In the presence of His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani

Under the patronage of His Highness The Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatar University (QU) celebrates the graduation ceremony of its 46th batch, Class of 2023, which took place in the QU Sports and Events Complex the morning of 8 May 2023. This year 3913 student’s graduate from the following academic degrees: bachelor's, diploma, master's, doctorate, and doctor of pharmacy. The ceremony included graduates of the following semesters: Summer 2022, Fall 2022 and Winter 2023, and those expected to graduate Spring 2023. As part of QU’s Class of 2023, 767 male students celebrated yesterday in the male graduation ceremony in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who honored 107 distinguished male students.

As QU graduates its 46th cohort of graduates, the university continues to chronicle a long history spanning decades in which it contributes heavily to Qatar’s development and prosperity, through boosting the labor market with qualified graduates.

In his speech on this occasion, President of QU Dr. Hassan bin Rashid Al-Derham said, “Today, we celebrate the 46th batch of Qatar University graduates who joined a new group of 3913 male and female graduates to join the ranks of the over 64,000 graduates of the university since its establishment. Throughout its history since its establishment in 1977 until today, Qatar University has had the honor of contributing to achieving the goals of the state and its leadership's aspirations through its distinguished academic formation, institutional culture, its outstanding scientific and research capabilities, preparing generations of competencies and experiences.”

Dr. Hassan Al-Derham continues, “The comprehensive progress witnessed by the State of Qatar across various economic, social, and political fields could not have been achieved without the grace of Allah (SWT) and without your insightful vision and wise leadership in steering the ship of our beloved homeland, following in the footsteps of the founding fathers of the State of Qatar, in accordance with clear strategies, goals, and implementation plans that are subject to continuous monitoring and evaluation. In this context, Qatar University recognizes its responsibility as the national university and its role as a major source of supplying the job market with the necessary competencies to achieve the state's development plans and as a home of expertise that benefits all sectors of the state and society.”

He adds, “The concerted efforts of Qatar University's sectors and its staff have yielded success in achieving most of the desired goals of the previous strategic plan. Furthermore, we are on the verge of approving the university's strategic plan for the next phase, in line with the Third National Development Strategy (2023-2030). At Qatar University, we are working towards achieving and sustaining three integrated goals: quality in the educational process, excellence in scientific research, and advancement in institutional work and administrative efficiency … One of the fruits of these efforts was the university's achievement this year of the highest level of institutional accreditation, WSCUC, Senior College and University Commission, one of the world's leading academic accreditation institutions.”

“This accreditation came after years of continuous and hard work, where the university passed its first stage in March 2021, the second stage in January 2022, and the final stage in February 2023. The university's institutional accreditation confirms four clear outcomes: The first is the university's commitment to fulfilling its national mission of driving comprehensive and sustainable development. The second is the alignment of Qatar University's standards of education quality, distinguished scientific research, and administrative efficiency with the highest global academic standards. The third is the importance of collaborative efforts, accumulated experience, and working with the spirit of teamwork to achieve continuous development. The fourth is the university's commitment to transferring this experience to higher education institutions in the country in order to achieve and reinforce the concept of integration between them.”

“On the international level, Qatar University has continued to make progress in the global university rankings this year. According to the QS World University Rankings, the university has been ranked 208th in the world and 226th by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Qatar University has also achieved second place among Arab universities in both rankings. This recognition and acknowledgment of Qatar University's position has been praised and appreciated by the international higher education community, which has led to the university being honored to host and organize some of the largest international scientific conferences. For example, this coming fall, the university will host the General Conference of the International Association of Universities, which was founded in 1950 and includes more than 600 universities from over 120 countries. The university will also host the International Conference on Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP), All Together Better Health (ATBH). Both of these conferences will be held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa region.”

Dr. Hassan Al-Derham, then addressed his speech to the graduates of the Class of 2023, saying, “Today, you are at a critical milestone. Just recently, you were students in university halls, and now you are receiving your graduation certificates in front of the leader of our beloved nation. Tomorrow, you will start your career and contribute to the building of your country and your nation. Therefore, my dear sons, you must always remember your responsibilities towards Allah Almighty, your beloved country, and HH The Amir of the country. Remember His Highness's words when he honored us with a visit to the university on October 19, 2016, where he advised you, saying, ‘the human being is the most important building block of a nation and its greatest investment. Qatar has invested in its youth, it progresses by you and looks forward to you.’ My dear graduates, following His Highness's guidance, I urge you to strive hard for the prosperity of this nation, that has given you so much. Now is the time for dedication and giving. Be a shining example by serving your country, being faithful to your leadership, and being loyal to your families, and rest assured that your university doors will always remain open for you.”

Dr. Hassan Al-Derham concluded, “I extend my sincere congratulations and deepest gratitude to your esteemed parents for their unwavering support and dedication towards your academic journey.”

As a representative on behalf of the 46th graduating class, Abdullah Al-Ansari said, “On a podium where 45 representatives of the graduates have stood before me, they have been honored to recall the heroic achievements and glorious history of Qatar before the leaders who made it possible. Qatar's star shone brightly in the sky of achievement, unparalleled by any of its contemporaries.”

He adds, “When Qatar University was founded in 1977, the late Grandfather His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, may Allah have mercy on him, addressed the first batch of graduates, saying: ‘We, the people of Qatar, are inseparable from three identities: our affiliation with Islam, our affiliation with the Arab nation, and our affiliation with humanity.’ These powerful words echo through time and space, reminding us of the values that have shaped Qatar's character and defined its path. As we celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates today, we must remember that their success is a reflection of Qatar's unwavering commitment to these ideals.”

Dr. Khalid Al-Hashimi, QU Professor from the College of Business and Economics and host of the ceremony said, “Qatar University, this towering academic institution, has been and will continue to be, by the grace of Allah, a shelter for knowledge, a fuel for innovation, and a hub for scientific research. Since its establishment in the late 1970s, tens of thousands of graduates, both male and female, have graduated from it. Each graduate has his or her own unique story and narrative they have written with their minds and hands.”

“These moments we are living now are the moments that the graduates of this batch have been eagerly waiting for with patience, perseverance, and determination. They have lived through years of study, facing challenges with great patience and determination until they overcome them and achieve milestones with their unwavering determination and strong will.”