Halawala
July 8th, 2006, 12:16 PM
University carrying out major expansion project
At QATAR University (QU), the only national university and premier institution of higher education in the country, is implementing an ambitious infrastructure expansion project.
“The expansion is aimed to meet the increasing demands on QU and make it capable of accomplishing its responsibilities to the society,” it is explained in the latest issue of University Campus, a periodical published by QU.
It is envisaged that the total area occupied by QU’s facilities would cover 5,984,718sq m when the expansion project is complete.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8194/qu0ep.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A computer-generated aerial view of the proposed buildings within the QU campus. PICTURES: Jayan Orma
Study halls, classrooms, research complex, and buildings for library, Business Administration, and students’ activities are among the new facilities.
Of these, the first phase comprises study halls and students’ activities building, which are expected to be inaugurated in October 2007.
All the new structures would blend in with existing buildings of the QU campus, which boasts of a truly unique architectural design, reflecting the ideals of traditional Islamic architecture.
The Arab Architects Group is the consultants for the expansion project.
The QU campus, spread over eight acres with separate sections for male and female students, has enough vacant space for the proposed structures.
QU, founded in 1977, has six colleges. They are the College of Education, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Shariaa & Islamic Studies, the College of Engineering, the College of Law and the College of Business & Economics.
QU offers a wide range of academic programmes, numbering over 60. The university also enjoys an advanced and established research infrastructure, including a large number of advanced labs, an ocean vessel, sophisticated research equipment, and the largest library in Qatar.
Admitting around 70% of Qatari high school graduates, QU is still the primary choice for university-bound Qatari students and is an indispensable partner in the Qatarisation efforts of local companies and institutions.
With an ambitious reform project and increased focus on English language, IT skills, and a new core curriculum programme that prepares well-rounded high-achieving individuals, QU’s graduates are demonstrating higher and higher performance levels on the job market.
The College of Engineering’s programmes for men in chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical branches had received ‘Substantial Equivalency’ recognition from Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the accrediting agency for engineering programmes in the US, last year.
This was the first time any programme of QU had achieved recognition of quality by an established international agency.
‘Substantial Equivalency’ recognition means these programmes have met the same minimum requirements as similar accredited programmes in the US.
Most of the other Colleges at QU are now in the various stages of preparations for international accreditation.
In the case of programmes in Arabic Language and Sharia, for which there is no international accreditation, the benchmarking of standards is being done internally through QU’s Office of Institutional Research.
As disclosed recently to Gulf Times by Associate Vice-President for Students’ Affairs Dr Omar al-Ansari, QU is working very hard to thoroughly revise the admission criteria and make it more flexible.
“We will be starting something completely new from fall 2007, especially considering the reform in the K-12 education system that is currently taking place in Qatar” he had said.
The old system of having to rely on the high school marks alone is being done away with. “We are trying to diversify, to have as many criteria as possible and not to depend on any one,” the official explained.
Among the objectives are to give value and weight to some qualitative and quantitative measures.
Recommendation letters, essays by students, and testimonials of any community service or outstanding achievement are to come under the qualitative yardsticks.
Scores in the high school exams, and in national or international standardised tests would be among the quantitative criteria.
The provision of giving conditional admission to students is also being explored. Such an initiative is expected to motivate the students concerned to do their best.
If the performance is up to the mark during the first semester, the status of these students would be converted to ‘regular’ from conditional.
QU also recently celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2006, comprising 1,353 students, including 347 male students. This was its 29th batch of graduates.
At QATAR University (QU), the only national university and premier institution of higher education in the country, is implementing an ambitious infrastructure expansion project.
“The expansion is aimed to meet the increasing demands on QU and make it capable of accomplishing its responsibilities to the society,” it is explained in the latest issue of University Campus, a periodical published by QU.
It is envisaged that the total area occupied by QU’s facilities would cover 5,984,718sq m when the expansion project is complete.
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/8194/qu0ep.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
A computer-generated aerial view of the proposed buildings within the QU campus. PICTURES: Jayan Orma
Study halls, classrooms, research complex, and buildings for library, Business Administration, and students’ activities are among the new facilities.
Of these, the first phase comprises study halls and students’ activities building, which are expected to be inaugurated in October 2007.
All the new structures would blend in with existing buildings of the QU campus, which boasts of a truly unique architectural design, reflecting the ideals of traditional Islamic architecture.
The Arab Architects Group is the consultants for the expansion project.
The QU campus, spread over eight acres with separate sections for male and female students, has enough vacant space for the proposed structures.
QU, founded in 1977, has six colleges. They are the College of Education, the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Shariaa & Islamic Studies, the College of Engineering, the College of Law and the College of Business & Economics.
QU offers a wide range of academic programmes, numbering over 60. The university also enjoys an advanced and established research infrastructure, including a large number of advanced labs, an ocean vessel, sophisticated research equipment, and the largest library in Qatar.
Admitting around 70% of Qatari high school graduates, QU is still the primary choice for university-bound Qatari students and is an indispensable partner in the Qatarisation efforts of local companies and institutions.
With an ambitious reform project and increased focus on English language, IT skills, and a new core curriculum programme that prepares well-rounded high-achieving individuals, QU’s graduates are demonstrating higher and higher performance levels on the job market.
The College of Engineering’s programmes for men in chemical, civil, electrical, and mechanical branches had received ‘Substantial Equivalency’ recognition from Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the accrediting agency for engineering programmes in the US, last year.
This was the first time any programme of QU had achieved recognition of quality by an established international agency.
‘Substantial Equivalency’ recognition means these programmes have met the same minimum requirements as similar accredited programmes in the US.
Most of the other Colleges at QU are now in the various stages of preparations for international accreditation.
In the case of programmes in Arabic Language and Sharia, for which there is no international accreditation, the benchmarking of standards is being done internally through QU’s Office of Institutional Research.
As disclosed recently to Gulf Times by Associate Vice-President for Students’ Affairs Dr Omar al-Ansari, QU is working very hard to thoroughly revise the admission criteria and make it more flexible.
“We will be starting something completely new from fall 2007, especially considering the reform in the K-12 education system that is currently taking place in Qatar” he had said.
The old system of having to rely on the high school marks alone is being done away with. “We are trying to diversify, to have as many criteria as possible and not to depend on any one,” the official explained.
Among the objectives are to give value and weight to some qualitative and quantitative measures.
Recommendation letters, essays by students, and testimonials of any community service or outstanding achievement are to come under the qualitative yardsticks.
Scores in the high school exams, and in national or international standardised tests would be among the quantitative criteria.
The provision of giving conditional admission to students is also being explored. Such an initiative is expected to motivate the students concerned to do their best.
If the performance is up to the mark during the first semester, the status of these students would be converted to ‘regular’ from conditional.
QU also recently celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2006, comprising 1,353 students, including 347 male students. This was its 29th batch of graduates.