Dean of QU's College of Law Dr. Talal Abdullah Al Emadi
Doha: The French High Council for Evaluation of Research and Higher Education (HCERES) has granted Qatar University’s (QU) College of Law a full five-year accreditation from March 28, 2023 to March 28, 2028 for its Masters in Private Law and Masters in Public Law programmes, and a second accreditation for the Bachelor of Law.
After an inspection of its academic records, the Accreditation Commission decided that the three programmes meet the four accreditation criteria, including the aims of the study programme, its position among academic institutions, teaching structure and management.
In a report on the facilities that the college offers its students, HCERES acknowledged that the College of Law provides an ideal environment for learning. The accreditation report also recognises the high quality of its faculty, diversity and cultural richness, and describes the course offerings as an application of the principle of progressive specialisation.
Offering courses in the English language was identified by the report as one of the strengths of the bachelor’s programme. In addition, the report explicitly states, “Qatar being an important international financial and trade hub, students are able to work in both languages (Arabic and English) which opens many opportunities for them.”
The report highlights a considerable shift in the college’s teaching methodologies towards experiential education referring to the law clinics, the moot courts, the legal labs and the mandatory externship programme, the four major components of the legal experiential learning in the college, which the report described as an original development and “one of a kind in Arab universities.”
Dr. Mohamed Mattar, Clinical Professor of Law and Head of the Legal Skills Department valued the recognition saying, “Understanding law in practice is the only way we can create a new generation of lawyers who are capable of competing in the labour market and communicating with different individuals and institutions on the international level.”
The accreditation report points out that students in the Masters in Private Law and Masters in Public Law programmes, are “more considered like researchers rather than students.” QU College of Law masters students are required to complete a compulsory thesis that addresses topics, eminently linked to contemporary environment and related to recent news.
Dr. Faisal Misfer Al Hababi, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, expressed his pleasure that the accreditation report valued the research theses of the masters’ students, pointing out that some of them will be considered for admission to the newly launched doctorate programs in QU.
The accreditation report acknowledges that both masters’ programs provide a high level of understanding of the fundamentals of the law; enabling students to acquire a rigorous legal method, develop critical thinking, and enable students to specialize in particular areas of law.
Dean of the College of Law, Dr. Talal Abdullah Al Emadi, expressed his pride in the achievements of the faculty members and staff, stating, “In our efforts to meet international standards of higher education including legal education we strive to observe the six core values of the QU strategy: excellence, integrity, diversity, innovation, academic freedom and social responsibility.”
