HBKU opens new academic year as it marks 10th anniversary

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) marked the commencement of Academic Year 2020-2021 yesterday, coinciding with the university’s 10th anniversary milestone.
A virtual event ‘Start to Academic Year 2020-2021’ was held under the theme Hayakom at HBKU for new and returning students. More than 360 new students were enrolled to HBKU’s degree programmes, which are tailored to address the most in-demand current and future skills of local and international employment markets.
The event set a tone for the returning and incoming student, faculty and staff members, who came together for a full day of informative sessions, which introduced them to HBKU’s framework as well as the institution’s objectives for the upcoming year.
“We are proud to welcome all our students to the start of a new, exciting and hopeful academic year. Since its founding 10 years ago, HBKU has remained steady in its imagining of the world and people of tomorrow. Our resolute approach in turn reflects our commitment to innovation in education and research, as well as our dedication to finding novel solutions for the challenges facing Qatar and the world,” said Dr. Ahmad MHasnah, HBKU President.
A virtual tour of HBKU’s colleges, research institutes and facilities, as well as other important locations on the Education City campus was also held for the new students.
“For ten years, HBKU has provided its students with a wealth of resources and cutting-edge facilities to complement their academic endeavors. Our virtual tour and webinars are merely an extension of this commitment and demonstrate that a multicultural and integrated educational environment is also possible online,” said Maryam Hamad Al Mannai, vice-president of student affairs at HBKU.
Among the new students enrolled for the 2020-2021 Academic year, 22 percent are Qatari nationals.
“Studying within the field of public policy will help enhance my career as it will teach me the mechanisms for developing national-level policies as well as learning how to analyze policy papers,” Ghadir Jassim, a new Qatari student at College of Public Policy, told The Peninsula.
At present he works as a researcher and he earned the bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University. “I am a fan of new challenges and I believe HBKU and College of Public Policy will further my ability to enhance my skills and nurture my talent,” said Jassim.
The newly enrolled students at HBKU comprise 48 nationalities.
“I choose HBKU because it is a university of international standards. HBKU offers very high quality education, and, as a master’s student, I needed to find the best academic institution to fulfill my ambitions and achieve my goals. HBKU was the go-to destination for my efforts,” said Reham Almaktari, a new Yemani student at College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
She expressed hope that the Master of Arts in Digital Humanities and Societies at the College of Humanities and Social Sciences will help her elevate my academic achievements and career.
Not so new to Qatar, Reham first visited Qatar in 2019 to participate in the MENA Youth Capacity building in Humanitarian Action (MYCHA) internship and for the WISE conference.
This year, several new faculty members from diverse academic backgrounds will be joining different colleges across the University. More than 90 faculty members currently work across six colleges and three research institutes to advance HBKU’s remit of delivering a globally relevant educational experience.