Qatar University's (QU) Research and Graduate Studies sector organized a virtual dialogue session titled “Scientific Excellence Award: Towards a Promising Qatari Generation.” The session was conducted through the WebEx platform as part of the Wednesday Research series. Mr. Fahad Al-Buainain, a research assistant at the Survey Social and Economic Research Institute at Qatar University, presented the session.
The event was attended by Ms. Mariam Al-Muhannadi, the Executive Committee Chair of the Scientific Excellence Award at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Ms. Ghada Al-Kuwari, the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the Office of Graduate Studies at QU, and Dr. Fatima Al-Khayat, the Head of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at the College of Arts and Sciences, QU. As well as the winners of the Scientific Excellence Awards: Ms. Shaimaa Hashim, who received the gold medal in the scientific field for her master's degree, and Mr. Mohammed Ghanem Al-Kubaisi, who received the gold medal in the literary field for his master's degree. Several students and interested individuals also attended in the session.
The session shed light on the importance of the Scientific Excellence Award, which is organized annually by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education under the gracious patronage of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. The award aims to honor outstanding students at various educational levels as well as graduates from universities and higher education institutions. Additionally, the session highlighted QU's role in supporting students towards scientific excellence, and revealing success stories of its graduate students as an encouragement for their peers to strive for diligence and distinction.
Ms. Mariam Al-Muhannadi emphasized the diligent efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education annually to launch this award through various award committees. Ms. Al- Muhannadi emphasized that this award serves as a distinguished model for investing in human resources, which is a top priority of Qatar Vision 2030. The award also contributes to instilling a culture of excellence and quality in society through education, which forms the foundation for excellence in all other sectors of the country.
On her part, Ms. Ghada Al-Kuwari emphasized QU’s commitment to graduating highly competent students by motivating them and providing them with an environment that encourages intellectual output. Additionally, the university focuses on developing academic departments and scientific materials to cultivate a new generation of young researchers in various scientific fields. This, in turn, contributes to serving Qatar, the regional environment, and the Arab world by building competencies and refining skills.
Dr. Fatima Al-Khayat added, “The College of Arts and Sciences, represented by the Department of Biological Environmental Sciences, plays a significant role in supporting and enhancing students' skills. It also encourages their participation in educational forums and events that promote positive attitudes towards knowledge and scientific research.”
Both of Ms. Shaimaa Hashim and Mr. Mohammed Al-Kubaisi, the winners of the gold medal, expressed their happiness and pride upon receiving this award. They consider it a significant milestone in their personal and professional lives, serving as a promoter for greater achievements and opening up new educational horizons in their respective fields. They also emphasized the importance of enhancing their expertise and staying updated with educational methods. Furthermore, they expressed their gratitude to QU for its continuous support in fostering student excellence. They offered several recommendations to their fellow students during the session.
The session concluded with a Q&A segment, where members of the audience actively participated. Various discussions and inquiries took place, covering details such as the application process for the scientific excellence award, the committee's plans to reach all students, and important advice provided by the winning students to their peers and others.
It is worth mentioning that the “Research Wednesday” series consists of periodic episodes organized by the Research and Graduate Studies sector at QU. These episodes aim to highlight the university's significant applied and theoretical scientific research projects, undertaken by students, experts, and specialized academics.