Higher Education May 2018 Supplement

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Special Supplement Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Qatar’s Private Sector ready to invest in Education

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he recent survey on the initiative to rent public schools to the private sector revealed the desire of the Qatari private sector and its readiness to invest in education. Qatari companies ranked first among the companies participating in the survey and accounted for 54.3% of the size of the sample of investors, followed by companies with foreign partnerships then foreign companies. The survey was conducted by the technical group of the Ministerial Group for the Encouragement and Participation of the Private Sector in the Economic Development Projects of Qatar. Qatari and foreign investors participated through an online questionnaire on the website of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Qatar Chamber.

The results of the survey revealed the readiness of the private sector to provide all the requirements of educational projects including teachers, technical capabilities, finance and risk management, and to contribute to improve the quality of education and its outputs and other requirements by a readiness rate exceeding 87%, which indicates the Qatari private sector’s interest and its desire to play a greater role in promoting education and achieving the goals of Qatar National Vision, in light of the advantages offered by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to the private sector represented in school buildings, customs exemptions and exemption from electricity and water expenses and other benefits. According to the survey, Al-Khor city accounted for 45.7% of the

sample of investors, as the most attractive region for investment in education, followed by Al-Shahaniya by 28.6%, Mesaieed by 22.9% and Doha by 2.9%. The results of the survey showed investors’ interest and preferences in investing in schools that deal with all levels of education by 37.1% of the sample size, followed by schools that deal with nursery and primary education by 34.3%, and primary and preparatory schools by 14.29%.

and to give priority to companies that provide all stages of the school initiative. The results of the survey also showed that investors prefer empty schools which are ready for utilisation in comparison with those that need to be developed. (Info courtesy: www.edu.gov.qa)

Concerning the needed curriculum by the regions, the American curriculum came at the top of the desired list, followed by the national curriculum, while the British curriculum came at the top of the desired curriculums in the initiative to allocate land to the private sector, followed by the Indian curriculum. These curriculums are designed to meet the needs of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and parents and their choices in light of the cultural diversity that characterizes the State of Qatar, as residents from different nationalities come with their own cultural background and scientific and academic aspirations. According to the results of the survey, investors expressed interest in long-term leases of five years or more to reduce operating costs and reduce tuition fees, while 84% of them agreed with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education’s procedures of one envelope system in accordance with the provisions of tenders and auction law. Investors also expressed satisfaction with the Ministry’s procedures regarding the start of collection of rental value with the start of schools and in conjunction with the collection of tuition fees.

Supplement Team

Director-Marketing

James John

Supplement Editor

Sudip. N.

Sr. Business Development Manager

Advertisement Graphics

Layout Graphics

Printed by

Sanjai Noah

Majeed Nadapuram

Renju Varghese

Raya Commercial Printing Press

Investors recommended that priority be given to investment in education for Qatari companies and private schools that deal with the national curriculum and the need to continuously conduct surveys for the private sector on educational policies,

New Doha-based academic programmes take you to a UK university degree explains David Meaton, the City College Principal. The College is licensed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and offers six internationally accredited programmes in Business Studies: General Business, HR Management, Finance, Entrepreneurship, Operations Management, and Marketing. Students are also supported with individually tailored bridging courses in language, computer studies, study skills and research skills to help them attain the standard necessary to compete with the best. “We are ready to provide our students with opportunities to develop skills that will really apply in their future, whether they are already working and want to specialise and gain positions in Management, or whether they have just finished high school” explains Mr. Meaton. “Students now do not need to travel overseas for their studies, and can be interviewed and recruited here in Doha for their international degree.”

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ow open in Qatar, City College is a new, Qatari-owned, higher education institution offering Business programmes to all students in Qatar. The programmes lead to a Bachelor’s degree through the College partner, the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Students can study in Doha for the first two years of the degree, by taking a Business Diploma, thereby saving them considerable cost, time and effort as they do not

need to travel overseas. The Diploma is internationally recognised. Students then gain entry into the final year at Portsmouth or up to 700 other universities worldwide. “Our mission is to prepare students for their future in a flexible manner. Students have more options with us. Our Diploma is work-orientated and recognised by employers for management positions, as well as by universities for those students who would like to complete their degree”

City College has an arrangement with the University of Portsmouth in south England giving students at City College preferential entry onto top-up and Honours degrees, depending on their grades. Portsmouth is a small and attractive city by the sea that is popular with Qatari students and within easy reach of London. Portsmouth University has received awards from the Teaching Excellence Framework in the UK for the quality of its teaching and the student experience. City College will be signing more partnerships with in future to give students even more options, including institutions based in Qatar.

Licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education


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