His Highness the Father Amir and Her Highness attend 2016 Qatar Foundation Convocation

His Highness the Father Amir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation (QF), attended the 2016 edition of Convocation today, which was held at the Qatar National Convention Centre.

Joining the celebrations was Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairperson of QF, who, as a graduating student, was awarded an Executive MBA from HEC Paris.

In her address to fellow 2016 graduates, Her Excellency Sheikha Hind said: “Qatar Foundation embodies a developed educational infrastructure that, through its impact, supports the Qatar National Vision. We are currently witnessing the effect of QF’s graduates in the labour market.”

“I am delighted to be taking part in this year’s Convocation ceremony alongside you. I congratulate each of you for fulfilling your hopes by being part of this new batch of graduates who are supporting the nation. Your ambition and determination makes us truly believe that you are at the vanguard of the prosperous future we aspire to achieve.”

“This is a very special moment in our lives, as we transition from the classroom to the workplace,” she continued. “After we graduate, we must not stop learning and seeking fulfilling experiences. We must continue to keep up with the latest knowledge in our chosen fields.”

Concluding her speech, Her Excellency emphasised the importance of seizing opportunities for creativity and innovation, and encouraged students to continue moving forward in their quest for knowledge acquisition.

Shoaib Rashid, a popular blogger, entrepreneur and YouTube presenter, delivered this year’s Convocation keynote address, illustrating the importance of Digital Culture in the current global environment. In today’s ‘connected world’, he is an inspiring example to youth of someone who has embraced, and continues to prosper in, a society that increasingly relies on technology, innovation and social media.

Mr Rashid delivered an inspiring speech in which he stressed the importance of expending the utmost efforts to succeed, regardless of the obstacles that may be faced. He also emphasised the importance of continuing to develop, both personally and academically, in order to support the wider community.

“It is your responsibility to contribute to society by reinvesting the extraordinary skills and talents which we are here to celebrate today,” he told the Class of 2016. “Not only will this make a positive contribution to your workplace, but it will strengthen the unity and success of the wider community.” Concluding his address, Mr Rashid said: “I would like to congratulate each and every one of you today on your graduation.”

During the ceremony, QF’s 2016 Excellence Award was presented to three students in recognition of their contributions to the campus, the local and international community, as well as their outstanding academic performance. The recipients, who have shown exemplary character, skill and commitment throughout their time at QF, were announced as Hissa Al Noaimi from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar; Sana Zeenal Britto from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar; and Vignesh Shanmugam from Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar.

The Convocation ceremony also featured a short film, which included testimonies from the graduates and highlighted a selection of the Class of 2016’s achievements and accomplishments, as well as a group photo. Her Highness Sheikha Moza then honoured the graduates by bestowing graduation rings, commemorating their time at Education City, accompanied by the Deans of their respective universities.

At the culmination of the event, the fresh graduates passed through the ‘Door to the Future’, a symbolic passage denoting the journey from education to professional life serving Qatar and the wider world.

This year’s Convocation honoured graduates from Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar (WCM-Q), Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q), HEC Paris in Qatar, University College London in Qatar (UCL Qatar), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (GU-Q), and Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQatar).

Since 2008, QF has collectively celebrated the graduation of students from its partner universities based in Education City, commemorating the achievements of its graduates who will further Qatar’s long-term progress. By investing in the nation’s most important asset - its people - QF is playing a vital role in the advancement of human development to sustain social and economic prosperity.