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In a major initiative to promote cultural identity as well as Arabic language and connect it with global academic standards, Qatar Foundation (QF) has launched the accreditation framework for its innovative programme, Rasekh.At a forum held at Multaqa Sunday at Education City, Sheikha Noof Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, vice-president (Strategic Educational Initiatives) at the QF’s Pre-University Education (PUE), announced the details of the initiative.The QF also introduced the first cohort of participating institutions from Qatar and the wider region, which will serve as a foundation for Rasekh’s future expansion.The event ‘Rasekh Strategic Forum’ was attended by QF chief executive Yousif al-Naama, PUE president Abeer al-Khalifa, private international school leaders, and local and global education partners.Rasekh works to align international curricula with the local context, integrate core values into daily school life and channel innovation toward community needs and local challenges while supporting schools in promoting Arabic as a language of learning and knowledge development.Speaking at the event, Sheikha Noof said: "Rasekh represents a practical step forward in the development of international education in Qatar.”“It looks at educational quality from a broader perspective, encompassing not only what students learn, but how they perceive themselves within that learning, and their connection to their language, environment, and values,” she said.The official said that the QF has established a framework that supports international schools in implementing global standards in the local context, and brings the educational experience closer to the student's life.“We want the international education experience to provide students with a strong foundation of belonging and confidence, empowering them to contribute to their communities and interact with the world consciously and capably," she explained.The new phase also saw the launch of the awareness campaign “Roots”, designed to bring the message of Rasekh closer to the community through a symbolic image that reflects how the initiative promotes language, instils values, and consolidates identity.The campaign has three main messages: “Roots that Empower the Arabic Language”, “Roots that Instill Values”, and “Roots that Nurture Identity”, with an official slogan, *Toward an Education That Deepens Roots and Creates Impact.Featuring contemporary Arabic visual identity, Roots’s digital materials are intended to make Rasekh’s message resonate with parents, students, and the wider community.The forum brought together school leaders and international educational institutions to discuss how Rasekh accreditation provides schools with a practical, measurable roadmap for aligning the education they offer with their local context without compromising global academic standards.Maryam al-Hajri, executive director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at the PUE, gave a presentation on the initiative as a whole.The forum also featured a panel discussion with Farida Aboudan, head of Education Sector at Unesco Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen; Mary Tadros, IB Development & Recognition senior manager for Africa, Europe and the Middle East; Fatima Hassan Fadlallah, Qatar country manager, Partnership for Education, at Cambridge University Press and Assessment' and Samia Bishara, managing director of Tarsheed.Rasekh’s first cohort of schools include: QF schools; Al Maha Academy for Boys, Al Maha Academy for Girls, Al Jazeera Academy, Arab International Academy in Doha, Arab International Academy in Lusail, Amman Baccalaureate School in Jordan, and Houssam Eddine Hariri High School in Lebanon.This inaugural cohort will help to build applied models demonstrating how international schools can adopt the framework to elevate educational quality, strengthen school character, and improve student outcomes. 

Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education ( PUE) welcomed approximately 220 new teachers, at its annual induction day. The event provided an overview of QF’s education system, as well as opportunities to connect with colleagues from across its schools.The induction showcased QF’s mission, programmes, and initiatives, aiming to help new teachers integrate smoothly into the workplace and feel part of a collaborative and professional learning community.Mehdi Benchaabane, executive director of QF’s International Baccalaureate Schools within PUE, emphasised that joining QF is not only about becoming part of a workplace, but also about contributing to an educational vision established more than three decades ago, with a firm belief in the power of education to unlock human potential.“QF’s mission is reflected in building generations and shaping the future of the nation and the world, by committing to understanding students, embracing their aspirations and cultural values, and supporting them in facing challenges and discovering their potential.”Benchaabane noted that what distinguishes QF’s PUE is that it is an integrated system of fifteen academies and programmes, each with its own identity yet united by one mission. “The strength of this system lies in its diversity, with schools spread across local communities and the cultural and intellectual heart of Doha, specialising in fields including science, music, leadership, and inclusive education,” he said.“The diversity of QF’s schools gives them greater strength and flexibility, contributing to the creation of an integrated educational system enriched by resources, ideas, and innovation, and providing every student with a place to belong and an opportunity to grow, regardless of their background or abilities.Benchaabane stressed that QF’s institutions and educational programmes embody a strong commitment to inclusion, explaining that the quality of any education system is measured not only by how well its top students perform, but also by how effectively it supports those facing learning challenges. Addressing the teachers directly, he said: “Your role is not limited to delivering the curriculum; it goes beyond that to being mentors and guides, and sometimes the only voice that gives a student confidence in themselves.“The way you welcome them, the expectations you set, and the trust you build with them are all factors that determine not only what the student learns, but also who they will become in the future.”