During the Qatar Foundation’s Annual Alumni Forum, Her Highness:
Proud of the achievements of Qatar Foundation graduates
We expect our graduates to have a positive impact on society
Our graduates are qualified to be leaders of impact through social responsibility
Honoring graduates who contributed to societal fields…next academic year
Launching a new award that celebrates graduates of the Qatar Foundation educational system
Buthaina Al Nuaimi: The forum is an opportunity to get to know young energies
Dr. Hanan Al Kuwari: Community cohesion is a key factor in facing challenges
2:00 AM, Sunday, May 12, 2024
Doha – Arraya:
Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Foundation, attended the Qatar Foundation’s Annual Alumni Forum for the year 2024, which witnessed the announcement of the launch of a new award, which celebrates graduates of the Foundation’s unique educational system, who are leading positive change in their communities.
The forum brought together hundreds of graduates of Qatar Foundation schools, international partner universities, and Hamad Bin Khalifa University, a member of Qatar Foundation, in order to reconnect and build a network of relationships based on sharing knowledge and providing support to their peers, sharing their stories and highlighting their educational path, in addition to expressing their opinions. On topics related to the career and professional field with key representatives of the concerned authorities at the national level.
In the presence of Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Foundation and CEO of the Foundation, and a number of ministers, dignitaries and leaders in the field of industry and entrepreneurship, this year’s edition of the forum, which is part of the Qatar Foundation alumni programme, was organized around the theme “Values of social responsibility and moral commitment,” which clearly reflects the extent of complementarity between manifestations of civil duty and tolerant Islamic values.
The forum also witnessed the announcement of the launch of the Qatar Foundation Alumni Award, which annually honors the contributions and achievements of Qatar Foundation graduates. The award criteria will be linked to the theme of the annual alumni forum for each year. Accordingly, starting from 2024-2025, graduates who have contributed to societal fields through their dedication to engaging in enhancing social responsibility and civic engagement efforts will be honored within the four categories of the award.
In this regard, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Qatar Foundation, said: “Today I was pleased to attend the Qatar Foundation Annual Alumni Forum 2024 and meet our graduates, whom we look up to, and we expect them to have a positive impact on society, and they are qualified to be pioneers of influence through responsibility.” Community. I am proud of them, their achievements, and their strengthening of ties with the organization, which makes the future better for them.”
Young energies
Her Excellency Mrs. Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Education and Higher Education, said: The forum is an opportunity to learn about young energies and the impact they leave on society.
She explained that the Ministry of Education and Higher Education is keen to instill the values of responsibility in society, and believes in the value of volunteer work, the impact of partnerships, and the importance of sharing inspiring experiences in schools. To contribute to the positive impact on future generations of students.
Global challenges
Her Excellency Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, said: “The world is facing many global challenges, such as: conflicts, epidemics, climate change, and non-communicable diseases, and confronting these challenges will only be achieved thanks to instilling the spirit of social responsibility and community cohesion.”
She highlighted that the State of Qatar has proven that it is capable of facing these challenges, as it has achieved great progress by adopting several effective programs and plans to confront these challenges, and that the Qatari health system is among the best systems on the global level.
The forum was also distinguished by an intervention by the CEO of the Qatar National Social Responsibility Program and head of the Social Responsibility Initiative, Dr. Saif Ali Al-Hajri. In the same context, a discussion session was organized during which Fatima Al-Maliki, a graduate of Qatar Academy – Doha and Georgetown University in Qatar, and director of the “Qatar Reads” project, said: “The key to academic and professional excellence lies in investing in areas with a tangible social impact that the graduate is proficient in.”
Haitham Al-Haidari, a graduate of Texas A&M University at Qatar and an entrepreneur, and Fahd Al-Kaabi, a graduate of Qatar Academy Doha, an entrepreneur active in promoting inclusion and empowerment through sports initiatives, also joined the discussion. He said: “The The goal of launching business projects should not be limited in scope to the purely profitable aspect, at the expense of striving to enhance the role of social responsibility for any project.”
3 workshops
The forum’s program included three workshops, with the first workshop, which was supervised by Qatar Foundation graduates, highlighting the importance of advancing the social dimension, and the importance of moving from passion to influence and formulating arguments to achieve social change.
For its part, Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar, one of the partner universities of the Qatar Foundation, held a workshop centered around exploring the role of emotional intelligence in improving the reality of societies. While Education Above All hosted a third workshop, it focused on leadership and community engagement during and after crises. Through its participation in the forum, the Education Above All Foundation was able to collect donations for beneficiaries of the Education Above All Foundation’s grants in conflict zones in the Middle East and North Africa region.
In the “Impact Zone,” Qatar Foundation graduates showcased their work, innovative projects, and social initiatives that had a role in creating positive social change and inspiring others, for the public to explore.
Francisco Marmolejo, Head of Higher Education and Education Advisor at Qatar Foundation, said at this forum: “In these very unique times, we must think about the ways in which we can make a significant difference – while ensuring that we continue to embody the vision of Qatar Foundation, not only From the perspective of being a place to unleash human potential, but also from the perspective of being a place that brings about real transformations in our society.”
He added: “The best legacy we can create lies not only in caring for the most skilled professionals in each field, but also in caring for the most committed people in our society.”
18 thousand graduates
More than 18,000 students have graduated from Qatar Foundation schools and universities, and their educational experience and growing sense of moral commitment and social responsibility have advanced their path to becoming powerful agents of positive change, noting that the Qatar Foundation Alumni Program remains open to everyone to join. With a desire to develop a global network of graduates whose shared journey began at Qatar Foundation, the program aims primarily to enable graduates to help their colleagues achieve their goals and maintain communication links with each other wherever they are, by encouraging new graduates to remain in Qatar, Thus, playing their role in supporting the country’s development after graduation.
The Qatar Foundation Alumni Office works to develop policies that help graduates of the Qatar Foundation educational system to contribute to the development process in the country, and to establish cooperative relationships with institutions of the public and private sectors. In 2023, 168 QF graduates joined the workforce through opportunities facilitated by the QF Graduate Office, while in discussion with 150 employers; In order to facilitate employment and internship-related opportunities for Qatar Foundation graduates, which represents a 50 percent increase in participation compared to 2022.
