H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of QF, and Chairperson of Qatar Museums, H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Ministers, dignitaries, faculty and graduates during QF’s 2023 Convocation ceremony yesterday.
Qatar Foundation (QF) yesterday celebrated the academic achievements of the Class of 2023 at its annual convocation ceremony in the presence of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.
The ceremony honoured 874 graduates from homegrown Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and QF’s seven partner universities, showcasing student achievements, success stories, and future aspirations.
H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice-Chairperson and CEO of QF, H E Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, Ministers, diplomats, university presidents, deans, faculty, and the families of graduates also graced the ceremony held at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
Chairperson of Qatar Foundation H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser handing over an Al Ihsan award to a graduate at the Qatar Foundation 2023 convocation held at the Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday
The Convocation ceremony celebrated students of 77 nationalities including 313 Qataris.
H H Sheikha Moza honoured 16 graduates, who won Al Ihsan awards, from across QF universities, recognising their efforts in achieving academic excellence and demonstrating the leadership, innovation, and creativity that allows them to contribute to the world and empower others.
H E Sheikha Hind presented the Class of 2023 graduates with a special Education City-inspired, Qatar-designed piece of jewellery as a Convocation gift.
Graduating students 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.
Minister of Education and Higher Education, H E Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, said, “I congratulate the latest graduates of Qatar Foundation’s ecosystem of education at this very special time in their lives, as they prepare to enter the next stage of their journey.
H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Ministers and other dignitaries attending the convocation ceremony
“For so many of these graduates, the next step on their path will see them make valuable contributions to the development of Qatar as they bring their talent into our nation’s workforce. Wherever their life will now take them, I wish every single one of them every success for the future.”
This year’s Convocation featured Taha Abderrahmane, a Moroccan philosopher and one of the leading thinkers in the Arab-Islamic world, and award-winning Sudanese filmmaker and Producer Amjad Alnour.
A Qatari graduate with a BFA Interior Design degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar Fatima Al Mannai told The Peninsula, “The breadth of opportunities – beyond just academic – that were available to me as a student in QF’s unique ecosystem is undoubtedly what made me into the person that is graduating today.” In her final year at the university, Fatima served as the president of the QF partner university’s student government association.
“From leadership opportunities to volunteering opportunities to support the disability community in Qatar – I had the pleasure to be a part of it all. Another unique aspect was the sense of being part of a larger community and family that came from being in such proximity to the other universities at Education City: attending their events, participating in open calls across universities, and making connections with people studying very different majors than me.
Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation H E Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani awarding a graduate with a convocation gift
“It opened my eyes to an inter-disciplinary way of thinking which I think is so valuable,” she said.
Aisha Al Mohannadi, a Qatari graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from QF partner university Georgetown University in Qatar, said,
“Among other things, the biggest lesson I’ve learned and lived during my time as a student at Education City is that there are no limits to our dreams if we are willing to work hard.
“Debating is something I’d always been interested in growing up, but it was only at QF and after I became a part of QF’s QatarDebate that I was able to take my passion for it to new heights. I travelled, participated in competitions, got to know some of the world’s best debaters, and most importantly got to grow and practice my love for the Arabic language - something that is incredibly important to me as a Qatari who wants to actively preserve their heritage and identity.”
