MIE–SPPU Institute of Higher Education in Qatar celebrated its inaugural graduation ceremony, marking a historic milestone as its first cohort completed their studies with a 100% success rate. The ceremony recognised both undergraduate students, who began their academic journey in 2021, and the institution’s first Executive MBA cohort, launched in 2023, reflecting the university’s rapid academic growth in Qatar. Bimalendu B Nath, director of the institution, described the occasion as a defining moment. “Today it is a historical and momentous day ... we have conducted the inaugural graduation ceremony. This is the first cohort of MIE–SPPU Institute of Higher Education,” he said. He noted that the graduating class achieved a 100% success rate. “No one failed, everybody cleared their qualifying exam. This 100% success is definitely a matter of pride,” he said, crediting faculty, management, and the wider support system for the achievement. Reflecting on the journey, he added: “We have seen many dreams in 2021 when we started our academic operation, and today it is the realisation of those collective dreams.” Yasir Nainar, president of the institution, highlighted the breadth of academic programmes represented at the ceremony. “We have 52 graduates from undergraduate programmes ... and also our first cohort graduating from the Executive MBA batch,” he said. He emphasised the university’s focus on employability and industry integration. “We are not only giving degrees, but we are also giving them opportunities to work,” he said, noting strong partnerships with industry stakeholders in Qatar. Academic leaders underscored the significance of the milestone. Dr Pranav Raj said the graduates reflect the institution’s core values. “They represent the vision, commitment, and academic spirit with which this programme was launched. We are confident they will carry forward the values of critical thinking, creativity, and social responsibility,” he said. Faculty members also reflected on the cohort’s resilience. Dr Sabiha described the occasion as a “momentous and proud moment,” noting how students evolved into “mature individuals...academically and professionally”. Dr Saidiya pointed to the challenges faced by the cohort. “They started during the Covid pandemic and are now graduating ... they have seen unprecedented times,” she said, adding that these experiences have prepared them to navigate future challenges. Faculty member Vikas Kashid from the Science and Technology Department also reflected on witnessing the institution’s evolution from its earliest days. “This is certainly a very proud moment. I’m seeing them from the very first batch,” he said. Kashid recalled that the campus began operations during the Covid-19 pandemic, bringing unique academic and cultural challenges. “We started with a lot of struggle,” he said, noting that students came from different nationalities, academic systems and educational backgrounds. “We tried to adapt, and somehow they got adjusted with our curriculum and culture,” he said. Despite the early difficulties, he described the journey as deeply rewarding for both students and faculty. “Later on, the journey was really, really amazing. Even if today’s ceremony is very important to us, we also enjoyed the journey with them. That was something very memorable for us,” he said. From a student perspective, Fizah Shiad highlighted the university’s role in bridging theory and practice. “The biggest challenge graduates face is the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-life application. The university gave us both knowledge and opportunities... internships, workshops... to align with real-world demands,” she said. She added that the curriculum aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, enabling students to approach problems from multiple perspectives. Meanwhile, Abdul Nihal described the experience of being part of the first cohort as transformative. “Everything was new, so everything was a challenge. But it helped us become more confident and adaptable,” he said. Now pursuing further studies abroad, he credited the university for building his confidence. “Before, I didn’t have much confidence to present...but the training here helped me become stronger,” he said. As the first cohort graduates, the milestone not only marks the culmination of years of effort but also signals the emergence of a new generation of graduates equipped with the skills, resilience and perspective to contribute to Qatar’s evolving knowledge economy and beyond.
