Qatari College introduces new courses

Qatar University’s College of Engineering (CENG) has announced the launch of new Masters’ degree programmes in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering The new degrees, scheduled to start in Fall this year, are an addition to the postgraduate programmes launched by the college last year, namely Masters’ in Computing,  Engineering Management, Environmental Engineering, Urban Planning, and a Ph D in Engineering. Commenting on the new degrees, CENG dean Dr Mazen Hasna said: “Our aim is to produce a new generation of engineers and scientists to generate new research initiatives in the academic, public and private sector to support the progress of all organisations in Qatar since graduates of such programmes will help build a modern community based on knowledge.” Dr Hasna noted that the College of Engineering has more than 1,400 students in different departments and 96 faculty members who are involved in research initiatives whose value reach $90mn, which helps the college to successfully lead its postgraduate programmes. Meanwhile Qatar University has been awarded international accreditation for its undergraduate and Masters programmes in Environmental Science in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). The BSc in Environmental Science is being offered since September 2008 and the MSc programme enrolled its first students in Fall 2011. The university is the first in the Middle East to be accredited by both the Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences (CHES) and the Institute of Environmental Sciences (IES) UK. The award is the culmination of a 15-month process which began in March 2011. Although, as a rule, CHES accredits only honours and graduate programmes, an exception was made for QU’s BSc Environmental Science course because of its rigorous nature, which puts it at the same level as an honours programme in other universities. Head of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Dr Hamda Abdulla al-Naemi described the achievement as the result of a long process of hard work, characterised by the desire to engender in the young generation an appreciation of the importance of the fragile environment. “By giving them the necessary tools - capability, confidence, a caring attitude and ensuring they are well educated - we hope they will take on the responsibility of looking after our environment for future generations.” CAS dean Dr Eiman Mustafawi said that being able to offer these internationally-recognised programmes is in line with QU’s vision of becoming a model national university. “Our programmes have always been equipped with high-calibre staff, world-class facilities and equipment and most importantly, passionate students who are determined to become the region’s environmental leaders of tomorrow, and I am confident that they will be.” CHES, founded in 1991, is the collective voice of the UK Environmental Sciences academic community. It is an active networking organisation for all those involved in environmental programmes within UK higher and further education and facilitates co-operation and collaboration between relevant bodies within the UK and internationally. It works closely with the Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES) and also has links with similar organisations in North America and across Europe.