Qatar University College of Engineering (QU-CENG), represented by the Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Centre (QTTSC), has signed a research agreement with Khatib & Alami (K&A) to establish collaboration in the field of research, consultancy and knowledge transfer.

The agreement was signed by QU vice-president for Academic Affairs Dr Omar al-Ansari and K&A senior vice-president Ramadan Harb in the presence of officials from both institutions. The agreement aims to establish collaboration between QU and K&A in the academic, research and student training and field support, as well as the exchange of information and consultancy, the university has said in a statement.
Khatib & Alami is a multidisciplinary urban and regional planning, architectural and engineering consulting company.
Under the terms of the agreement, QTTSC will provide K&A with consultancy and workshops covering the areas of transportation and traffic safety, smart transportation and geotechnical studies. CENG faculty will also support K&A projects by ensuring the knowledge transfer and progressive development of existing projects, while K&A will offer training to some of CENG students, as well as technical and technological support to QTTSC at all levels, the statement explains. 
Commenting on the agreement, CENG dean Prof Abdelmagid Hammuda said: “The agreement highlights the continuous efforts of CENG and QTTSC to provide solutions to local challenges, in line with national priorities towards a knowledge-based economy. It will also serve to facilitate knowledge and technology transfer and provide consultancy and research services, which will contribute to driving socio-economic development and sustainability in Qatar.”
Harb added, “It is a pleasure to join efforts with Qatar University, which we’re already engaged with on multiple state-of-the-art projects such as the new College of Engineering, new College of Pharmacy, new College of Law, new College of Education and the new Student Affairs Building. Given K&A’s vast experience in delivering mega projects in Qatar and the region, this memorandum of co-operation aims to provide Qatar University scholars with the necessary support in the fields of research and professional engineering consultancy services. This long-term agreement will also benefit QU engineering students by equipping them with real-time exposure to the key design stages of major multimillion-dollar public work projects.
“Khatib & Alami believes that academia should go hand in hand with industry professionals in order to translate theory into practical application and will strive to support elite researchers with guidance across relevant areas of interest in line with Qatar’s National Traffic Safety Strategy.”