Female graduates with HE Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Ali al-Thani and Professor Sheikha al-Misnad.As many as 845 female students graduated from Qatar University’s 36th batch (Class of 2013) yesterday at a ceremony at the Qatar National Convention Centre in the presence of guest of honour Hamad Bin Khalifa University president HE Sheikh Dr Abdullah bin Ali al-Thani.A total of 226 male students graduated on Tuesday in the presence of HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, who is also the chairman of QU’s Advisory Board of Trustees.In all, 1,071 male and female students – 588 Qataris and 483 non-Qataris - graduated over two days of ceremonies. The students were joined by their parents, family, faculty members and university staff. The female graduates comprised 786 undergraduate, 44 Masters, eight doctorate and seven diploma students. Distinguished guests included Minister of Energy and Industry and QU alumnus HE Dr Mohamed Saleh al-Sada, Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of the Supreme Education council HE Saad bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud, and Executive Director of Pharmacy at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr Moza al-Hail.Out of the 60 students who graduated with honours, being in the top 5% of the graduating Class of 2013 with a minimum GPA of 3.50, as many as 50 were female students. They received special gifts from HE Sheikh Abdulla. The top 10 honours students who received Academic Excellence Medals for distinguished academic performance this year were all female. They were: Rawda Ali al-Mesned (GPA 4.0, College of Arts & Sciences), Semsia al-Ali Mustafa (GPA 4.0, College of Arts & Sciences), Shaima Jamal Alghaniem (GPA 4.0, College of Sharia and Islamic Studies), Maide Bari (GPA 3.99, College of Arts & Sciences), Maryam Abdulrahman al-Mutawa (GPA 3.98, College of Engineering), Amtul Muqeet Umaima Abdul Basith (GPA 3.97, College of Business and Economics), Dareen Maysarah al-Alami (GPA 3.97, College of Business and Economics), Lara Hamade (GPA 3.97, College of Arts & Sciences), Lolwa Hassan al-Ajami (GPA 3.96, College of Business and Economics), Amna Abdulameer Yusif (GPA 3.95, College of Arts & Sciences).This year’s ceremony also saw the graduation of the first students from several graduate programmes including the MA Gulf Studies and MSc Environmental Science.The Master of Ceremonies, Qatari student Fatema al-Emadi, from College of Business and Economics, said: “Qatar’s ambitious National Vision 2030 to establish a knowledge-based economy means that expanding knowledge and education is the key to elevating our nation.” “We were so lucky to be part of this academic life at Qatar University and to have had the opportunity to write in our diaries stories and memories, knowledge and wisdom which we acquired during our time at Qatar University.”QU president Professor Sheikha al-Misnad awarded the students with their graduation certificates. She congratulated them for working hard, showing great determination, drive and vision to achieve success.“As QU alumni, you are the faces of the university and the future of Qatar. We hope you will relish the opportunity to act as ambassadors and help the coming graduates to achieve as much as you have done and will continue to do,” she said.The largest college at QU, the College of Arts & Sciences, graduated 344 female undergraduate and five Masters students. Some 126 students graduated from the College of Engineering, including 11 Masters; while the College of Education graduated 19 undergraduate students and 18 graduate students - including seven with diplomas and a further 11 with Masters. College of Business and Economics graduated 202 female bachelors students and 17 MBA and MAC students; College of Law graduated 55 students, College of Sharia and Islamic Studies 31 students and College of Pharmacy 20 BSc students and eight graduate students from the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programme.Valedictorian Aisha al-Emadi from the College of Law said: “Standing here today, we have realised our long-held dreams. We have mixed feelings – we are sorry to say goodbye to the university but we are happy to start our new lives.“All our successes are due to our state, which although geographically small plays a huge role internationally, and the leadership of our mentor HH the Emir.”It has been four decades since the foundations of QU were laid, with the establishment of Qatar’s first College of Education in 1973. The rapid development of the state and the growing appetite for a national university saw the inauguration of QU in 1977 with four colleges reflecting national need. The university now has seven colleges and a student body of more than 13,000.