ABP set for 3,000th graduate this year

The Academic Bridge Programme (ABP), under Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education will pass the 3,000 mark in terms of the number of students who have graduated and gone on to study at universities in Qatar or abroad. Established in 2001, the ABP is a foundation programme designed to equip secondary school graduates with the skills to succeed in world-class universities where the medium of instruction is English. It is a rigorous two-semester general studies programme focusing on English, maths, science, and computer skills. As many as 90% of these graduates have been accepted to universities in Qatar, Europe, the US, and Canada. To date, around 80% of these graduates have been Qataris. Dr Bryan K Lewallen, director of ABP, said, “Our past students often remark that ABP is like a home to them; it is the place where they transitioned from being school students to being well-prepared to face university life. This is mirrored in the feedback that we get from universities as well. “Four of the deans of QF’s partner universities are on our board of advisers, and they often comment how students who have completed the ABP and join their respective undergraduate courses are better prepared for the highly independent style of learning that universities demand from them.”Noor al-Qaidi one of the ABP graduates, testifies, “When I graduated from high school, I wanted to complete my undergraduate studies at one of the universities at Education City. The ABP gave me an overview of university life in general, and this helped me gain acceptance at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, from where I graduated with a distinction.”Al-Qaidi emphasises that the ABP has not just had a positive impact on her academic life – it has also benefited her on a personal level.“The ABP offers an environment that encourages and stimulates creativity and innovation,” she explained. “It is not just a classroom; it includes activities and events as well, and I have participated in quite a few of them, either through student clubs or volunteering.”ABP graduate, Saeed Binnoora was aiming to complete his undergraduate studies at Texas A&M University in Qatar. However, mastering listening and speaking skills in English was a challenge for him.“My high school studies were mainly in Arabic, and since much of the curricula of the universities at Education City is in English, I decided to join the Academic Bridge Programme to help me overcome this challenge,” he said. “I also joined because it would help me in other subjects, such as math, science, and computer skills in English.” “The programme contributes to increasing the confidence of the students in their own abilities, and prepares them for the university stage, their careers and later, the workplace. And, during my study time in the programme, I learned about a variety of cultures, because the programme includes students from different countries of the world and this adds a new dimension to students’ personalities while also enhancing their communication skills,” he explained. “In addition, the ABP contributes to providing students with skills such as delivering presentations, public speaking, social communication, and time management, all of which are important to, and useful for, both my personal life and future career,” he added.