The Community College of Qatar (CCQ), on Monday, celebrated the graduation of its 8th batch of associate and bachelor degree awardees, under the patronage of His Excellency the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani.
The ceremony was also graced by the presence of Minister of Education and Higher Education H.E. Dr. Mohammed Abdul Wahed Al-Hammadi, Minister of State H.E. Dr. Hamad bin Abdul Aziz Al-Kuwari, Minister of Administrative Development, Labour & Social Affairs H.E. Mr. Yousuf Mohamed Al-Othman Fakhroo, President of Planning and Statistics Authority H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Mohammed Al-Nabit, CCQ Board of Trustees, CCQ President Dr. Mohamed Al-Naemi, Vice President Dr. Khalid Al-Abdulqader, the College Dean Dr. Abdallah Hazaimeh, and the graduates’ parents, among other high-profile guests and dignitaries.
The Class of 2019 is the College’s largest batch to date, with a total of 890 graduates, 305 of which are male and 585 are female. Public Administration degree holders constituted 40% of the batch’s aspiring professionals, while students graduating from the Associate of Arts program represented 39% of the class.
The ceremony witnessed the graduation of the country’s first batch of students holding a college degree in Cyber Security and in Logistics Management, who are set to help power the nation’s critical IT and logistics infrastructures. Their skills are especially pertinent in view of Qatar’s pursuit of logistics leadership in the region and to facilitate the country’s anticipated socioeconomic transformation, towards its long-term vision of establishing a knowledge-based society.
Another inaugural batch at the ceremony was the first graduating class from the Associate of Science (AS) in Engineering Technology program, many of whom are expected to pursue technically-oriented careers, or continue their educational journey through the College's Bachelor of Science (BS) in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs.
Congratulating the graduates on their notable achievements, Dr. Mohamed Al-Naemi said:
“Tonight, we are thrilled to witness the culmination of our students’ exciting educational journeys as they prepare to explore the many influential careers on their path to becoming tomorrow’s responsible leaders. And as we expand our proud network of creative individuals and continue offering the nation a constant stream of highly qualified national competencies, we take the opportunity to reflect on our journey that started as a vision mapped out on a napkin, and has manifested into the fastest growing educational institution in the country.”
He added: “Between conceiving this vision and its realization, our dedicated family of educators and professionals has created a student-centered, holistic learning environment that not only enriches college life, but also bridges the gap between the classroom and the work environment. This unique approach has successfully enabled us to constantly improve the quality and outcome of education and ensure our students’ success in personal and professional endeavors once they join the workforce. With that in mind, I would like to express my heartfelt congratulations to each and every one of our graduates, and wish them the best in every dream they aspire to realize.”
Speaking on behalf of his fellow graduates, Associate of Applied Science in Customs Management Graduate Hassan Hammoud Al Matari highlighted the promising prospects ahead for this year’s graduating students. “Today is not the end of our pursuit of knowledge; but a launchpad into a bigger arena. I urge you, and myself, to go on this prosperous path and make use of everything we learned at CCQ to faithfully serve our beloved Qatar”, he noted. Al Matari expressed his deep gratitude to the Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Father Emir His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser for everything they continue to present in order to promote and advance education in Qatar, while praising the directives of the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani and his continuous support to the students of the College.
Closing one significant chapter of their lives to explore the next, the Class of 2019 reflected on their journey with CCQ, and revealed why they had chosen the respective academic programs to forge their preferred career paths.
“I have chosen to complete my studies at CCQ against the backdrop of the unique professional fields for which students are able to qualify, including the Logistics and Supply Chain Management program, which has armed me with the skills and knowledge to upgrade my expertise toward achieving my career aspirations,” said Navy Officer Candidate Turki Al-Heidous. For Sara Abdulwahid, it was the opportunity to pursue a passion that motivated her choice. “My passion for engineering led me to enroll in the Associate of Science in Engineering Technology program. Since I run a contracting company, the knowledge and skills gained at CCQ have been extremely helpful both for managing my own business and excelling at my public sector job,” she explained.
BSc in Cybersecurity graduate, Sara Al-Maraghi, pointed out that in addition to an exciting learning experience, the College has helped her develop her caliber as a professional and hone her skills in “a unique, yet vital domain that is crucial in furthering the progress of our beloved country”. Another graduate, Saeed Hadi Al-Marri, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration, said: “My ambition has driven me to successfully complete my undergraduate studies. CCQ helped me attain this goal with its diverse range of specialized academic programs and its flexible schedule that accounts for the busy agendas of working professionals.”
For Dr. Khalid Al-Abdulqader, every batch of aspiring professionals CCQ graduates inspires the College community to continue its constant pursuit of academic excellence. Elaborating on the College’s plans for the upcoming period, he said:
“On the academic front, and acting upon the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s directives, CCQ is preparing to conduct an intensive study on introducing a hybrid-learning model – in parallel with its in-classroom programs – that combines ‘online activities’ with traditional on-campus instruction for some of its existing, as well as upcoming, academic programs.”
He added: “Our English Language Center (ELC), which provides an essential component of our foundation program, is in the advanced stages of preparation for international accreditation. For the first time, we are also actively pursuing a number of strategic partnerships with leading institutions in the Arab world to grow our academic offerings. Furthermore, CCQ will be utilizing the Al Khor Campus to offer 20% of our core courses in Fall 2019, in addition to delivering specialized training in various economic and industrial sectors, in collaboration with a number of renowned national and international institutions. And finally, we’re preparing for a partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Qatar University (QU), that will empower our graduates to earn a bachelor’s degree in the Early Childhood Education and Business Administration domains from QU.”
While the ceremony presented an opportunity to look ahead to the future of CCQ as a national educational institution, it was also the perfect occasion to celebrate the achievements of the College during the outgoing academic year, which Dr. Abdallah Hazaimeh noted, continues to raise the profile of CCQ in Qatar’s education landscape. He commented:
“CCQ further enhanced its operations across all areas throughout the two previous academic years. One of the most important developments was the College’s adoption of a three-measure integrated approach to optimize course offerings schedule and open more paths for students to meet their personal learning goals, while further enhancing overall functioning on an academic level. During a two-semester test phase of the new approach, we were able to successfully shrink our student waiting list by nearly 89%.”
Beyond honoring the academic achievements of its graduates, this year’s ceremony featured a significant accomplishment by one of CCQ’s Professors, Dr. Rami Al-Rajab. Dr. Rajab wrote an original musical score for the College’s very own ‘Graduation March’, heard for the first time during the graduation walk by the Class of 2019. The composition and its unique time signature were inspired by Qatari folklore music.
Capturing the occasion through a commemorative group photo of the graduates and faculty members, the graduation ceremony concluded with CCQ’s Class of 2013 Associate of Science Graduate Ms. Maha Al-Nuaimi inducting the 890 graduating students into CCQ’s growing Alumni Association.
