*Qatar Leadership Centre celebrates 2019 graduation at National Museum of Qatar
The graduates, who finished either the Executive, Government, or Rising Leaders programme, form part of QLC’s sixth class since its inception by His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani as a national platform for leadership development.
“The centre supports the development of leadership skills that are essential for Qatar, abilities which are especially critical now given the rapid rate of economic diversification and transformation currently underway,” QLC Board of Directors chairperson HE Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani said.
“We gather tonight at the new NMoQ, a masterpiece of art in the service of education. It connects Qatar’s past with its future, its rich heritage and traditions are the foundation of its informed vision of development,” Sheikha Al Mayassa noted. “In a similar way, the QLC graduates are guided by the strength of our national heritage and the benefits of education for a promising future.”
QLC board members who attended the ceremony included: Managing director HE Sheikh Dr Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani; HE the Minister of Administrative Development, Labour, and Social Affairs Yousef bin Mohamed al-Othman Fakhro; HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali; and Ministry of Commerce and Industry undersecretary Sultan bin Rashid al-Khater.
Other dignitaries, including a number of Qatar’s most senior and government officials, diplomats, educators, as well as guests from QLC’s partner universities, and the business community, along with the graduates’ family members and friends also attended the ceremony.
“As we celebrate our graduates’ success, we are reminded of the responsibilities they now shoulder, to contribute to our shared societal objectives, to further strengthen our progress toward national development,” HE Sheikh Dr Abdulla said.
“QLC has provided the graduates with a rigorous academic foundation that encourages critical thinking,” HE Sheikh Dr Abdulla noted, as he expressed confidence that QLC alumni “will use their education and experience to give back to Qatar as we continue to move forward with purpose in the years ahead.”
Among the QLC graduates included Qatar Foundation deputy director Maha al-Rumaihi and Josoor Institute executive director Afraa al-Noami who both lauded the country’s efforts to inspire and empower Qatari women leaders and those from the region.
QLC added an Executive Master’s degree programme in leadership offered by Georgetown University this year - built on the foundational courses of the centre’s programme – where 28 Qataris are currently enrolled.
Institutional programmes are a third feature of QLC, with programmes offered this year to Qatari government institutions, including the Qatar Armed Forces’ Medical Services Department and Qatar Social Work.
According to QLC, its past programmes have included partnerships with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and Qatar Petroleum.
QLC’s key partnerships include leading institutions such as the University of Cambridge, University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard University, HEC Paris, Rice University, University of Oxford, and Al Jazeera Media Institute.
