UDST announces eight new programs

The University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) Wednesday announced the launch of eight new programs.UDST President Dr Salem Al-Naemi said a press conference that these programs were created to address the market needs and contribute to economic growth in Qatar and across the world.The new programs include Bachelor’s degree in marine engineering, smart manufacturing engineering, software engineering, and midwifery, in addition to a post-diploma Bachelor in Midwifery, a Master’s program in sustainable tourism management, a post-graduate diploma in inter-professional neonatal intensive care, and a post-graduate diploma in STEM/TVET education."All new programs are available for the Fall 2023 semester and are open for admission,” Dr Al-Naemi said.The marine engineering program is the first occupationally dedicated undergraduate program in Qatar and exclusive to UDST. It meets international standards and accreditation and relies on a customised curriculum to answer local needs, codes, and practices in Qatar, particularly related to LNG shipping. It will support the mega expansion of LNG production and shipping in Qatar.The smart manufacturing engineering program is unique and a necessity in a rapidly evolving economy and will prepare students to integrate high-level skills in managing smart manufacturing and design processes. The software engineering program will graduate software experts who are needed in the new era of automation impacting almost all industries and businesses.The Master’s program in sustainable tourism is designed to attract students who wish to develop specialist skills in managing sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, and heritage tourism.The midwifery program is inaugural to Qatar and addresses the country’s need to develop "home-grown” midwives who can contribute to its vision for healthy women leading to healthy pregnancies. The program is aligned with the International Confederation of Midwives standards of education that will prepare midwives to provide skilled, knowledgeable and compassionate care for childbearing women, new-born infants and families across the continuum from pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and the early weeks of life.The inter-professional neonatal intensive care program is developed in response to Qatar’s workforce needs for specialty education to prepare health professionals working with high intensity care neonates in neonatal intensive care units. It will be offered through micro-credentialing to support working health professionals to return to upscale their specialised knowledge and skills to care for vulnerable babies.The STEM/TVET Education program is designed for bachelor's degree graduates, industry professionals, and qualified professional educators, who are interested in gaining the knowledge, skills and competencies to work as Educators/Trainers/Lab Instructors/Experiential Learning Facilitators in education environments utilising STEM/TVET curricula and industrial training settings."At UDST, we continuously strive to provide world-class education and offer our students programs that give them real-life experiences and prepare them to lead the careers of the future. We are pleased with our increasing number of students which has reached 7,000 so far, and we are happy to see that the new generation and their parents have become more aware of the importance of applied education. Our students learn in simulated environments and get the chance to experience the professional world through our partners’ network as well. It is through a critical and integrative learning experience that UDST builds graduates with employable skills,” Dr Al-Naemi said.UDST has more than 60 programs that fall under five main streams: Engineering Technology, Business Management, Computing and Information Technology, Health Sciences and General Education.Applicants can register online through the website "udst.edu.qa”.Both Qatari citizens and children of Qatari women are exempt from tuition fees for undergraduate programs. Academic entry criteria differ according to programs, nevertheless students need to present a high school graduation certificate, with an overall average of minimum 60% or an equivalent required score or higher on the UDST English Placement Test, or an equivalent; and completion of the Math Placement Test. Applicants who do not meet the entrance requirements may be considered for the Foundation Program designed to help them acquire the needed skills to enter their program of choice.