HH Sheikha Moza Patronizes Qatar Foundation Graduation Ceremony

Doha, May 07 (QNA) - HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development Chairperson, on Tuesday patronized over the graduation ceremony of the sixth batch of Qatar Foundation universities, which was held at Qatar National Convention Center. The ceremony was attended by a number of Their Excellencies the sheikhs, ministers, members of the managerial and teaching boards of the Education City's universities, in addition to parents of graduating students. Addressing the newly graduated students, HH Sheikha Moza urged the graduates to continue their pursuit of excellence and achievement. "When I look at you, I feel confident that you graduates are capable of transforming our world and ushering in long-lasting change." HH Sheikha Moza re-asserted the mission of Qatar Foundation and Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), to provide an environment that nurtures innovation and excellence; one which enables students to excel in multiple fields of study and emerge as confident graduates fully prepared to take an active role in the building of a prosperous knowledge-based society. HH Sheikha Moza used the occasion to announce that Qatar Foundation students will soon be able to take up majors at one university whilst doing a minor at another. The first cross-registration will be an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Political Sciences at Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) and Georgetown University - School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar). "It is our aim to deepen and diversify the academic knowledge of our graduates; this is why one of Hamad Bin Khalifa University's main priorities is to become a hub promoting all efforts of cooperation, coordination and interaction between the various universities of Education City," said HH Sheikha Moza. "I expect of this initiative to academically enhance the students' knowledge and enrich their future. This is the model that we thought would characterize our academic project - a project that would encompass new and diverse programs offered by a number of universities." HH Sheikha Moza also announced three new degrees within Hamad bin Khalifa University: an Executive Masters in Energy and Resources, a Masters in Library and Information Studies, and an Academic Research and Methods certificate program. In closing, HH Sheikha Moza urged the fresh graduates to stay abreast of developments across the world, and to maintain the spirit of excellence and achievement throughout their careers. HH Sheikha Moza also honored Jared L. Cohon, the president of Carnegie Mellon University. In his address to the graduates, HE Dr Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani, President of Hamad bin Khalifa University and Vice President of Education at Qatar Foundation, praised the students on their outstanding achievements. "A bright future awaits you. I am convinced that the investment that we have all made in your education will allow you to take on prominent roles in your future endeavours, equipping you to leave a lasting impression on your communities." His Excellency Dr Al-Thani thanked HBKU's partner universities for bringing their world-class academic programmes to Qatar and helping to support the countrys ambitious plans for higher education, including support for Arabic language programmes. "I attribute this constructive co-operation to the guidance of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, who consistently emphasises that when it comes to our educational institutions, including higher education institutes, excellence is non-negotiable." said His Excellency Dr Al-Thani. "Hamad Bin Khalifa University and its partner institutes are keen to provide the best opportunities to the faculty and students, so they may work together to develop a culture of scientific research and find practical applications for our new findings, that will be beneficial to Qatar and the region. This will help Qatar achieve its National Vision 2030 and aid the long-term development of our country under the visionary leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani." Jimmy Wales, an American Internet entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of the online non-profit encyclopedia, Wikipedia, delivered a keynote speech to graduates. Wales explained that amidst all the celebration, it is important to reflect a little bit on what it takes to achieve success and the important lessons that failure can bring. He highlighted that it is crucial for our societies to have a tolerance for taking risks, because "it is in those times of daring adventure that innovation happens. One thing I learned from Silicon Valley is the importance of creating a culture that rewards risk-taking, that rewards failure even. That's when you can achieve spectacular things." The leading entrepreneur founded in 2003, the Wikimedia Foundation, a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to encouraging the growth, development and distribution of free, multilingual content, and to providing the full content of these wiki-based projects to the public free of charge. The class of 2013 signifies the highest number of graduates in Qatar Foundation's history, with 437 students from over 60 countries participating in this year's convocation. The number of graduates this year is considerably higher compared to 2012 when 373 students were awarded degrees. The gender gap has also shifted in favor of females this year, with 229 women and 208 men making up the class of 2013. In 2012, 188 women and 185 men made up the class of 2012. (END)