(MENAFN- QNA) Qatar University (QU) has made great strides to realize its mission in all fields of study, research and community. QU has started the application of the second round of its Strategic Plan, which contains a comprehensive system of targets and indicators through which all academic and administrative units can achieve their goals and evaluate their performance.
The Strategic plan 2013-2016 focusses on preparing competent graduates through quality education and researches which contribute to alleviating knowledge, strengthening the role of the University in the community to support the social, economic and cultural development and providing university efficient environment and facilities to support of the university’s community.
Seeking improvement and meeting the community’s needs, QU developed a comprehensive academic plan for future programs, and reviewing a number of academic programs, in addition to the development and integration of technology to enhance education.
The university completed many evaluation studies to help the university management in taking important decisions, to improve work performance, and ensure the quality of the academic and administrative performance, in light of several variables, most importantly of the growing numbers of students.
In the field of institutional academic accreditation, the university updated its application for the membership of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) in US, in light of the comments received from the institution.
QU made a number of achievements in different fields. With regards to Students, the number of students registered in the University increased during the school year 2013-2014 to reach 16,499 students, with an increase of 59% over the past three years.
Meanwhile the number of QU graduates this yeas reached 1261 graduates, broken down to 988 females and 273 males. The number of Qatari graduates reached 649.
In the field of student activities, the total number of events organized by student groups during the period September 2013-May 2014 was 72 events, the most prominent of which was celebrating Qatar National Day, the cultural village and Palestine Week.
Regarding the financial aids, the students fund presented several aids such as the monthly assistance, tuition fees, accommodation fees and providing personal computers. The total value of these aids reached QR 10,929,470, of which 43% for Qataris and 57 for non-Qataris. The number of beneficiaries of the Fund’s assistance was 2919 students including 683 Qataris.
The number of scholarships granted by QU during the academic year 2012-2013 increased by 10% compared to the past two years to reach 645 distributed on different disciplines.
With regard to accredited academic programs, Qatar University has continued its efforts in the development of academic programs, through compliance with international standards, and receiving academic accreditation. Two colleges and fifteen programs have already received accreditation, in addition to the English language track in the foundation program, which recently received accreditation for five years to come.
During this year, the number of the QU’s faculty reached 817 including 161 Qataris.
The capacity building program made several achievements regarding the national cadres in the faculty. Over 80 post graduate scholarship students are pursuing PHD, Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in prestigious universities in US, UK, Canada, Malaysia and other countries.
Qatar University seeks to attract national cadres of PHD and Master's degrees holders to join the faculty. Four of them joined this year.
Qatar University was able to develop the research sector through developing the road map for researches for the next five years, according to research priorities adopted for the last academic year (2012-2013). The research sector prepared a document setting out a new research. Moreover, the academic research department won the 2014 award for the best research in the State of Qatar.
The university published 559 research during the academic year 2013-2014, and achieved in this aspect the highest annual compound growth rate in the region, with regards to publishing of researches with a 28.7% rate.
Qatar University has a number of applied scientific research centres which contributed to the area of research development, including the Centre for Environmental Studies, and the Gas Processing centre and the advanced materials center.
The traffic safety center, which was founded during the year 2012-2013 is seeking to become the first assistant in the research area of the National Committee for Traffic Safety to provide it with all the required traffic information and researches.
Through the external relations department, the university communicates with the community, within and outside the State of Qatar via joint cooperation, as it is seeking to interact with the community's issues and to strengthen its position as the national university. In this context, QU, during this year, signed 25 memoranda of understanding and agreements with a number of institutions and research centers inside and outside the country to conduct or participate in research projects.
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