Some of the new graduates of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) who spoke to Gulf Times, highlighted the quality of the programmes as well as how they impact the community positively.
Amar Saed Aldien, who completed Juris Doctor (JD), feels the programme is immensely helpful in understanding several international legal ideas.
“Juris Doctor, is an amazing programme done in partnership with Northwestern University in the US. It is a combination of the East and the West and provides a lot of insight into different jurisdictions in civil and common law. The main thing about the programme is that it helps you to excel in several jobs whether it is law or any other job in Qatar or abroad,” explained Aldien.
“Qatar is now an international hub and this programme helps us in dealing with international issues. Under the present political situation prevailing in the region, the programme makes us to understand the situation of blockade and the legal issues involved in the situation. It can definitely help us to support the country in its fight against the unjust blockade,” he continued.




Some of the graduates at the convocation.

Aldien noted that the programme helped the graduates learn a lot about arbitration, international courts among others.
“The exposure to various laws such as the Qatar, European and the American laws will help the graduates like me to deal with international businesses,” he maintained.
Aldien has been studying at HBKU under a scholarship from Qatar Foundation and feels that it was time for him to pay back to the country.
“I have interned with Al Jazeera, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy as well as Qatar Foundation which gave me a lot of exposure to several aspects. Mostly, I am going to work with Al Jazeera very soon,” he added.
Meanwhile, Maryam al-Kuwari who has graduated in Islamic Finance feels that the programme was a very challenging one for two reasons.
“Firstly, I had graduated in law from Cardiff University and was not familiar with the topic. Moreover, I had to juggle between my family, job and studies,” said the mother two little children, and working with Qatar Petroleum.
“I decided to do it as I wanted to specialise as a finance lawyer. The programme deals not only with Islamic finance but also with conventional finance.You learn about equities and stock market and other aspects of finance,” she explained.
“It was a struggle to manage family, job and the study. However, my husband was very supportive and understanding and it was his constant encouragement which made me continue the studies though at one point I wanted to quit,” she explained.
“I am planning to complete my PhD sometime sooner and in the meanwhile I will make use of this degree to practise as a finance lawyer. My long term goal is to establish a law firm,” she said.