NU-Q Views launches inaugural magazine issue, marking project’s first anniversary

A year after its rebrand, Northwestern University in Qatar’s student-led magazine, NU-Q Views, marked a milestone with the launch of its inaugural issue, unveiled at a community event celebrating the publication’s first anniversary.

The issue, titled “Futures in Progress,” represents the culmination of a year of collaboration among students in the Journalism and Strategic Communication program, who worked closely with faculty to transform classroom discussions and research into a creative, student-driven academic project. The magazine offers a bold exploration of the cultural, technological, and social transformations shaping communities across the Global South.

Marwan M. Kraidy, dean and CEO of Northwestern Qatar, described the magazine as a powerful reflection of the University’s academic and creative ethos. “With NU-Q Views, our students are demonstrating the creative ways Northwestern Qatar engages with the pressing issues of our time,” said Kraidy. “Through rigorous research and reporting and innovative storytelling, they are reflecting on the world around them but also shaping pressing conversations while living our core values of excellence and collaboration.”

The issue is organized into four sections, each offering a distinct lens on the theme of change and possibility. Adapting (In Motion) examines how students, alumni, and faculty navigate new technologies and cultural shifts, from Arabic large language models to innovations presented at Web Summit Qatar. Resisting (Faultlines) highlights stories of defiance and resilience against displacement, injustice, and erasure. Creating (New Ground) explores emerging cultural visions, such as digital thrift spaces, the Rawabet Conference Series reimagining ways of knowing, and Northwestern Qatar’s Hollywood initiative. The final section, From the Feed, captures the immediacy of student voices through snapshots of everyday conversations and digital exchanges.

Ilhem Allagui, professor and director of the Journalism and Strategic Communication Program, said: “It is with joy that we celebrate the launch of the NU-Q Views Magazine and mark one year since the relaunch of our student publication in its new form. This publication is a powerful reflection of our journalism students’ voice, creativity, growth, and commitment. From fresh ideas to thoughtful perspectives, NU-Q Views continues to showcase what student-led media can be.”

Faculty guidance helped transform the student's vision into reality. Claudia Kozman, associate professor in residence and faculty advisor to the NU-Q Views, supported the team throughout production. “This magazine is a powerful example of what happens when students are empowered to merge classroom learning with creative expression,” said Kozman. “By experimenting with new forms of storytelling and working across disciplines, they are setting a high standard for what student-led publications can achieve. Our goal in the program is to provide a platform for students to showcase their skills.”

For Editor-in-Chief Tayama Rai, the magazine is both a chronicle of the present and a contribution to shaping the future. “We named the magazine ‘Futures in Progress’ because it captures the spirit of our time, one where new futures are constantly being built, questioned, and reimagined. Throughout the year, NU-Q Views has followed stories of students, faculty, and alumni who are adapting to change, resisting injustice, and creating new ways of understanding the world. This magazine brings those stories together, showing that the future is being shaped right now, in motion and in progress,” she said. “A huge thank you to our advisor, Professor Claudia Kozman, for her continuous guidance and encouragement, and to the Journalism and Strategic Communication department at Northwestern University in Qatar for their incredible support in making this magazine possible.”

The editorial team behind the publication reflects the collaborative spirit that defines NU-Q Views: Maria Budziievska, associate editor, illustrator, and designer of In Motion; Tayama Rai, associate editor and designer of Faultlines; Hyemin Cho, associate editor and designer of New Ground; Khatimat Abilova, managing editor of From the Feed; and Alexander Binay, photographer. Together, they have shaped a publication that brings student scholarship and creativity into conversation with urgent issues facing the world today.