Qatar University’s Class of 2015 includes first homegrown PhDs

All photos courtesy of Qatar University

More than 1,400 students from Qatar University celebrated their graduation in two separate ceremonies held over two days at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC).

Deputy Emir at QU Graduation 2015
Deputy Emir at QU Graduation 2015

The Deputy Emir and Chairman of QU’s Board of Regents Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Thani was the main guest of honor for the male students’ ceremony on May 20, while the women’s event on May 21 was honored by Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad bin Suhaim Al -Thani, wife of the Emir.

Women comprise the majority of students at Qatar University, and a total of 1,041 received their degrees from QU President, Prof. Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad.

Meanwhile, 381 male graduates were awarded degrees in the presence of the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, as well as other government ministers.

This year’s ceremonies were among the university’s largest in recent years, with 153 more graduates than last year. In 2013, 1,071 QU students were conferred degrees.

The Class of 2015 included 169 top-achieving students (136 women and 33 men) with a GPA of 3.50 or above, which equates to an A- grade.

Qatar’s first PhD

This week, Qatar also the graduation of its first homegrown PhD students, from the College of Engineering, the college’s dean announced on Twitter:

Maan Mohammed Jalal Haj Rashid received his PhD from the college’s department of Computer Science and Engineering, while on Thursday Alaa Ghassan Aboutaqa was awarded her degree certificate from the department of Civil Engineering.

“This is a milestone for the college that has grown by leaps and bounds since its establishment and which is now one of the best in the region,” Dr. Alammari said in a statement.

A total of 1,243 Bachelors certificates (924 women and 300 men) were awarded across the two ceremonies, with the majority (414) from the university’s largest college, the College of Arts and Sciences, which also has the most number of female undergraduate students (368).

The College of Engineering had the largest number of male graduates with bachelor’s degrees (124).

At the graduate level, there were 199 students awarded – 185 with Master’s, 11 as Doctors of Pharmacy and one education diploma, in addition to the two PhDs.

Well wishes

Messages of congratulations to the graduating students buzzed through Twitter, under the hashtag #QUGrad15:

https://twitter.com/kkot91/status/601263003476996096

https://twitter.com/omfaisalqtr/status/600972357033861120

https://twitter.com/Ranamazing/status/600930776872460289

https://twitter.com/NAlYahari/status/601361274128048128

Valedictorian Ahmed Al-Faridooni
Valedictorian Ahmed Al-Faridooni

Valedictorian Ahmed Al-Faridooni from the College of Law spoke for his peers, saying: “We’ve waited for this moment since we were school students, and today we are starting a new phase in our lives.

“We overcame a lot of challenges to realize this successful chapter and we thank Qatar University who gave us high-quality education and the opportunities to excel and unlock our potential, our parents for their continuous support and sacrifice, and our professors for their guidance and contribution in developing our academic and professional abilities and capacities.”

Congratulating the latest batch of graduates, Prof Al-Misnad said:

“We are proud of you for achieving this milestone of a lifetime which highlights your hard work, commitment and dedication. You will embark on a new and exciting phase of your life as you prepare to join the labor market and pursue other endeavors…”

She also highlighted the important role of women in society, as “leaders in the world of business and other professional sectors,” and said the university would support them to overcome challenges, societal restrictions and cultural barriers to enable them to succeed.

Congrats, grads! Thoughts?

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