Qatar strives to emerge as Middle East's intellectual hub

Today's world of science, technology and research can rightly be called a knowledge-crazed one. Every nation, irrespective of her size, state of development or level of wealth, is striving hard to advance in education, science & technology, and via these crucial factors, to realize her dream of development and prosperity.

While some nations have progressed fairly encouragingly in their pursuit of educational excellence, others are lagging behind despite their long awareness of the importance of knowledge. Their inability to achieve excellence in education and research can partly be attributed to factors such as poverty and natural catastrophes. However, factors other than these are usually responsible for the misfortune of nations. One of most instrumental factors of backwardness and poverty is, no doubt, the absence of a wise and sincere leadership.

Qatar, being one of the most blessed portions of the earth, is gifted with enormous natural wealth. It rests on probably the world's largest mass of natural gas, and possesses substantial oil reserves. Fortunately for the people of Qatar, the country has also been gifted with an intelligent and forward-thinking leadership.

Among the many marvels that the Qatari leadership has accomplished over the past one and a half decades is the redevelopment of education in the country. The government has not only succeeded in overhauling and upgrading the pre-existent educational infrastructure and systems but has also hit her strides in introducing a range of new means and possibilities of advancement in the field.

Among these achievements is firstly the creation of the supreme Education Council and its brainchildren – the government-funded 'Independent Schools' and the implementation of 'Annual Assessments' student learning and school performance – in the country. The creation of the SEC can be considered an historic landmark of Qatar and is expected to play a consequential role in the revampment of primary, intermediate and secondary phases of education.

Under the Independent Schools system, the government has taken a hands-off approach as regards the policies, system of instruction, aims and objects, curricula etc. of the schools. Functioning under the four principles of autonomy, accountability, variety and choice, the schools to formulate their own regulations, devise their own strategies and set their own targets.

Secondly, the standardisation of Qatar University – the prime national institution of education – is an important milestone. The university has been brought on par with international universities in infrastructure, facilities, academic programs and systems of instruction. The role of this development for the realisation of higher education and research standards is indispensable.

Thirdly, the establishment of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development and its flagship project – the Education City – is of epoch-setting significance. The Education City in particular bears the greatest amount of hopes. The staggering number of select American universities and other technical and research institutions in the City is bound to open new pathways for the redemption of the 'education dream.'

Lastly, the opening of numerous foreign universities, colleges and training institutes scattered elsewhere in the country is no less momentous as regards the educational uplift of the masses. They are playing their individual roles and are expected to play an increasingly larger part in outshining Qatar as a centre of education, scientific and technological research as well as an epicentre of arts and culture.

These developments have made the national education system and infrastructure truly reflective of the national educational aspirations and requirements by achieving evenness with international standards. Furthermore, the opening of such an overwhelming number of world class institutions with world class facilities and systems has brought Qatar at the forefront of the education race not only among the GCC States but also in the Middle East, North Africa and South and Central Asia.

The emergence of education in Qatar has brightened the opportunities of education tourism for the Peninsula. It has given birth to a potential prospect for Qatar to stand on the same footing as any other educationally advanced country in attracting aspirant students from around the world.

It is, however, notable that to promote Qatar as a sure centre for education tourism for the entire Gulf region and beyond, certain initiatives will be highly desirable. They include efforts to control the spiralling cost of living in Qatar and bringing the current cost of living drastically down. It will make it possible for students from poorer countries to choose the Education City or some other institute instead of opting for a destination elsewhere.

Another important step that will entice students from these regions can include generous aid and education loan packages. As a greater proportion of Qatar's workforce comes from the Middle East and South Asia, prospective students from those regions can be provided with loans on the same terms of serving for a specified period in Qatar as the ones provided to the expatriate population of Qatar. This can be done especially for medical, engineering and other technical spheres of studies whose scope is expected to either rise or remain steady for the next couple of decades. It will be one of the best long term investments and will ensure steady provision of skilled manpower to the monetarily stout nation.