Qatari students constitute nearly 40 percent of the Class of 2018

This year – as the State finalizes its sequent five-year plan, National Development Strategy 2018-2022 – HBKU graduates 78 Qatari students, who now hold their master’s degrees across a myriad of higher education academic programs. Be they in the disciplines of law, humanities, Islamic studies, or sciences – qualified graduates will today join the Qatari economy as it moves towards self-sufficiency by relying on an incredible pool of human talent. 

Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) – an establishment that proudly bears the name of His Highness, the Father Emir – continues to realize the transformative vision of creating a hub of excellence in the heart of Qatar – one that is significantly relevant to the local economy as well as one whose research carries impact globally. 

Emphasizing the importance of active citizenship and social responsibility, Class of 2018 alumnus of HBKU’s College of Law and Public Policy, Ahmed Essa Al-Sulaiti said, “Today, I excel in reading and understanding legal texts, international treaties, and interpreting the law. This is a critical skillset that the State of Qatar needs within its ranks of its legal specialists to help negotiate favorably in an ever-growing dynamic global market. 

“The Juris Doctor program is really unique – as a result of studying a rich legal curriculum during the course of my studies, I have learned a variety of reasoning techniques as well as refutation methods that will serve me well in settling the disputes that I encounter in my career as an international trade negotiator.”

In addition to their core area of discipline, as part of their academic journey at HBKU, members of the graduating class participated in special workshops, public lectures, conferences, and were able to benefit from guest speakers. This helped them assimilate knowledge to inform their learning experience and contribute meaningfully to their respective industries in Qatar.

Speaking on her education at HBKU and in Qatar, Amna Nasser Al-Mejali, alumna of the College of Science and Engineering’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity program said: “Over the last two years, and given the evolving climate we have found ourselves in, we have come to realize the criticality of our role in our society and country. Those graduates who specialize in cybersecurity will soon emerge as key players in the local market and will have valuable opportunities to lead Qatar’s cybersecurity future and responsibly protect all local sectors from the perils of cyber-attacks.

“By reminding our nation of the finite nature of borders, circumstances in which Qatar found itself additionally demonstrated to HBKU’s Class of 2018 another truth—borders can be conquered in our pursuit of higher education and achieving the capacity to contribute meaningfully to our communities and economy.  Knowledge transcends beyond borders.”