Students during Marhaba event.
Doha, Qatar: New students who are embarking on a journey of learning and discovery at universities within Qatar Foundation’s globally unique education ecosystem have learned about what awaits them – as they gathered at Marhaba, the gateway to their Education City experience.
The event, organised by Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Student Life team, held at Multaqa (Education City Student Center), brought together students who are starting their academic experience at QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University and partner universities to learn about life at Education City, the experiences and opportunities that await them, and what it means to be part of the QF community.
At Marhaba, the 700 new students who attended were given an insight into how the higher education system at QF offers them an experience, and range of possibilities, that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. With Education City being home to many world-class universities, students can cross-register for programs offered by universities at QF other than the one they are studying at, as well as gaining real-world research experience, participating in community and sports activities, and exchanging knowledge, ideas, and stories with students from different backgrounds and who have different specialisations and goals.
During Marhaba, a panel discussion saw current QF students and QF alumni share their own experiences at Education City, while offering advice to their newest peers, with sessions also featuring students who shared their opinions and ideas on issues such as climate change, lifelong learning, promoting health and wellbeing, and sustainable development and equality.
Speaking about the value that cross-registering for courses at different universities at QF brought to her, Lujain Al Mansoori – a third-year student at QF partner university Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) – said: “Through cross-registering at Northwestern University in Qatar, I was able to develop a passion for writing and take those skills to help me excel in my major.
“Learning about US history at Texas A&M University at Qatar had a profound experience on my personal growth, giving me a deeper appreciation of discipline, work ethic, and commitment. And by cross-registering for design studio courses at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, I grew my passion for fashion design alongside my major."
Georgetown University in Qatar alumna Sarah Al Mototeh also took joint courses at different QF universities, and told Education City’s new students: “It allows you to see things in different ways, to take different approaches, and to feel a real spirit of collaboration – it’s wonderful to experience the diversity of the way we all see things.”
And Kareem Fanous, a second-year medical student at QF partner university Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar explained how cross-registering at CMU-Q for a course in Artificial Intelligence in medicine was “eye-opening”, saying: “AI is becoming an integral part of the medical field, and for medical students it was so important for us to understand how it is being implemented in medicine.”
The students’ panel discussion, and a discussion featuring deans and faculty from universities at QF was moderated by Michael Trick, Dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar – one of QF’s partner universities – who said: “Students admitted to one of the universities at Education City are part of the larger Education City community of diverse opportunities.
“Being part of this environment allows students to take classes at other institutions, engage in sports, join clubs that span multiple programs, and much more.”
