British Council announced the winners of the Study UK Alumni Awards 2018-19 in Qatar at a special ceremony held on Saturday evening at Museum of Islamic Art.

Dr Noha Aboueldahab, Tahani AlHajri and Tamara Hasan were presented the awards in the categories of Professional Achievement, Social Impact and Entrepreneurial, respectively.

HE Dr Mohamed Saleh al-Sada, British ambassador Ajay Sharma and HSBC Qatar CEO Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, were among the dignitaries present at the gala dinner where the awards were announced.

For the first time in Qatar, the awards were hosted at a national level to celebrate the achievements of alumni in the country across three award categories. In total, nine UK alumni in Qatar were recognised for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders, and for their important contribution to strengthening collaborative ties between the UK and Qatar.

The other finalists of the Professional Achievement Award, which recognises alumni who have distinguished themselves through exemplary leadership in their professional field, were Dr Hend AlMuftah, and Dr Somaya al-Maadeed.

Dr Aboueldahab who won the award is a graduate from SOAS University and Durham Law School and a leading expert on justice, accountability and politics in the Arab region.

The two other finalists of the Social Impact Award, which acknowledges alumni who have made an exceptional contribution to creating positive social change, were Dr Badiya al-Lenjawi and Rashid R al-Hajri.

The winner of the award, AlHajri, who is an alumni of Derby University, is a writer and blogger who uses social media to raise awareness about human rights, women’s empowerment, freedom of expression and coexistence with other cultures.

In the category of Entrepreneurial Award, which highlights alumni who have played a leading role in business innovation, two other finalists were named - Hamad Suwaid and Rupin Kumar. Hasan, the winner of the award, is a graduate of CASS Business School at City, University of London, and the co-founder and general manager of three medical clinics in Qatar, providing the highest level of medical care and service to the local community within Doha.

British envoy Sharma said: “It is great to see how UK education continues to shape and inspire generations of young people. The Study UK Alumni Awards are a great example of what the partnership between our two countries in the field of education can lead to. I would like to congratulate the three winners, as well as all the finalists for their achievements. They are all playing a key role in realising Qatar’s 2030 National Vision."

Sam Ayton, country director of British Council in Qatar, said: “We’re delighted to announce the three winners from Qatar. Each of them has achieved something incredible and the idea behind these awards is to share their stories as widely as possible in order to inspire the next generation. These stories demonstrate the innovation and creativity of the UK education sector, which welcomes over half a million international students today.”

Mostafawi said “HSBC is honoured to support these prestigious awards. As an organisation we underpin the importance of investing in human capital through quality education. These awards are testament to the exceptional achievements of the talented participants and the value they bring to our society.”

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