Katara has opened a new kind of classroom. The Cultural Village Foundation Thursday launched the Katara International Academy, a training and education platform built around Qatar's heritage. Its courses run from falconry and Arabian horse training for children to leadership programmes for women and tailored staff development for organisations.
The academy was unveiled at a ceremony in Building 15 at Katara, attended by officials, academics and experts. It will run two tracks, vocational training and academic education, and has already signed agreements with the National University of Malaysia and the al-Adasa Media Network to help shape its curricula.
General Manager of the Cultural Village Foundation and Chairman of the academy's Board of Directors Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti described the launch as a new milestone for the foundation and a significant addition to its cultural and knowledge ecosystem.
He said the academy rests on the belief that culture and education are complementary pillars of human development. In his view, cultural institutions, with their deep experience and knowledge resources, are well placed to build human capacity and professional skills.
Al-Sulaiti said the academy aims to go beyond one-off training courses. It will build integrated learning and development pathways that respond to the real needs of individuals and institutions and close the gap between theory and practice.
He said the academy hopes to become a leading platform in Qatar and the region for cultural and professional education and training, linking knowledge with identity, heritage with innovation, and learning with lasting impact.
Director General of the academy Dr Hassan Abdullah al-Mannai told Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the institution was founded on culture, and on Katara in particular, with a focus on bringing culture together with science and knowledge.
He said the agreements with the Malaysian university and the media network would advance the academy's mission and support the development of curricula and courses grounded in both academic and vocational principles. More partnerships are planned in the near future.
Al-Mannai stressed that culture is a fundamental part of education, and that the academy places particular emphasis on the link between the two. Instructors will be chosen for their experience and expertise in their fields, and their knowledge will be integrated with the academy's digital platform.
Courses for children include Al-Ardah, the traditional dance, as well as "Young Falconer", Arabian horse training and majlis etiquette. For girls, the academy offers courses in women's empowerment and female leadership, alongside "Sana' Banatina" (Our Daughters' Etiquette). All of these reflect cultural values and the role of women in society and the workforce.
Deputy Director General Dr Mohammed Khalid al-Hajri outlined the academy's areas of work and the services it provides. He said every programme is designed backwards from its goal. The first step is to identify the outcomes and skills participants should have by the end of the training. Content, trainers, activities and assessment tools are then chosen to match, so that each programme meets a clear need and delivers measurable results.
For organisations, al-Hajri said, the academy offers several forms of co-operation. These include running specific employee training programmes, building full career development pathways for different job categories, preparing joint annual training plans, and designing tailored programmes around each organisation's particular needs and challenges.
