As many as 778 students who are graduating from the universities in Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City were honoured on Tuesday at the 2018 Convocation, graced by His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and QF chairperson Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.
Held at the Ceremonial Court in Education City, the event was attended by QF vice chairperson and CEO HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani, who presented the graduation ring to the graduates along with deans of each university. A number of dignitaries including university deans, faculty members, and parents were present.
The convocation honoured graduates from Hamad Bin Khalifa University (206), Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (90), Texas A&M University at Qatar (105), Northwestern University in Qatar (61) Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (34), HEC Paris in Qatar (112), UCL Qatar (51), Georgetown University in Qatar (52) and Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (67). 
HE Sheikha Hind said: “Each member of the graduating Class of 2018 carries with them the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in a global setting and to benefit Qatar and wider international community. These young men and women have worked hard to achieve their degrees, and we are delighted to celebrate their achievements with them tonight. 
“Qatar Foundation’s unique education ecosystem offers a diverse range of lifelong learning and research opportunities, and when our alumni move on to their next phase and become active global citizens, we will all reap the benefit of the knowledge they have gained during their time here.” 
The convocation included a shared keynote speech from two QF alumni. Offering words of advice to the new graduates, Ghada Ali al-Khater, Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar's Class of 2012, said: “Given the right environment and education, we all have a chance in creating our future, but we need to embrace the opportunities that come along the way. Be willing to accept the growth of your ideas and your interests, and be flexible in allowing yourself the possibility of doing something that isn’t in your comfort zone.”
Touhami Abi, Georgetown University in Qatar, Class of 2014, said: “This is merely the beginning of your journey. Along the journey, you will change; this is normal. You will grow, you will learn, and you will mature along the way.”
At the event, Swar al-Dahab Ali received the inaugural Akhlaquna Award for his work with ‘Mercy In Giving’, a movement that unites various educational, health, and social sectors to tackle specific issues within society and helps to inspire young people to be a powerful force within their communities. 
The ceremony also featured a series of short films, which included testimonies from the graduates and highlighted a selection of the Class of 2018’s achievements and accomplishments.
Concluding the event, the graduates passed through the ‘Door to the Future’, a symbolic passage representing a new phase of responsibility and challenge on their continuing journey of growth and lifelong learning.
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