The Education City Writing and Information Network (EC-WIN) is a formalized partnership of librarians and writing center experts from five U.S. undergraduate branch campuses, i.e., Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Georgetown University in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar, along with members of Hamad Bin Khalifa University and Qatar National Library.
Founded through ongoing dialogue among librarians and writing specialists, EC-WIN emerged in early 2024 as a strategic response to the evolving challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI in higher education. In a series of meetings throughout the spring and fall of 2024, members co-worked on the development of a mission and vision statement. Guided by these statements, three working groups were identified as strategic initiatives to focus the forum’s activities. They include promoting first-year student success; leveraging generative AI applications in libraries; and identifying outreach and advocacy opportunities at critical inflection points.
This lightning presentation explores EC-WIN’s potential as a collaborative model for interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. We will highlight how the network’s initiatives leverage collective expertise to enhance institutional impact, particularly in advancing contemporary literacies, communication and writing skills as integral to innovative teaching, learning and research. By reflecting on our progress and identifying opportunities for future engagement, we aim to foster a broader dialogue on sustaining cross-institutional partnerships that can adapt to the evolving landscape of higher education.
Presenters
Dr. Jacqulyn Williams, Head of Teaching, Learning and Strategic Initiatives, and Associate Professor, VCUarts Qatar
Dr. Williams is an experienced higher education leader, educator, and scholar committed to making academic libraries impactful. As the Head of Teaching, Learning, and Strategic Initiatives, she provides strategic direction for the library’s instructional programming, public services, and outreach. Prior to VCUarts Qatar, Jacqulyn was the lead teaching and learning librarian at GU-Q until 2017. Her current leadership positions include Editor-in-Chief of Communications in Information Literacy, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal devoted to IL research, theory, and practice; member of the Learning Network Committee of ARL; and Chair of the Education City Writing and Inquiry Network, a partnership amongst librarians and writing center experts across the Qatar Foundation ecosystem.
Nicole Abiad, Writing Center Coordinator, VCUarts Qatar
Nicole Abiad is a seasoned and dedicated writing center professional who has worked at VCUarts Qatar since 2016. Her belief that every student can be a competent and expressive writer leads her to focus on expanding the writer’s skills rather than on the piece of writing itself. As the Writing Center Coordinator, she supports student writers and facilitates the integration of writing instruction across the university through workshops and individual class instruction.
Her current focus has been on understanding the relationship between generative AI and the writing process.
Tatiana Usova, Director, Carnegie Mellon University Qatar Library
Tatiana is the Director of the Library at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. She holds a master's degree in library and information science from Simmons College, Boston, in the U.S., and has more than 20 years of international experience with university libraries in Belarus, Canada and Qatar. Tatiana is an active member of IFLA, ALA, and IATUL and serves on the IFLA CPDWL and ALA IRRT committees. She is passionate about active learning, open-access publishing, and ensuring libraries remain relevant. Her research interest and expertise lie in information and digital literacy, leadership, and scholarly communication. ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3431-3892.