US campuses respond to risk as Iran targets US interests

United States universities and branch campuses located in the Arab World have been quick to implement contingency plans in response to the heightened risk in the Middle East region caused by the escalating conflict triggered by US and Israeli military attacks on Iran.

Reports that a university building in Bahrain was damaged by debris from an intercepted Iranian missile on 8 March have raised safety concerns for academic communities, as Iran has followed up threats to US bases in the region with threats to target Gulf states’ energy facilities.

On 8 March, Bahrain’s ministry of interior issued a post on its X platform saying: “As a result of the blatant Iranian aggression, three people were injured and material damage was inflicted on a university building in the Muharraq area after missile fragments fell.” The name of the university was not given in reports.

In the early hours of 14 March, a solely precautionary and temporary evacuation of students residing in Education City’s student housing facilities was conducted. Education City, situated in Al Rayyan, just outside Doha, houses branch campuses for US universities, including Texas A&M, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Cornell, and Virginia Commonwealth.

Dr Francisco Marmolejo, president of higher education at the Qatar Foundation (QF), told University World News: “This measure was implemented based on guidance from authorities. All affected students were swiftly moved to safe, temporary accommodation outside Education City, and they returned later on Saturday.

“Individual outreach has been made to them to provide ongoing support for any housing, learning, or personal concerns,” he said.

Since the escalation of the conflict, which affects over 12 countries in the region, Education City has “transitioned fully to virtual learning within its universities as well as its schools until further notice, and we are reviewing plans for upcoming in-person activities”, Marmolejo said.

He said the foundation had activated well-rehearsed continuity plans, developed in close coordination with its university partners and the State of Qatar’s national authorities, in response to the current situation.

“We are in close, daily contact with our US university partners and are in complete alignment with them on every decision and measure regarding student safety and welfare, reflecting how these are longstanding partnerships built on mutual trust,” he said.

QF’s community includes over 4,400 university students from more than 110 countries at eight universities.

Marmolejo said QF is “actively supporting optional relocation for students wishing to temporarily depart Qatar, in coordination with relevant authorities and partner universities, as well as supporting students currently outside Qatar who wish to return”.

The UAE, which has three American universities and three US branch campuses, has announced an early spring break for students in all public and private schools and universities. The break is running from 9 March to 22 March, replacing the previously scheduled break from 23 March to 29 March.

This followed a report on 2 March that students at NYU Abu Dhabi were ordered to shelter in their dorms after Iranian missiles landed around five miles away from the campus.

New York University, which has a campus in Abu Dhabi and a site in Tel Aviv, issued a statement in which it emphasised safety: “At this time, all students and members of our community are safe and accounted for.

“Our utmost priority is the safety of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. We are monitoring the situation closely. NYU leadership is in direct and frequent communication with our teams at each location.”

In a similar vein, the US’ Rochester Institute of Technology of Dubai announced in a statement on 3 March that its leadership was working with local officials and was “following all guidance” to keep students, faculty and staff safe.

Tension rose further on 12 March when Iran's newly appointed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, in an audio statement, warned neighbouring countries to close their American military bases or they would be attacked.

On 18 March Iran broadened its threat to include targeting energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar in response to attacks on its largest gas field by Israel with the backing of the United States, The Guardian reported.

Iranian officials say their retaliatory actions – using drones and ballistic missiles – are aimed at US interests in the region rather than neighbouring countries.

The US Department of State has called on Americans to leave 15 countries in the Middle East due to “serious safety risks”. The countries are: Bahrain; Egypt; Iran; Iraq; Israel; the West Bank and Gaza; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; the United Arab Emirates; and Yemen.

In Iraq the American Embassy issued a statement indicating that there had already been “attacks against US citizens and US interests in Iraq, and Americans face risk of kidnapping”.

Universities in a war zone

American students studying at Arab universities, as well as American universities and US branch campuses in the Arab countries, find themselves caught up in a war zone.

The number of American students studying at universities in Arab countries in 2023 and 2024 was 3,216, with the highest number in Morocco (1,223), followed by the United Arab Emirates (1,072), Jordan (484), Egypt (223), Oman (70) and Qatar (74), Tunisia (26), Kuwait (26), Saudi Arabia (11) and Lebanon (5), according to data from the Institute of International Education. There are also 1,655 American students in Israel.

There are 11 US universities in the Arab world. They include three in the UAE, three in Iraq, two in Lebanon, and one each in Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait.

Out of 97 US branch campuses worldwide, there are three in the UAE and six in Qatar, according to the January 2026 Branch Campus Listing prepared by the University of Miami’s Cross-Border Education Research Team (C-BERT).

Numerous universities have closed their doors and activated remote learning along with implementing emergency measures as well as evacuations and safety protocols.

The American University of Madaba in Jordan issued a statement announcing temporary academic measures to ensure “continuity of learning” for students outside Jordan affected by travel disruptions.

It said it would be “providing live access to lectures where possible, uploading recordings and course materials on the university’s Learning Management System, and offering virtual academic advising and office hours. The measures allow affected students to continue their studies remotely until they can return safely to campus”.

Safety concerns a priority

Speaking to University World News, Lokman Meho, a professor and university librarian at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, said the safety of US students in Arab countries naturally becomes a concern during periods of heightened geopolitical tension, “particularly when conflicts involve the US directly”.

“Perceptions of risk often rise faster than actual threats, which can influence decisions about study-abroad and exchange programmes,” he added.

“In practice, American-affiliated universities in the region, such as the American University in Cairo and the American University of Beirut, have decades of experience hosting international students and operate with robust security protocols, crisis management plans, and close coordination with local authorities and embassies,” Meho said.

“These campuses are proactive in safeguarding their communities through transparent communication, contingency planning, and strong support services, including mental-health resources,” he noted.

Disruption to ‘sense of normalcy’

Asked to comment on the likely impact of the Israel-US-Iran military conflict on American-affiliated campuses in the Middle East, Meho said there would be “a disruption to the sense of normalcy these institutions depend upon”.

“Escalation affects student mobility, faculty recruitment, funding, research collaborations, and perceptions of safety. Being perceived as operating in a war zone can undermine international recruitment and the ability to host visiting scholars, and it weighs heavily on the mental well-being of campus communities,” Meho said.

“At the same time, these institutions face logistical hurdles in sustaining exchange programmes and academic calendars.

“Yet many have long experience operating in volatile contexts and have developed mechanisms to continue teaching, research, and international partnerships, such as the American University in Cairo, the American University of Beirut, and the Lebanese American University,” Meho noted.

He said even during periods of instability, universities often remain important spaces for dialogue, analysis, and the preservation of academic freedom.

Dr Hayfa Jafar, director of institutional effectiveness at the American University in Iraq-Baghdad, told University World News campus life may be disrupted by the conflict in the short term.

“It could affect student attendance, create anxiety among students and faculty, and sometimes interrupt classes,” Jafar said.

“However, many universities now have the option of moving classes online if needed, which helps maintain educational continuity. In the longer term, the impact may be more significant in terms of faculty recruitment and retention.

“Attracting highly qualified international faculty is already challenging in some parts of the region, particularly in countries facing security or political instability, such as Iraq or Lebanon. Increased regional tensions could make this even more difficult and may also affect international partnerships and student mobility,” he noted.

Philip Altbach, professor emeritus and distinguished fellow at the Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, United States, told University World News it was too early to tell what the impact of the conflict will be on US branches in the Middle East.

“If the conflict goes on for some time and there is increased destruction in the Gulf, the negative impact will likely be quite serious in terms of attracting students and in other areas. If the conflict ends soon, there is some negative impact,” he said.

He said the Trump administration’s existing policies with regard to visas, xenophobia, and other areas were already destroying US soft power. “The conflict certainly does not help,” he concluded.