1,000 engineering leaders in Qatar

Texas A&M University at Qatar will award its 1,000th engineering degree this week. We are proud of this milestone, but this achievement belongs to Qatar itself. Please join us in celebrating 1,000 engineering leaders in Qatar. Through our partnership with Qatar Foundation, Tamuq is educating world-class engineers to meet growing demand for technical expertise and human capital in a workforce that is diversifying as rapidly as it is expanding. This is important not only now, but also for the decades ahead as Qatar transforms its economy through self-reliance.I often say that every student should want to become an engineer. Or as some analysts have predicted, engineering degrees are the liberal arts degrees of the future. Why? Because engineers are taught to solve problems. Engineers are inspired to think critically. And engineers have a broad base of knowledge that can support advanced education in an array of disciplines such as medicine, business or law. And, of course, engineers can have tremendous careers in the energy sector, military, government and beyond.For the past 16 years, Tamuq has been educating engineers with these possibilities in mind. Our first classes began in Education City with 29 students in September 2003. Since then, our student population has grown to more than 500 engineering students, and as of today, 967 engineering degrees have been awarded. At graduation Thursday evening, that number crosses the threshold of more than 1,000 engineering degrees. This incredible journey — and its innumerable success stories — would not be possible without Qatar Foundation’s devotion to education and diverse thought.Qatar Foundation is a global leader in promoting education. Its mantra, Unlocking Human Potential, reflects the reality that untapped human potential is a loss for humanity at large. This philosophy underlies the multiversity concept of Education City, which is unmatched worldwide. Each of Qatar Foundation’s partner universities is among the best in the degree programmes it offers. And although each institution is admired and respected on its own, together we are greater, stronger and more effective at meeting the educational needs of Qatar and the surrounding region. Our complementary expertise and interwoven teaching and learning result in opportunities available only in a place as unique as Education City.The best evidence of success for this innovative education model is Tamuq’s graduates themselves. Their employers praise their technical ability and professional skills, and industry leaders recognise something more: Tamuq engineers live by the core values they learned as students: excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and selfless service. These values align with a trend that is evident among our students and alumni alike — a sense of duty, purpose and obligation to Qatar’s vitality and prosperity. Tamuq students are motivated not only by careers, but by learning itself — and by an innate sense of responsibility to maximise their ability to serve something greater than themselves.Engineering is a patriotic profession in Qatar, and Qatar’s youth understand this at an early age. Innovative academic enrichment and outreach programs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are cultivating interest in high-tech careers among students in schools across the nation. This community engagement represents our dedication to developing the human talent Qatar will rely upon in the decades ahead. Our goal is to inspire young people to select educational pathways that will lead to fulfilling careers in engineering, medicine and science.This education enterprise is enhanced by cutting-edge research that responds directly to national priorities and challenges identified by Qatar’s leaders. Thanks to Qatar National Research Fund and industry partners across Qatar, Tamuq faculty are investigating solutions to real-world problems. On the horizon, we see emerging needs for advances in agriculture, food security and smart manufacturing, among other topics. Our ability to adapt to new priorities matches our commitment to Qatar’s growth and development.Texas A&M University at Qatar stands ready to lead, eager to contribute, prepared to provide solutions for the challenges Qatar faces today and tomorrow. We draw from not only the know-how of our faculty and staff in Doha, but also from experts on our main campus in Texas, which is among the largest universities in the United States with almost 70,000 students and more than 400 degree programmes. As a public university, we support society through diverse knowledge, whether it be in agribusiness, architecture, aerospace engineering or more. We do the same in Qatar.As we end our 16th year in Qatar, we look forward to many more ahead, and also to thousands more engineers who will fulfil Qatar’s national vision and lead its knowledge-based economy. I am confident that the value and contributions of our graduates will increase in Qatar over time, and I thank our stakeholders and steadfast supporters for being part of this noble effort. Together, we are engineering leaders in Qatar.* Dr César O Malavé is dean of Texas A&M University at Qatar and a world-renowned engineering educator. He has taught at Texas A&M University for more than 30 years.