Education City graduating students honored in senior convocation ceremony

. Vision for education reaches another milestone with second Senior Convocation
. HH Sheikha Mozah praises Education City's ""enlightened graduates""
. Education City hailed as one of the world's great centers of learning

Doha, 5 May 2009: Signaling its developing educational vision, Qatar Foundation celebrated for the second time the achievement of its graduating students in a memorable ceremony in Education City.

Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, the ceremony was held on Education City's outdoor Ceremonial Court in front of 4,000 distinguished guests, and included a specially-commissioned video featuring the Education City senior students. 

The convocation celebrated the commencement of nearly 200 students from the six Education City campuses. They included, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar and Qatar Faculty of Islamic Studies, both graduating their first classes. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Texas A & M University at Qatar, and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) all celebrated their second graduation ceremonies. Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar celebrated its eighth batch of graduates.  Looking into the future, Northwestern University in Qatar will graduate its first class of students in 2012.

In her speech, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah said: ""As we celebrate, today, the graduation of 200 young men and women from this country and abroad, we reaffirm the critical role of education in injecting new blood into Qatar society in particular and human society in general."" 

Sheikha Mozah continued: ""Commencement is an essential component of our national development plan, gaining its strength from our national belief that a quality education is the strategic path to achieving sustainable national development.

""Education city graduates are as bright and prepared as their fellow graduates from renowned universities around the world, when provided with the appropriate environment to accomplish their mission,"" she said. ""My message to the second class of Education City graduates is a message filled with thanks and appreciation for the educational institutions and the efforts of their officials."" 

Dr Ahmed Hasna, Associate Vice President for Higher Education, Qatar Foundation, praised the students for, ""rising to the challenge of some of the most testing university programs in the world."" He added: ""Institutions become great by achieving the habit of excellence, and in some ways this convocation is even more significant than the last. We are laying down a tradition that will continue into the indefinite future, symbolizing our new status as one of the world's great centers of learning.""

Dr. Hasna, along with Dr. Mohammad Fathy Saoud, President of Qatar Foundation, presented the graduating students with special graduation rings. To conclude the proceedings and symbolize the great milestone the students had reached, Dr. Hasna presented the key of knowledge to WCMC-Q alumnus, Dr. Jehan Al-Reyahi, who led the senior students through the ceremonial door.


Image Credit: Maher Attar