The Community College of Qatar held a panel discussion, co-organized with the US Embassy in Doha, about today’s challenges in cybersecurity. The panel was attended by CCQ Dean, Dr. Abdallah Hazaimeh, the Cultural Attaché at US Embassy in Qatar Ms. Kareema Dauod-Akguc, a number of CCQ faculty and students, and representatives of the US-Qatar Cultural Exchange Alumni Association.

Dr. Mohammed Al Dorani, the Head of IT Department at CCQ, made a presentation on cybersecurity shedding light on the hacking of Qatar News Agency last year; how it was done, and how the hackers controlled the main server and then published a false statement attributed to His Highness the Emir.

The Cultural Attaché at US Embassy in Qatar Ms. Kareema Dauod-Akguc expressed her happiness to organize this event which is the first
within the framework of partnership between the US Embassy in Doha and CCQ. Ms. Dauod highlighted the importance of cybersecurity in a world full of challenges. She also spoke about some of the programs of cultural exchange between USA and Qatar.

Mansour Ghanim Al-Thani, of the Department of Information Systems at the Ministry of Interior, spoke to the students of CCQ about his experience in this three-week program and the security institutions he visited in the US such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Secret Service Office and the Department of Homeland Security. “I had the chance to see the technologies, policies and laws they apply in cybersecurity and how to respond to cyber-attacks”, stated Mansour Al Ghanim.

His colleague in the program from the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Fahad Al Salahy, pointed out that the Leadership Program aimed to exchange experiences between Qatar and the United States in the field of cybersecurity. “Strategies and objectives are being developed to strengthen the infrastructure to be  ready to respond to any cyber-attacks during the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar”, said Al Salahy indicating that he was mostly impressed by the coordination and integration of all security sectors in the United States.

The Associate of Science degree in Information Technology is designed to provide students with the latest knowledge and practical skills in information technology. Students who graduated with an Associate of Science in Information Technology from CCQ or any accredited academic institution can complete the remaining credit hours to earn the Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, either in Cyber and Network Security concentration or Network and Systems Administration concentration.