The Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) marks three decades since its establishment, reflecting on a legacy full of milestones that have significantly contributed to solidifying Qatar's stature as a global hub for excellence in education, research, innovation, and sustainable development.

Since its inception in 1995, by virtue of the in-depth vision shared by His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the QF has been striving to build an integrated system that drives positive impact in the life of individuals and societies through advancing education and supporting scientific research, in addition to encouraging entrepreneurship, fostering sustainability and helping next generations internalise essential knowledge to keep up with challenges of the future.

Throughout the past three decades, the QF has succeeded in establishing an integrated educational environment that includes all academic stages and established six specialised schools, including three following the International Baccalaureate (IB), alongside institutions catering to gifted students and those with special needs.

Its schools enrolled about 7,500 students in a supportive academic environment.

In addition, the QF has committed to offering a world-class higher education, such as Awsaj and Renad academies, which support students in accordance with their special needs, enrolling more than 5,700 students at the primary and middle school levels.

Since the QF is committed to providing a world-class higher education, it hosted six prestigious universities, alongside Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), positioning itself as a superb hub for higher education and scientific research at home and in the region, with the QF graduating more than 9,900 students, many of whom either pursued advanced studies, or embarked on distinguished careers across various sectors, offering over 60 academic programmes, including bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees, thereby enriching academic opportunities for students.

Overall, the QF not only impacted the education sector, but went far beyond to encompass scientific research and innovation by supporting over 3,000 research projects across multiple fields, with women constituting 49 % of researchers within the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programmes, thereby underscoring its commitment to supporting diversity and empowerment.

Additionally, the QF drew students from over 119 nations worldwide, making the Education City a diverse academic environment that fosters cultural exchange.

In terms of healthcare, the QF has played a pivotal role in advancing the precision medicine and contributed to analysing over 45,000 samples of DNA, which optimised health services through figuring out the genetic factors of chronic diseases and strove to enhance primary healthcare.

Furthermore, it participated in leading research projects, including a programme to enhance early diagnostic strategies and treatment of diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

More than 6,200 individuals have benefited from the QF-supported medical and research services, reflecting its profound impact on improving quality of life.

Regarding artificial intelligence (AI), the QF has developed 38 research projects in 2023 alone, in areas that ranged between healthcare, data analysis to education in collaboration with the HBKU and think tanks, with the QF launching AI specialised training programmes and machine learning, with the objective of helping researchers in Qatar develop advanced technological solutions.

By and large, the QF fostered its commitment to protecting environment, in terms of sustainability through a multitude of initiatives, culminating in launching "Earthna" research and advocacy centre to advance sustainable environmental solutions, and applied eco-friendly practices at its all facilities.

Additionally, in 2023, the QF organised over 1,400 events addressing topics such as circular economy, climate change, and renewable energy, to raise community awareness of environmental issues.

Culturally, the QF has been active in preserving the Arab heritage and fostering global dialogue through launching the Qatar National Library (QNL), a knowledge-based hub that showcases over 1mn books, along with thousands of rare documents and manuscripts, in addition to organising cultural events that drew participants from over 75 nations, promoting Qatar's standing as a centre for dialogue and cultural exchange on the global stage.

In addition, the QF has been active in promoting physical activities, in terms of sports by establishing state-of-the-art sport facilities, alongside programmes that foster the role of women and youth in sport.

It engaged in organising sport activities within the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, during which it offered awareness-raising programmes for fans to strengthen the sport notion as a vehicle for cultural communication and social development.

The QF also prioritises empowering women and youth through initiatives that support entrepreneurship, with figures showing that 64% of the QF's graduates are women, underscoring its success in enhancing women's role in academic and occupational fields.

In a more inclusive community, the QF offered programmes devoted to children and young people with special needs, including initiatives to support individuals with autism, as well as training workshops for caregivers, in addition to initiatives aimed at promoting equal opportunities in education and employment.

Upon entering its fourth decade, the QF maintains its leadership in fostering innovation and advancing a sustainable educational and research environment, in sync with Qatar National Vision 2030.

Through investment in minds, nurturing creative ideas, and fostering learning and innovation, the QF aims to create an enduring global impact, benefiting future generations and contributing to a brighter future for Qatar and the world. – QNA