Doha, Qatar - Wednesday, October 31st 2012 [ME NewsWire]
As Qatar University (QU) has expanded to more than 12,000 undergraduate and post-graduate students this academic year, so even more schemes have been launched to help prepare them to compete with their peers internationally.
The annual Internship and Sponsorship Fair, held earlier this month, is just one example of the interest QU attracts from potential employers. The seventh such fair was the biggest ever, with some 50 organizations represented - from oil and gas to banking and finance, sport, healthcare, education, government, infrastructure and construction, aviation, and telecommunications. The four-day event gave organizations the chance to meet - and snap up for internships and sponsorship – thousands of students from the university. It also allowed students to talk to a number of companies in one place and find opportunities best suited to their skills, experience and ambition.
Haya Al Attiyah, Director of QU’s career service centre, said: “This event makes students aware of how training and on-site placements can prepare them for the world of work as well as strengthen their skills which will add value to their CVs. Employers are keen to hire students who have demonstrated a wider vision for their future than just getting a degree. They want to know that they are employing someone who is invested in their career and who has made the extra effort to gain wider knowledge and experience.”
Aldana Al-Sowaidi from Oryx GTL said the event offered the oil and gas company an unrivalled opportunity to cherry-pick the very best students in Qatar. HSBC’s head of retail banking Kris Werner, said: “It is important for us to provide a strong foundation for young people’s careers. We have no specific targets here – we are just looking for good people. You can’t have too many good staff.”
Meanwhile, undergraduate and post-grad students just returned from a host of international internships have been keen to share their experiences with their peers. Having undergone a rigorous selection process, Pharmacy Masters student Iman Abdelaziz successfully completed a two-month research internship at the University of Alberta, Canada. Her project focused on investigating two proteins that have been shown to play a role in cardiac hypertrophy, a predisposing factor to heart failure. Cutting-edge techniques she learned during her placement are now being incorporated into other research projects at QU.
Dr Mohamed Izham Ibrahim, QU’s College of Pharmacy Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, said: “We plan to send more MSc students to participate in these internships and externships as we are not only growing the future pharmacy leaders of Qatar but also advancing our community service efforts in preparing professionals and experts to provide the very best healthcare.”
ENDS
- About Qatar University:
Qatar University is the first and only national university in Qatar.
Established in 1973, it serves over 12,000 students and offers more than
60 specializations. The organization is committed to providing
high-quality education to Qatari and international students in areas of
national priority. Its academic programs are aligned with established
international standards and best practices. This was achieved through
accreditation of many of its colleges, programs and courses by leading
international accrediting bodies such as ABET and AACSB.
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