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Students it all educational levels will be heading to their campuses today marking the kickoff of the new academic year 2025-2026, following weeks-long extensive preparations undertaken by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) to ensure a smooth educational launch. All preparations have been carried out with the provision of manpower and educational resources, as well as logistical services that would help enhance students' academic achievements and prepare them to progress into higher educational institutions, particularly in the specialties that support the knowledge economy and Qatar's leadership, MOEHE said. In this context, MOEHE took the opportunity to extend assurances of its highest consideration to students, parents, teachers, school managers, and licensed operators, calling upon all to adhere to perseverance and determination in pursuing the educational career, culminating in the accomplishment of the vision of a pioneering learner for sustainable development. In pursuit of expanding capacity, the ministry has opened 10 new public and private schools for a variety of levels in 2025 and provided roughly 6,000 academic seats distributed across the state, in addition to hiring 1,124 teachers of both genders to fill the vacancies. In addition, MOEHE is working diligently to execute future projects that include establishing additional classes at 35 schools, building 11 new schools, revamping 16 schools, and establishing an institute for vocational education at Qatar Preparatory School for Boys. The ministry highlighted that a total of 276 schools and preschools underwent comprehensive maintenance, covering classrooms, air-conditioning units, and cafeterias, in accordance with strict health, nutrition, and safety standards. School administrations were directed to finalise class schedules, assign students to classrooms, ensure the delivery of textbooks and educational supplies, and organise orientation sessions for new staff on policies and regulations. A total of 2,510 buses have been prepared to transport students, with a plan to gradually increase the fleet to 2,750 buses, in addition to 190 minibuses dedicated to supporting students and those with special needs. To mark this occasion, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs, Maha Zayed al-Qaqqa al-Ruwaili, emphasised that the preparations for the upcoming school year reflect the ministry's commitment to providing a healthy, safe, and stimulating school environment for both students and teachers, thereby enhancing the quality of education and elevating its outcomes. The ministry's plans for the new year include developing curricula related to national identity, particularly Islamic education and the Arabic language, as well as updating science curricula to keep pace with global developments, with the STEM methodology being integrated comprehensively to support applied learning, Al Ruwaili highlighted. She added that MOEHE's plans include forging a partnership with the Qatar Association of Certified Public Accountants (QCPA) to develop a curriculum for financial literacy aimed at enhancing students' financial, savings, and planning awareness, in addition to a partnership with the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA) to integrate concepts of digital and cybersecurity into the curricula, along with other innovative programmes, building upon previous achievements in various fields. Furthermore, the ministry intends to foster student engagement in global competitions in scientific research and innovation, launch a three-year-old inclusion project into the educational system, open new early education centres, expand inclusive education by adding new schools to support students with disabilities, develop national standards for inclusive education quality, and promote vocational, technical, and specialised education, as well as e-learning and digital solutions. In the areas of training and development, MOEHE continues to implement specialised programmes to support educational and leadership competencies, including "Khibra", "Leaders of Innovation", "Future Leaders", as well as programmes like "Child Rights", "Successful Start", "Tameen", and "Empower", thereby strengthening sustainable professional development for teachers and educational leaders. The ministry further indicated that the "Back to School 2025-2026" event, held at the Qatar National Convention Centre, served as an inspiring platform combining professional development and community engagement. The "Back to School 2025-2026" event represents an inspiring springboard to ensure that all parties of the pedagogical system are prepared for a successful educational year, as the ministry strives to forge a partnership with the community to create a supportive educational environment for students and teachers at the core of the educational process, HE Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al- Naimi, said. He pointed out that the past year featured critical achievements in the area of inclusive education, in addition to advancing curricula and expanding scholarship opportunities, stressing that all these milestones will remain quintessential for further achievements. The ministry underlined that the launch of the new academic year comes as part of its strategy for 2024-2030, aiming to build an integrated educational system that fosters the quality of education and community partnership, in pursuit of achieving the Qatar National Vision 2030 of developing a leading learner capable of taking on the mantle of the sustainable development process.

Huawei Qatar hosted the 'Innovation in Education and Talent Excellence Awards', an event dedicated to honouring the accomplishments of students from Qatar in the global ICT Competition and presenting the latest advancements in educational technology.The event brought together prominent figures from Qatar's academic and government sectors, including Dr Salem al-Naemi, president of the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST); Dr Btool Hashim al-Sayed, director of The Higher Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education; partners, deans and faculty members from Qatar University (QU), UDST, Community college of Qatar (CCQ), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and Lusail University.In his welcome address, Alex Dai, executive vice-president of Huawei Gulf North, said: “At Huawei, we believe investing in human potential is the nation's most strategic investment. We are proud to partner with Qatar to nurture its next generation of digital leaders, equipping them with cutting-edge skills and platforms to innovate—like the brilliant UDST students who recently made the nation proud. Together, we are building the ICT talent that will lead Qatar’s digital future."Dr al-Sayed stressed the importance of such collaborations by describing that the student accomplishments embody the very essence of Qatar National Vision 2030, which places innovation and knowledge at the heart of sustainable development."This success was made possible through strong collaboration between our academic institutions, government, and industry partners—a model that fosters the innovation ecosystem Qatar is building. Our leadership encourages applying knowledge in real-world contexts, transforming ideas into solutions that drive progress and diversify our economy for a prosperous future."Dr Rachid Benlamri, vice president - academics of UDST, highlighted the value of industry-academia synergy. "Events such as the Huawei ICT skills Competition-Innovation track provide our students with a global platform to showcase their talents while demonstrating the powerful results of academia-industry collaboration in building Qatar's knowledge-based economy."Huawei's experts led sessions on the latest emerging trends shaping the future of education. The presentations highlighted Huawei's advanced education technologies and innovative approaches to creating next-generation learning environments, emphasising the critical role of robust digital infrastructure in enabling transformative educational experiences. The discussions focused on building technology-enabled learning ecosystems that support innovation and enhance educational outcomes.The ceremony also recognised students from Qatar who excelled in the National and Regional competition and celebrated the outstanding achievements of UDST students’ team who has secured second place in the Innovation Track of the Huawei ICT Competition 2024–2025 Global Final, held in Shenzhen, China in May 2025. Competing against over 40 teams from around the world, the UDST team represented Qatar on the global stage, making the nation proud through their groundbreaking project titled 'Be My Sense'.The Huawei ICT Competition is one of the world’s largest and most competitive technology contests, celebrating its 10th edition this year. The 2024–2025 event attracted more than 210,000 students from over 80 countries, culminating in a highly selective Global Final where 179 teams from 48 countries competed in various tracks including Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation.Additional highlights featured insights on the synergy between academia and industry. Prof Mohamed Abdallah, associate dean of Undergraduate Studies and Quality Assurance at the College of Science and Engineering at HBKU, underscored that while basic science forms the essential 'brain' of education—providing the critical thinking and foundational knowledge—integrating industry-certified courses on the latest technologies is crucial for ensuring graduates are career-ready.Academic leaders from QU and CCQ emphasised on the importance of modernising curricula through strategic partnerships to include applied learning modules that keep pace with the digital economy.This was complemented by a presentation from AI department at Al Jazeera Media Network, which detailed their recent AI Hackathon, delivered in collaboration with Huawei Cloud. The media leader highlighted the hackathon's immense success not just as a competition, but as a vital talent pipeline and a practical model for innovation.

At Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Marhaba event – the traditional welcome to its new students at the start of the academic year – the latest arrivals to Education City learned about the importance of stepping out of their comfort zones and seizing service-learning opportunities – from local outreach initiatives to international projects – to help tackle real-world challenges and drive meaningful, positive change.Juyoung Kim, a senior at Northwestern University in Qatar, spoke to more than 800 new students who attended the event at Multaqa, telling the story of her service trips to Laos and Nepal.In Laos, she helped build an eco-dorm for students who once had to walk long distances just to attend school.The new facility allowed them to live nearby and focus on their education.In Nepal, Kim contributed to a sustainable project that provided clean energy for a family living in the mountains.“It’s about being part of something – something bigger than yourself,” she told the students.“It’s about connection, empathy, and understanding,” Kim added. “These trips taught me to approach every community with humility, respect, I learned how to work with people – not just for them. And the value of every small act of kindness and collaboration.”Her advice for students is “step outside your comfort zone, be willing to learn, to contribute, and to grow”.“These opportunities may feel intimidating at first, but trust me, they will be the most meaningful experiences that you will have – not just as a student but as the global citizens you will all very proudly grow into,” she said.Amani Benamor, from QF partner university Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), also spoke at Marhaba.She recounted that when she first began her journey at Education City last year, she believed – like many new students – that university, and especially medicine, was only about achieving good grades, sitting exams, and ultimately earning a degree.“However, the further I’ve gone into my journey, the more I ask the question: ‘Shouldn’t we, as active global citizens, be more than just a number on a transcript?’” Benamor recounted. “And shouldn’t life – the centre of all disciplines taught at the QF – be more than just memorising facts and checking off boxes?”“In Education City, learning goes far beyond the classroom,” she continued. “From volunteering, research, or even extracurriculars, real growth happens when we apply what we’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges.”“The QF is not just a place to study,” Benamor told the students, adding: “It is a place to learn how to grow, and how to help.”At QF universities, community service begins the moment they arrive.Their orientation week is more than just introductions and icebreakers; it is a chance to make a difference.At the WCM-Q, for example, new students took part in a hands-on initiative by packing donation boxes for Qatar Charity and serving a luncheon to recognise the contributions of support workers, learning from day one that service is a cornerstone of their journey at Education City.