Qatar University building
As the foremost higher education institution in the country, Qatar University (QU) represents more than the average national university. The tertiary institution has been woven into the fabric of Qatari society since its establishment in 1977.
Committed to providing high-quality education in national priority areas, QU, through its 11 colleges offering 50 Bachelor’s and 47 Master’s programmes, is a beacon of excellence. It continues to earn international recognition, climbing up the ladder as one of the best universities in the world.
This year, QU’s global rankings across several platforms significantly improved as the university continues implementing forward-thinking, innovative, and research-based policies. QU ranked second in Times Higher Education (THE) Arab University Rankings 2021 and second in the QS Arab Region University Rankings 2022. QU also ranks among the top 600 universities globally, according to the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) by the Shanghai Ranking Consultancy.
QS World University Rankings ranked QU 208 in the latest 2023 edition, an improvement of 16 places from the previous year. QU was also among the top six universities in the International Outlook indicator, for the seventh year in a row, according to the overall THE World University Rankings. The institution was among the Global Top 25 performers in the U-Multirank 2021 indicator’s international joint publications.
QU President Dr. Hassan bin Rashid Al Derham was elected as a member of the International Association of Universities (IAU) Board of Directors for the Asia-Pacific region. Dr. Al Derham’s election is a testament to QU’s leading role in intensive academic and research programmes.
In academics, QU accepted nearly 4,700 undergraduate (male and female) students for the fall 2022 semester, with an increase in the percentage of Qatari students reaching 70 percent of the total applicants. Another highlight for the university was the graduation of 23 Qatari students/medical doctors from the College of Medicine (CMED), a significant upgrade from 17 Qataris in 2021 when the first batch graduated.
In the same vein, QU celebrated the graduation of its 45th cohort. QU also celebrated the first Qatari woman, Manal Musallam Othman, Director of Diabetes Education at Hamad Medical Corporation, to obtain a doctorate in medical sciences from the institution.
Meanwhile, the Unesco Chair in Desalination and Water Treatment was launched yesterday at Qatar University (QU). The programme involves over 850 institutions in 117 countries, promoting inter-university cooperation and networking. For Qatar, this chair aims to facilitate innovative solutions to tackle water challenges in the region and form part of the Qatar National Vision 2030 of water security.
Besides several sustainability initiatives geared towards meeting national needs, the Centre for Sustainable Development at Qatar University (QU) held the third International Sustainability Conference (ISC 2022). The conference focused on all topics related to food security and food systems in Qatar and worldwide. It aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030’s sustainable development pillar, which focuses on balancing preserving the environment, managing natural resources, and economic and social developments.
Spreading its reach and ensuring students are provided with opportunities to study and gain substantial knowledge in the field, QU also signed several agreements with local and international institutions, organizations and companies. An MoU with Hassad Food, an MoU to establish a dual master’s degree in cybersecurity with the Université Bretagne Sud (UBS) in France, and an MoU to provide QU students from the Human Nutrition Department and specifically the food safety programme with internship opportunities at Potel et Chabot and Saint Clair, are just a few of such agreements.
For the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar University played a significant role as Qatar hosted one of the best tournaments in World Cup history. The university served as a training and accommodation base for eventual champions Argentina and European heavyweights Spain.
