Doha: Qatar University’s (QU) graduate studies programmes have doubled over the last three years, indicating the extent of interest in scientific research and the development and building of research capabilities in various disciplines that serve the local and global community.
Programmes currently stand at 60 postgraduate programmes in various colleges, compared to 32 programmes three years ago. The number of students also doubled to reach more than 1,900.
Dean of Graduate Studies at Qatar University Dr. Ahmed Al Aoun told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that QU made a quantum leap in the past three years in graduate studies, doubling the number of graduate programmes and the students enrolled in them. In addition, the quality of programmes serves the needs of society and focuses on the current and future needs of the State to serve Qatar National Vision 2030, he added.
He explained that QU postgraduate programmes reached 60, starting with the graduate studies certificate programme that qualifies for admission to the master’s degree, to include the list later on the diploma, master’s and doctoral programmes in the various colleges of the university.
Dr. Al Aoun said the upcoming programmes that are currently under study include one in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, another in the College of Education, in the Arabic language specialisation, and the expansion of the PhD programme at the College of Sharia and Islamic Studies, with the development of some current programmes in the masters and PhD programmes to keep pace with the current developments in various fields.
In a related context, Dr. Al Aoun said that the majority of doctoral programmes have been transformed into research doctoral, leaving only a very small number of programmes that adopt courses, and they are in the process of switching to research doctoral programmes in the near future, adding that the goal of this transformation is to develop the students' research skills, and raise the quality of research to serve QU’s strategy in this field.
Dr. Al Aoun stressed that efforts are being made to attract more Qatari students for postgraduate studies, especially in scientific disciplines, medicine and engineering, and said that QU has ready plans in this field, which include solutions to some of the challenges facing students.
He pointed out that QU will organise an open day for those wishing to enrol in graduate programmes from September 13 to 15, to introduce the programmes and answer all the various questions and inquiries.
Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies for Student Affairs Ghada Al Kuwari said the open day is an annual event organised by QU in the presence of students on campus, but has turned into a virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Al Kuwari said the event will also be broadcast on QU’s social media platforms over the course of its holdings and will also be available after that on various platforms.
Al Kuwari expects the event to attract about 300 people per day, stressing that it is an important occasion to introduce graduate studies at QU and attract a larger number of students to achieve the university’s vision of being the only option for researchers and the preferred option for students of science.
