University College London honours 59 students in Qatar

University College London (UCL Qatar), a partner of Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums, honoured its first batch of 59 graduates at an event held at its campus in Education City, the university said Thursday.

The British university based in Doha presented Master's degree to students hailing from 21 countries before an audience of 300 comprising family, faculty and guests from Qatar and the United Kingdom.

Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al-Thani and British Ambassador to the State of Qatar Nicholas Hopton attended the ceremony held at the Georgetown University Building where UCL Qatar is based.

The honourees include 17 Qatari students in the graduating class across Master’s degree programmes in Library and Information Studies, Museum Studies, Archaeology, and Conservation, Diploma in Academic Research and Methods.

UCL Qatar honoured Qatari student Noora Hilal Al Meadadi for her Outstanding Academic Achievement. She received the award for highest attainment in her class, while Stathis Doganis received the Contribution to Student Life award for his efforts to develop the unique UCL student experience in Qatar.

Ambassador Hopton highlighted UK's ties with Qatar in education and culture, where UCL works with its partners Qatar Foundation and Qatar Museums.

UCL Vice Provost for Education and Student Affairs Professor Anthony Smith conferred the students with their degrees.

Students of this year’s graduating class come from 21 countries, including Qatar, Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Greece, Germany, Italy, Poland, Serbia, Sweden, Finland, China, India, Armenia and Panama.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Smith said, "We are proud to see our students going on to pursue doctoral studies, and to begin senior roles in organisations such as the UNESCO, Qatar National Museum, Qatar National Library and the Museum of Islamic Art." UCL Qatar Director Professor Thilo Rehren said, "As London’s Global University, our first graduation ceremony is just a small step in our efforts to continue to bring cultural heritage to the forefront within Qatar and elsewhere in the Arab and Islamic worlds." Congratulating the graduates, Qatar MICE Development Institute Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Hamad Khalifa Hassan Al Naser said, "QMDI is proud to support UCL Qatar in the nations transition towards the creation of a pool of knowledgeable graduates." Student body representatives Sheikha Nouf Mubarak Saif Al-Thani and Btool Hashem Mohamed Al Sayed shared their experiences at UCL Qatar in their speeches.

UCL Qatar is currently accepting applications to all of its Master's degrees and Diploma programmes, for entry August 30, 2015.