Qatar University

Overview

Qatar University (QU) is a public research university situated in Doha, Qatar. It was founded in 1974 and is the only state university in the country. QU’s research activities mostly focus on environment studies and different emerging energy technologies.

The university houses 10 colleges, state-of-the-art research facilities, and several centers that cater to supporting the different academic degrees offered at the institution. Its colleges are the College of Business and Economics (CBE), College of Health Sciences (CHS), College of Pharmacy (CPH), College of Law (LAWC), College of Sharia and Islamic Studies (CSIS), College of Education (CED), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), College of Medicine (CMED), College of Dental Medicine (CDM), and the College of Engineering (CENG).

QU offers academic programs that cover diverse study areas such as business, engineering, law, education, sport science, and medicine. It awards bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 programs including Environment Sciences, Psychology, Management Information Systems, Primary Education, Computer Engineering, and Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Students can also pursue postgraduate studies in almost 30 master's programs. These are Master of Arts in Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Master of Science in Finance, Master of Science in Engineering Management, Master of Law in Private Law, and Master of Arts in Arabic Literature and Language, among others.

QU’s PhD programs are designed to meet the needs of the Qatari society. Students can choose from programs such as PhD in Biomedical Sciences, Doctor of Pharmacy, PhD in Gulf Studies, Graduate Certificate in Environmental Sciences, and PhD in Fiqh and Usul Al-Fiqh. Moreover, the university’s Honors Program provides in-depth studies and academic opportunities for students who meet the strict application and assessment requirements.

QU is also where the Research Complex is located. It is a purpose-built advanced facility dedicated to the university’s efforts in supporting society through research. Several of the research centers found in the complex include the Environmental Science Center, Gas Processing Center, Biomedical Research Center, and the Qatar Transportation and Traffic Safety Center.

Qatar University was established by a decree from the Emir of the State of Qatar in 1973. It grew from having 150 students and four colleges to a lively student body of more than 23,000 and 10 colleges. QU contributes to the “Qatarization” campaign of educating, supporting, and hiring Qatari nationals and to maintain and spread national identity.

A few of the university’s notable alumni include Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) founding chairman, Dr. Yousef Mohammad Al Horr; Qatar Leadership Center managing director, HE Sheikh Dr. Abdulla bin Ali Al-Thani; and Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation president, HE Eng. Essa bin Hilal Al-Kuwari.