The British Council distributed the second national Study UK Alumni Awards 2019-20 in Qatar at a ceremony, held at Marsa Malaz Kempinski on Saturday.
Dr Alla El-Awaisi won the Professional Achievement Award while Khalifa al-Haroon and Reema al-Merekhi received the Entrepreneurial Award and the Social Impact Award, respectively.
The awards have been instituted for UK alumni in Qatar for their outstanding achievements as business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders and for there important contribution to strengthening collaborative ties between the UK and Qatar.
A graduate of the University of Strathclyde and Robert Gordon University (RGU) and the assistant dean of Student Affairs at Qatar University College of Pharmacy, Dr El-Awaisi was selected for the award for exemplary leadership in the professional field and providing guidance and leadership to enhance students’ learning experience. Since 2014, she has also been the chair of the Interprofessional Education (IPE) Committee. Dr El-Awaisi’s Masters and PhD from the UK had a major influence on her approach to the promotion of ‘interprofessionalism’ and has contributed to the development of IPE in Qatar with many successful IPE initiatives since 2014.
Al- Haroon, who is the founder and CEO of ILoveQatar.net and the I Love Qatar (ILQ) Network, is a graduate of Anglia Ruskin University. Known as Mr Q on his blog and vlog, he is engaged in law, investment banking and social media management. He was selected for the award for playing a leading role in business innovation by launching a number of television and online shows and often appears on international news channel to provide commentary.
Exceptional contribution to creating positive social change helped al-Merekhi to win the recognition. She is a graduate of Newcastle University and the first Arab female to joint the IFRC Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT), which is a vital part of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC).
The winners, while receiving the award, said studying in the UK helped them develop as leaders and changemakers.
The awardees were selected through online nomination which ran over ten days. By securing 1,728 votes (34% of total votes), al-Merekhi received People's Choice Award.
British ambassador Ajay Sharma, who attended the event, said the winners’ stories are a testament to what the UK and Qatar are continuing to achieve through our partnership in the field of education.
Sam Ayton, country director of the British Council in Qatar; Abdul Hakeem Mostafawi, CEO HSBC Bank Qatar and Dr Sheikha Aisha bint Faleh al-Thani, founder and chairperson of Al-Faleh Education Holding were also present.
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