leipzig University

Introduction

The German-Qatar Institute (GQI) hosted the first German-Qatar Forum Saxony on 16 September 2026 at 2:00 pm in the Old Senate Hall of Leipzig University. H.E. Oliver Owcza, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Qatar, attended as guest of honour and keynote speaker.

Following a musical opening with works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Prof. Dr. Brigitte Latzko, Vice-Rector of Leipzig University, welcomed the guests and presented H.E. Ambassador Owcza with a souvenir commemorating the university's history of more than 600 years.

Ming Cheng, Founder and CEO of GQI, then welcomed the representatives from academia, research and business and thanked Prof. Latzko for hosting the Forum at Leipzig University.

After the Forum, Ming Cheng and Prof. Latzko took a separate commemorative photograph reflecting their shared connection to Leipzig University – Ming Cheng as an alumnus and Prof. Latzko as its Vice-Rector.

Themes

  • Higher-education and research cooperation with Qatar
  • Qatar Foundation and Education City
  • Economic cooperation and market entry in Qatar
  • Start-up support

Participating institutions

Participants and speakers

  • H.E. Oliver Owcza, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Qatar (guest of honour and keynote speaker)
  • Prof. Dr. Brigitte Latzko, Vice-Rector for Talent Development: Study and Teaching — Leipzig University
  • Prof. Dr. Ute Schröter-Bobsin, Vice-Rector for Research and Transfer — Saxon University of Cooperative Education
  • Volker Klostermann — Stargazer GmbH
  • Bojan Dimitrov — SP GmbH
  • Uwe Krasselt — Tcell Tolerance GmbH
  • Roland Poser — Tcell Tolerance Invest AG
  • Ming Cheng, Founder and CEO — German-Qatar Institute

Images

Round-table discussion with H.E. Ambassador Oliver Owcza at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University
Round-table discussion at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University
Round-table discussion with Ming Cheng at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University
H.E. Ambassador Oliver Owcza and Ming Cheng in the round-table discussion at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University
Ming Cheng and Prof. Dr. Brigitte Latzko at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony in Leipzig
Prof. Dr. Brigitte Latzko speaking at the lectern at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony in the Old Senate Hall of Leipzig University
Conversation at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony in the Old Senate Hall of Leipzig University
Ming Cheng speaking at the lectern at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony in the Old Senate Hall of Leipzig University
H.E. Ambassador Oliver Owcza in the round-table discussion at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University
Prof. Dr. Brigitte Latzko speaking in the round-table discussion at the German-Qatar Forum Saxony at Leipzig University

Results

Prof. Latzko and Prof. Dr. Ute Schröter-Bobsin, Vice-Rector of the Saxon University of Cooperative Education, explored possible forms of higher-education and research cooperation with Qatar.

Drawing on recent discussions with Qatar Foundation, H.E. Ambassador Owcza presented the work of the Foundation and Education City and shared first-hand insights into potential areas of cooperation.

Representing the business sector, Volker Klostermann (Stargazer GmbH), Bojan Dimitrov (SP GmbH), Uwe Krasselt (Tcell Tolerance GmbH) and Roland Poser (Tcell Tolerance Invest AG) explored economic cooperation, market entry and start-up support in Qatar.

H.E. Ambassador Owcza encouraged the participants to visit Qatar and speak directly with potential cooperation partners.

Follow-up

Ming Cheng said that GQI would be pleased to organise further German-Qatar Forums for stakeholders from Saxony and expressed the hope that a future edition might also take place in Doha.

Related links

Other editions

  • Saxony-Anhalt

    Halle

    Held

  • Further editions

    Further editions – in other German federal states and, where appropriate, in Doha – are in preparation. Dates and locations will be published here once confirmed.

All editions