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QATAR COMMUNITY COLLEGES
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:51 pm    Post subject: QATAR COMMUNITY COLLEGES Reply with quote

Distinguished experts to advise SEC Community College project




Date: 7 June 2009

The Supreme Education Council�s Community College of Qatar project recently contracted with two distinguished experts from the USA to advise its team on aspects relating to planning and developing the college. Dr. David Ponitz, President Emeritus of Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio and Dr. Paul Elsner, Chancellor Emeritus of Maricopa Community College District in Phoenix, Arizona recently visited Qatar to check the status and advise on future steps for the Community College of Qatar.

The basic concept for creating The Community College of Qatar was envisioned by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned. In June 2008, the Supreme Education Council (SEC) Executive Board created a Steering Committee to spearhead the efforts that will translate the vision into a development plan for the institution. The committee has ten very experienced members drawn from diverse constituencies from the educational and �world of work� sectors of Qatar.

Chairing the committee is Professor Ibrahim Saleh Alnaimi, former President of Qatar University; Mr. J. P. Das serves as the Educational Consultant and provides support through and the Community College Project Office. The Steering Committee also drew on the knowledge and experiences of a wide array of experts through three Standing Subcommittees � resulting in very focused recommendations on how this college should interface with high schools, universities and the �world of work� in order to be effective in delivery of programs and services.
The institution is being developed along the lines of the US Community College model and will offer courses of studies leading to Associates Degrees in several fields. The distinguishing feature of the community college is the option that the graduates have of transferring credits earned to complete Bachelor�s degrees in their chosen field/major in universities. They may also choose to join the workforce and continue further studies later.

During their visit, Dr. Ponitz and Dr. Elsner met with a number of leaders in the education sector including the Presidents of Qatar University, Stenden University, CNA-Qatar, and the Deans Council of Qatar Foundation, Executive Director of the Office of Her Highness, and HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education. They consulted with the Steering Committee and the Standing Subcommittees, visited selected schools (where they talked with senior students and faculty) and the QU Foundation Program and the Academic Bridge Program at the Education City. They also paid a courtesy call, by invitation, on HE Joseph LeBaron, the Ambassador of the USA to Qatar. Dr. Ponitz and Dr. Elsner will send a preliminary report outlining future steps to the Steering Committee and plan to return to Qatar soon to continue their support role for the new college development process.

Dr. David Ponitz has a doctorate from Harvard University and his achievements include: Founder President of Washtenaw Community College in Michigan; past Chair of the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); leadership with The League for Innovation in the Community College. He is currently involved with the development of colleges in Vietnam.

Dr. Paul Elsner obtained his doctorate from Stanford University, founded many of the campuses of Maricopa Community College district in Phoenix, Arizona � he currently serves as the Chancellor Emeritus. Among his many achievements: Elsner is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Educational Testing Service (ETS), served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and as President of the Board of Trustees for American College Testing (ACT). He is currently on the Board of a university under development in China
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Source: Gulf Times - By Bonnie James
THE Supreme Education Council is to launch Qatar�s first community college taking the Education for a New Era reform initiative to new heights.
�The objective is to provide opportunities for high school graduates who do not get enough grades to enrol in a university,� Steering Committee chairperson Prof Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi said in an interview.

The Community College of Qatar Project, which had the first meeting of its Steering Committee a few days ago, is moving ahead with three potential launch dates: September 2009, February 2010, or September 2010.
�In the beginning, we are focusing on four streams such as IT, finance and administration, health sciences and oil and gas industry related programmes, with liberal arts courses in the future,� explained al-Naimi.

Given the success of the American community college movement, which educates more than half of that nation�s undergraduates, discussions are on with the American Association of Community Colleges, which represents almost 1,200 two-year, associate degree-granting institutions and more than 11mn students.

�We are also in direct talks with some community colleges in the US to select programmes that could be transferred to Qatar, apart from looking at successful programmes from others parts of the world,� stated the official, who also chairs the Outstanding Schools Oversight Committee at the Supreme Education Council (SEC).

�High school graduates with 70% or more marks stand a chance to enrol in a university in Qatar, but we should understand that there are a lot of students who do not make this grade and subsequently get frustrated,� al-Naimi observed.

�During their two years in the community college, students would be in smaller classrooms where they would get more personalised attention and are groomed to join a university for higher education or the workforce directly,� he said.

Though Qatar University�s Foundation Programme and Qatar Foundation�s Academic Bridge Programme (ABP) now prepare such students for a university education, there is a feeling that they are losing time, the official observed.

�When I was at Qatar University, I have received second year students aged 20 or above, instead of 18 years old, and by the time they graduate, they would be 24 or 25, which is too late a time to join the workforce,� recalled Prof al-Naimi, a former president of Qatar University and a current professor of chemistry.

One of the attempts of the community college project is to shorten the period taken by students for the transitory programmes and enable them to get course credits, some of which could be transferred to a university later.

�We would be having articulation agreements with Qatar University and universities in Education City so that community college graduates would be able to benefit in this regard,� he said.

Companies like Qatar Petroleum, which is represented in the steering committee, would be able to sponsor students at the community college, as they presently do at other educational institutions.

Asked if the proposed community college would be co-educational, Prof al-Naimi maintained that it was yet to be decided.

Referring to the anticipated response to the community college project, Prof al-Naimi pointed out that there were a lot of Qataris who went to the US for education in the 70s and 80s and they had studied in community colleges.

�These individuals are the parents of children who are completing high school now, so they would prefer a community college,� he remarked.
Expatriate students are also to be accepted at the community college, added Prof al-Naimi, who is also the chair of the board of directors at the Doha Interfaith Center for International Dialogue.

The Community College steering committee has the following as members: Abdulla al-Thani (vice president for education, QF), Ahmed Hasnah (associate vice president for higher education, QF) Chuck Thorpe (dean, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar).

The other members are: Miles Lovelace (director, ABP, QF), Khalid al-Ali (director, Foundation Programme, QU), Abdulla al-Sahlawi (manager, corporate training, QP), Mohamed al-Mannai (acting director, Higher Education Institute, SEC), Richard Leete (director, Social Affairs Department, General Secretariat for Development Planning), Harald Jorch (president, College of the North Atlantic-Qatar) and Abdulmajid Abdulghani (director, Research, Policy & Strategic Planning, SEC).

J P Das is the educational consultant to the Community College Project and rapporteur to the Steering Committee.
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One of these colleges is supposed to be built in Rayyan, one in Wakra and one in Al Khor. This is a really good idea. I wonder when they start recruiting? Let's hope they will recruit locally as well as internationally. A lot of Gulagers are interested in applying.
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

wilberforce wrote:

�When I was at Qatar University, I have received second year students aged 20 or above, instead of 18 years old, and by the time they graduate, they would be 24 or 25, which is too late a time to join the workforce,� recalled Prof al-Naimi, a former president of Qatar University and a current professor of chemistry.

Does anyone else find this an odd statement? "...24 or 25..." is too old "to join the workforce." So one is over the hill and unemployable once one reaches the advanced age of 24.... who knew...

VS
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 5:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some of the Gulag students hang around doing nothing for a year or two after they finish high school. The waiting lists for some postsecondary places are long so they just wait until they get accepted. If they don't have the grades, the apply to the Gulag. It's not unusual to have students who start at age 20 or 21.
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wilberforce



Joined: 27 Dec 2008
Posts: 647

PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 8:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.education.gov.qa/Magazine/English/no9/CommunityCollege.pdf


Quote:
The focus of the project is to begin
offering classes by January 2010.
At this time the mission of the
college is envisioned to be threefold:
� General Education/Liberal
Studies (Arts and Sciences,
Humanities and Social Sciences)
programs leading to one-year
certificates and two-year degrees
that are accredited and that
facilitate the transfer of college
credits to universities, applicable
towards Bachelor�s degrees.
� Specialized Programs -
- in fields such as Engineering
Technologies, Medical Studies/
Health Sciences, Information
Technology and Business/Finance
-- These programs will meet the
needs of employers as well as be
transferable to quality universities
to enable students (if they so
desire) to obtain Bachelor�s
degrees.
� Developmental Studies -- that
will strengthen the knowledge and
skills of students to perform well
in basic college- level work, while
enabling them to acquire transferable
credits towards degree programs of
their choice.
To ensure rapid development, the
Steering Committee will report to
the SEC Secretary-General, HE the
Minister of Education and Higher
Education. Chairing the committee
is the former President of Qatar
University (QU). Committee
members are drawn from the
educational leadership of different
sectors of Qatar as well as from
business and financial sectors.
Meetings have been held and
contacts have been established
with several leading American
community colleges and other
global institutions of repute. The
Steering Committee is currently
in the process of meeting with
the leadership of two-year college
organizations, noted experts in
the educational field, and with
the leadership of accreditation/
quality assurance organizations.
Degree equivalence mechanisms
and modalities of articulation
agreements with local and overseas
universities are also being explored.
Overall, the recent study and
findings from other recent studies
in education in Qatar indicate a
very urgent need for a community
college-type of institution in Qatar
to meet the current and emergent
educational and labor market
needs. There is strong support
from local universities. The number
of high school graduates from
all types of schools will increase
steadily and representatives of
major sectors of the world of work
feel that a community college
can successfully prepare students
well for entry-level professional
positions in their fields, while also
equipping them to pursue higher
studies if they choose to do so.
Above all, The Community College
of Qatar will help us continue
towards our goal of developing
a modern, world-class education
system that is purely Qatari both in
principle and in practice.
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freesoul



Joined: 09 Mar 2009
Posts: 240
Location: Waiting for my next destination

PostPosted: Sat Jul 11, 2009 10:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The concept of age and accessibility and/or achievement in this part of the world is very penetrating not only into the social web of the people living here, but also into academia.

On a social level, a girl is not very much wanted or desired if she is over 24-25ish, so she becomes a social burden on her family; a sort of spinster (In Arabic: a'anes). Likewise, it seems that men, to Mr. Alnuami, cab be "career" spinsters. True! But sad.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.education.gov.qa/Magazine/English/no9/CommunityCollege.pdf
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://www.english.education.gov.qa/section/sec/_community_college

The Community College of Qatar


A new initiative to benefit students as they explore colleges and careers
The State of Qatar has been investing a considerable amount of resources in educational change initiatives since the mid-1990s upon the assumption of leadership by HH The Emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani. The goals underlying these changes are to modernize society and to educate Qataris for professions and careers -- while maintaining the cultural heritage and social mores of the nation. It must be noted that the vision for these extraordinary initiatives has come from Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned; and, the newest initiative that is being presented here to potential college-bound students is part of her continuing vision for all aspects of the educational ethos.

To meet the current and emergent educational and labour market needs, our nation is embarking on an exciting initiative to create The Community College of Qatar. Community colleges provide students with both a solid educational foundation and critical job training, so they may pursue either further study at a university or a career in a growing industry upon graduation. The �two-year college� concept that acts as a midway home for students transitioning from secondary school to college/university also has roots in other countries under differing names; the committee will also examine and may adopt key innovations that will suit the educational ethos of this country.

The Community College of Qatar is in the advanced planning stages now. Steps are being taken to acquire and remodel a provisional campus and to work on collaboration agreements with colleges overseas. It is expected that the college will open its doors either in January 2010 (if all planning work is completed) or in September 2010 at the latest. Public announcements will be made in the Qatar media well in advance for potential students to come and explore program requirements and admissions procedures.

Q. What is this new educational initiative?
This new project has the goal of creating The Community College of Qatar which will offer college classes and training programs by early 2010. The Steering Committee appointed in October 2008 by the SEC Secretary-General, HE The Minister for Education and Higher Education, has made considerable progress in planning for the new college to start offering classes in early 2010.

Q. What is a Community College and what are the origins of the educational model?
A community college offers the first two years of classes at the college level. One option for graduating students is continuation of studies in a regular university leading ultimately to a Bachelor�s degree. The other option upon graduation is to enter the work force in his or her field; however, the students may go back later to complete Bachelor�s degrees. The community college model that has evolved over 125 years and guides the missions of 1200+ community colleges in the USA will be used to create The Community College of Qatar; but, variations that suit the environment in the State of Qatar will be adopted.

Q. What is the range of programs that will be offered by the community college?
The Community College of Qatar was authorized on the basis of a report (dated May 25, 2008) presented to the SEC Executive Board chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah. The report outlined some key programs that will form the basis for the new college to start with; other relevant programs may be added as we move ahead.

General Education / Liberal Studies (Arts and Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences) programs leading to one-year certificates and 2-year degrees that are accredited and that facilitate the transfer of college credits to universities, applicable towards Bachelor�s degrees.

Specialized Programs -- in fields such as Engineering Technologies, Medical Studies / Health Sciences, Information Technology and Business / Finance � that will meet the needs of employers as well as be transferable to quality universities to enable students if they so desire to obtain Bachelor�s degrees.

Developmental Studies / Workforce Training Programs and Services -- that will strengthen the knowledge and skills of students to perform well in basic college level work, while enabling them to acquire transferable credits towards degree programs of their choice; simultaneously, the college will use its faculty, laboratories, workshops and programmatic expertise, and work closely with business and industry � to train and continually retrain their workers to keep them abreast of emergent knowledge and skills in their field.

Q. What will be very special in this college environment and in the services to students?
Ties are being explored for collaboration with outstanding colleges and programs in the US. Efforts have already begun to look at accreditation for programs to be offered and to meet international standards. Above all, the community college is noted for instruction in small groups, for individual attention to the learning needs of student, and above all, to meet the needs of college-bound students who must be provided with encouragement and support in a homely environment in order to succeed in college.

We extend a warm welcome to you from the Community College Project Office as you explore colleges and careers in the months ahead. For more information please contact the Advising & Career Development Center at the following numbers: 4560710 / 4560730.
The Community College Project Office at 494-1514
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lukey



Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 68

PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:02 pm    Post subject: CNAQ? Reply with quote

Is this for real? No mention of CNAQ which offers exactly the same programs. What is the future of that institution? And start in January 2010 - laughable Very Happy
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helenl



Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202

PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

They just adverstised for senior admin positions and the director last week - they won't be starting in January.

Seems they're making similar mistakes that most tertiary institutions have made here - transferring a model that works in the West without considering the variables at play in the GCC - hang on, should be a bumpy ride!
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 2:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Deja vu all over again... Rolling Eyes

VS
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Tue Dec 01, 2009 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They've started building some of the new colleges so maybe one or two will actually be ready for September. And yes they have started advertising for management positions. SEC is a notoriously fickle organization which constantly changes plans, policies, consultants and staff.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:53 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

www.education.gov.qa

[email protected]

They need management types.
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lollaerd



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 337

PostPosted: Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:33 pm    Post subject: Community Colleges to open in September Reply with quote

Community College to offer associate degrees
The Community College of Qatar (CCQ), due to open in September this year, will be co-educational, and offer Associate�s Degree recognised inside and outside Qatar.The college will initially start with two-year Occupational /Technology Degree Programmes that are not offered elsewhere in Qatar.The courses will lead to Associate Degrees in construction engineering, surveying technology, finance, and communication/media, according to the Supreme Education Council (SEC).
They are intended to meet the current and emergent educational and labour market needs.As of the second year, the CCQ will offer liberal arts programmes that qualify students, after earning the associate degree, to transfer to a university to continue their bachelor degree programmes inside or outside Qatar.

The CCQ is to provide students with a solid educational foundation and critical job training, so they may pursue either further study at a university or a career in a growing industry upon graduation.The �Community College� model that has evolved over 125 years in the US, embracing more than 1,200 colleges, will be adopted to establish the CCQ with some adaptations to fit Qatari society, SEC has said.Articulation agreements between CCQ and universities will provide the opportunity for CCQ graduates to apply credits earned for the Associate�s Degree toward their Bachelor�s Degree requirements.
During its early phase of establishment, the CCQ will be under the umbrella of the SEC. English will be the medium of instruction, with Arabic being certainly used for Arabic classes.Accepted students will take an English placement test to determine their level of English and English courses will be tailored to meet the needs of each student.
The minimum requirement for admission is Qatari General Secondary School Certificate or its equivalent. English language tests (such as iBT, TOEFL or IELTS) or standardised tests (such as the SAT or ACT) are recommended but not required. Sitting for these tests will exempt students from the college admission test.
Admission to the CCQ will be based on admission tests in English, Arabic, maths, sciences and computer, in addition to an interview.
The CCQ is open for Qataris and non-Qataris with priority given to Qataris. The college will be free for Qataris whereas non-Qataris will pay tuition fees.It is expected that the college will accept 300 students for the first year. This number will increase gradually in the coming years.
Students who have taken any previous university courses may be considered on a case-by-case basis in compliance with the entry requirements of the CCQ.

Most classes will be offered during the day, although there is a possibility of some classes being conducted in the evening. However, students are expected to be enrolled on a full-time basis and be able to take their required classes whenever they are offered.Those who are currently employed and would like to enrol will need to obtain the approval of their employers to allow them to attend the courses as scheduled.The CCQ will conduct orientation sessions for companies and potential student sponsors in order to explain what the CCQ can offer and the benefits they can obtain. These sessions will also assist them in determining the mechanism of accepting their potential students.
Articulation agreements will be made with the universities in Qatar including Qatar University regarding credit transfer from CCQ, taking into consideration that each university has its own entry requirements that the student needs to fulfil.Admissions will be done twice yearly prior to each semester. The college will provide opportunities for those currently employed, but who did not have the chance to complete their secondary school certificate by enrolling them in special vocational and technical training programmes that will help them in their workplaces.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=356626&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16


Last edited by lollaerd on Sat Apr 24, 2010 4:41 pm; edited 1 time in total
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