Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), and H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of QF, during the Qatar Foundation convocation held at the Education City, ye
Doha: Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday graced the graduation ceremony of the 2019 batch of universities of the Education City, which celebrated the achievements of 787 students, at the Ceremonial Court in Education City.
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of QF; H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of QF; H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee and several other dignitaries also graced the ceremony.
The celebration was held in honour of students graduating from Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), QF’s partner universities and graduate colleges in computer science, design, Islamic studies, engineering, international relations and medicine.
This year’s graduating class included 378 Qatari and other from 70 different nationalities. The graduating Class of 2019 joined the QF’s growing global alumni network which is 5,059 members.
“For our Class of 2019 graduates, Convocation has many things: a personal and shared celebration, a source of pride, and a time to reflect on their achievements and experiences at Education City. It is a culmination — but it is also a beginning,” said Sheikha Hind.
“At Convocation, the talented, dedicated, and ambitious young people that Qatar Foundation is proud to have called our students step out of one phase of their lives and into the next. A future that holds challenges and possibilities awaits them, but wherever their path leads, they will travel it empowered by the knowledge that they are as well-equipped to create, innovate, contribute, and thrive as any set of graduates in the world,” she said.
“Every member of our Class of 2019 has recognized and maximized the unique educational opportunity that Qatar Foundation provides. Their academic excellence has been matched by their growth as knowledge-seekers, critical thinkers, and active citizens who are determined to be drivers of positive change. As embodiments of QF’s belief in what quality education stands for, and what it makes possible, they will always be part of our story – and we will watch with pride as they write their own,” she added.
Among them,173 graduated from homegrown research institute HBKU, 129 from HEC Paris, 111 from Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), 68 from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), 84 from Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar), 49 from the Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar (WCM-Q), 78 from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), 64 from the Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and 30 from UCL-Qatar.
“The learning experience at VCUarts Qatar and Qatar Foundation is an lifetime opportunity and experience,” said Yasamin Shaikhi, a graduate in Interior Design.
Salman Shaban, who graduated in Executive Masters from HEC Paris-Qatar said, “I had the opportunity to learn a perfect MBA programme and the journey has been very memorable.” Shaban owns a recycling factory in Doha.
Hassan Al Jahni, graduated with a degree in Communications from the NU-Q also shared a similar thought and said, “It was an opportunity to develop my skills and knowledge.” With a passion in story telling Al Jahni is aims at making short films in future.
The students received rings from deans of the respective campuses and colleges before they did the traditional walk through the ‘Door to the Future,’ symbolising their passage from QF partner universities to the next stage of their lives. Throughout the years, this door has witnessed the passage of thousands of QF graduates who now hold notable positions in different sectors, and play crucial roles in organisations in Qatar and across the region.
The 2019 Convocation keynote speaker was Brandon Stanton, author of ‘Humans of New York.’
“The modern world has trained us to judge all our efforts by the immediate feedback that they get, but the more sustainable and more sturdy path to success is to forget about those things that are outside your control, and focus on the things that you can control – the amount of work that you put in, and what you do on a 24-hour basis with your time,” Stanton said.
The project Mobsron was announced as the winner of Cycle 2 of QF’s Akhlaquna Award – an initiative announced by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser in 2017 that aims to help nurture positive behavioral change within society.
Created by students Nawal Al Kurbi, Almazun Al Marri, and Amal Al Gherainig, Mobsron is a mobile app that helps people who are blind and visually impaired to order food, review ingredients, and compare prices.
