Doha, Qatar: The greatest embodiments of Qatar Foundation’s globally unique education ecosystem are its skilled and values-driven students – and across its schools and universities, 16 of these students have been recognised through the 19th edition of the Qatar Education Excellence Award.
The students received 10 gold medals and six platinum medals under the Award. And they have spoken of their pride and joy at the accolade – while emphasising how learning within Qatar Foundation’s (QF) integrated education system has opened up opportunities for leadership, innovation, and growth.
A sixth-grade student at QF’s Qatar Academy Doha and a Platinum Medal recipient, Hamad Khalifa Al Yafei recalled the moment of winning: “At first, I couldn’t believe it; I felt joy, excitement, and gratitude that my hard work had paid off.”
Through his ‘Baraka’ app, which connects those with surplus resources to those in need, and his ‘We Are All Winners’ initiative that promotes respect and teamwork in sports, Al Yafei has focused on creating positive impact. “True victory,” he says, “is winning with character, not just results.”
A student at QF partner university Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), Waad Al-Maadeed has always viewed excellence as a lifelong commitment rather than a fleeting achievement. “Excellence is a way of life,” she says. “True success is leaving a positive impact wherever we belong.”
Her decision to study at QF reflects this belief, allowing her to embrace a global education while staying rooted in her Qatari identity. “Holding onto our identity doesn’t contradict openness,” she says.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from QF partner university Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, Hissa bint Khalid Yahya bin Abbas Al Khuzaei and recipient of the Gold Award for Academic Excellence, transformed a personal observation into a thesis exploring the pressures of cultural adaptation and the psychological well-being of the Indian community in Qatar.
“My project began with simple observations,” she says. “At Souq Al Haraj, I realised how essential this community is to daily life.” Over two semesters, her research, which included an interview with India’s ambassador to Qatar, developed into a proposal for an Indian cultural center in the former Gulf Cinema in Najma.
An alumna of QF partner university Texas A&M University at Qatar and recipient of the Education Excellence Award in the Master’s category, Fatima Al-Janahi having received her master’s degree from Texas A&M University’s home campus in the US, describes the recognition as the culmination of years of dedication. “The application process was a deep review of my research journey,” she says. “It’s an indescribable feeling of pride and gratitude to see that hard work honored.
For Shaikha Khalid Al Nasr, a student at QF’s Tariq Bin Ziad School and winner of the Gold Award for Scientific Excellence, her portfolio of achievements was not merely a collection of certificates, but a continuous learning journey.
