QU admission policy reflects mission to develop national competencies: V-P

Qatar Tribune

a day ago

QNA
Doha
Qatar University (QU) Vice-President for Student Affairs Dr. Mohammad Diab emphasised QU's pride in its relationship with the community and its deep commitment to its role in developing national talent capable of effectively contributing to the country's development.
In an interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) on the occasion of approaching fall semester, Dr Diab said that this commitment is reflected in QU's admissions policy, which is based on its mission to build human capital and prepare national talents to support the country's comprehensive development plans, while providing equal, high-quality educational opportunities.
As in all previous semesters, QU successfully accepted all Qatari students who applied for the fall 2025 semester and met the admission requirements. Dr Diab noted that 97 percent of them were accepted into one of their first three choices, reflecting the university's investment in motivating its students and its efforts to ensure they receive a distinguished education and university experience.
Dr Diab pointed out that the number of Qatari students accepted into QU exceeded 4,000, and that no Qatari student who met the admission requirements had their application rejected.
He emphasised the university's commitment to achieving a balance between students' aspirations and higher education trends locally, regionally, and globally, as well as the sustainability of specialisations.
The vice-president for Student Affairs at QU explained that after the university accepted all Qatari students who met the admission requirements for various majors. He added that QU will also allocate the remaining available seats to non-Qataris, including residents and international students, to compete according to the capacity of the colleges and academic programmes.
Dr Diab affirmed that all Qatari students applying for Fall 2025 admission were accepted based on their initial preference, into the Colleges of Business and Economics, Arts and Sciences, Sharia and Islamic Studies, Sport Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy.
He noted that the colleges where the number of Qatari students applying exceeded the total number of available seats were accepted based on one of the preferences they specified in their university admission application, in accordance with the principle of competitiveness.
He explained that the principle of competitiveness for academic seats refers to the comparison of students applying to a college or academic programme when the number of applicants exceeds the programme's capacity.
Dr Diab added that this is a procedure that universities resort to if the number of students applying for admission exceeds the capacity of the college or academic program, whereby students are ranked according to their performance in high school, with the student with the highest academic achievement receiving priority for admission to the college or programme of their choice.
The competitive nature of the current cycle had an impact on a small number of Qatari students who expressed a desire to enrol in programmes where the numbers exceeded the capacity of these programmes, such as medicine and law.
Students who achieved the highest grades in high school were accepted, and the remaining students were then accepted based on their preferences that they had chosen when applying to join the university.
As for non-Qatari students, Dr Diab stated that it is often difficult to accept non-Qatari students at the university due to limited capacity. These students can try again by reapplying and competing for admission in the following semesters.
He pointed out that the principle of competition is applied in two stages. In the first stage, applications for admission from Qatari students are considered. After their admission and placement in the various programmes is completed, applications from non-Qatari students competing for the remaining available seats in colleges and academic programmes are considered.
Dr Diab explained the concept of conditional admission granted to some students, clarifying that it is a preliminary and temporary acceptance, contingent on the student fulfilling a specific requirement set by the university within a defined timeframe.
If the student meets the condition within the specified period, the admission is automatically converted into an unconditional final acceptance, he said, adding that these conditions typically involve submitting official documents or achieving certain scores or levels in standardised tests.
He pointed out that most current cases of conditional admission are related to students who obtained their high school certificates from schools that follow international curricula, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB) or the British system, where final results are usually released after the university's academic term begins.
To avoid delaying the admission process for this category of students, the university evaluates their applications based on predicted grades issued by their schools, and makes admission decisions assuming their final results will not fall below these predicted grades, he said.
'These students are granted conditional admission, with the understanding that they must submit their final results as soon as they are issued, and that these results must not be lower than the grades upon which their admission was based. If the condition is met, the admission becomes final and unconditional. However, if the results are lower than expected, or are not submitted on time, the university will re-evaluate the student's admission,' he explained.
Regarding students' interest in academic majors and how the university balances that with the country's needs, Dr Diab noted that interest in academic programmes varies annually.
However, the university strives to balance students' preferences and aspirations with labour market demands, ensuring the sustainability of academic programmes and providing the market with the necessary qualified professionals.
The QU vice-president affirmed that the university actively encourages Qatari students to pursue academic majors aligned with national priorities, such as medicine, engineering, education, and nursing, stressing that this encouragement is offered through scholarships, sponsorship programmes, school awareness campaigns, and early career guidance.
He noted that the total number of enrolled students at Qatar University for Fall 2025 has reached approximately 30,000 students, spread across various colleges and academic programmes, with Qataris making up around 70 percent of the student body.
Speaking about preparations for the Fall 2025 semester, Dr Diab said that, in line with the university's strategy to provide a leading and stimulating learning environment, a comprehensive plan has been developed to ensure readiness for the new academic term. The plan includes maintaining and preparing classrooms and laboratories to ensure infrastructure readiness; upgrading electronic systems to facilitate student registration and access to university services; and launching a new interactive digital platform for incoming students, featuring smart campus maps, a comprehensive digital guide, and a live chat system with academic advisors.
Additionally, the plan will involve training faculty members on the latest teaching and assessment methods to stay aligned with academic developments, and enhancing student services, including academic advising, psychological and social support, improved food outlets, and organised traffic flow on campus.
Dr Diab emphasised that the university has worked to integrate technology solutions, improve services, and provide an advanced educational environment for both new and continuing students, all aimed at enhancing the student experience from day one.
He stressed that Qatar University has always been and continues to be the academic cornerstone of the community, moving steadily toward academic excellence and alignment with national development goals, while maintaining the highest academic standards, both locally and globally, in line with its responsibility to the nation and society.
He called on both new and current students to seize the opportunity to build their academic and professional futures, noting that the university offers a stimulating environment full of opportunities that supports their ambitions, develops their skills, and prepares them to become active contributors to society and builders of Qatar's future.
He reaffirmed the university's commitment to accompany students on their educational journey step by step toward excellence.