Washington: Cultural Attache at the Embassy of the State of Qatar to the United States, Nasser Mohammed Al Nuaimi, has affirmed that the State of Qatar offers comprehensive support to its students studying in the US, noting that the Cultural Office oversees academic and research affairs between the two countries, along with matters related to the professional and academic development of both students and professionals.
Al Nuaimi highlighted the significance of the multifaceted educational, cultural, and healthcare cooperation between Qatar and the US, emphasizing the ongoing efforts to enhance collaboration in these areas. Speaking in an interview with QNA, he said that the Cultural Office serves as Qatars representative in the US under the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, coordinating directly with the ministry and other government entities interested in cultural or educational activities in the US.
He revealed that the number of Qatari students sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Qatar University currently stands at 180, with an additional eight students joining this year from QatarEnergy, affirming intentions to increase the number of Qatari students studying in the US.
He said that as for the Ministries of Defence and Interior, they were in charge of handling the affairs of their students.
Al Nuaimi pointed out that the Cultural Office has a protocol to maintain regular contact with students, with academic advisors checking in biweekly to ensure their academic progress and well-being.
He explained that students often face challenges during their initial adjustment period in the US, especially younger students, and the office provides necessary support to help them acclimate, build a good relationship with them, and help them overcome any academic difficulties, adding that the students of the State of Qatar are good students and have great awareness.
He further noted that Qatari students are primarily concentrated in states like Washington D.C., Virginia, New York, and Maryland, with a focus on enrolling them in high-quality universities.
In the context of educational cooperation between the two countries, Al Nuaimi mentioned the existence of various collaborations, including a US Department of State program that sponsors the recruitment of an academic lecturer from Qatar, covering the expenses for them to pursue advanced degrees at one of the participating universities in the program, and if the individual is in an advanced academic stage, they may also teach at the university.
He stressed that this programme is one of the aspects of educational cooperation between the two countries, in addition to the existence of special cooperation between universities in Qatar, including Qatar University, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Lusail University and Doha University of Science and Technology.
In this context, he pointed out the cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Harvard University to train teachers who take a one-year course in a specific field with a 15-day training period during which participants benefit and acquire new expertise.
Regarding the academic specializations of Qatari students in the US, Al Nuaimi stated that the Ministry of Education launched a new scholarship plan and strategy in January of this year.
