1 week Ago By Qatar Tribune
Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha At Education City, the academic experience is not determined by the number of courses or exams, but rather by lasting impact it has on its students. For many Qatar Foundation (QF) graduates, the journey is not a solitary one, but rather a shared family experience. Siblings attend the same classrooms, mothers-turned-alumni now work alongside their children, and family gatherings are filled with conversations about QF – a shared experience that unites multiple generations within the same family and reflects the longevity of QF, which this year is marking 30 years since its establishment.
Al Johara Abdulla K. Al Thani is among the members of QF’s Class of 2025 who, in graduation season, reflects on how QF has brought her family together. She began her educational journey at Qatar Academy Doha – part of QF’s Pre-University Education – and is now preparing to graduate from QF partner university Northwestern University in Qatar.
Her sister graduated from Qatar Academy Doha in 2023, and her two younger brothers are currently enrolled there. Their mother, too, is a graduate of a QF partner university. “Although my mother graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar [VCUarts Qatar] in 2006, she often shared stories with us as we got older,” she says.
“When she used to pick us up from school, we’d drive past her university and she would say ‘This is where I started university, and that’s where I had my textile class or art history class’. That’s how the stories would start. “Back then, those small details didn’t mean much to me as a child, but now, I walk through the same hallways, every corner has a story and a special impact.
My mother often says that VCUarts Qatar opened real doors in fashion, and that stayed with me. Now, as a student myself, I see how much Education City offers. What makes it special is that we’re two generations learning in the same place.
” “Having grown up within QF, I’ve experienced the full journey from childhood to university within the same ecosystem. The access to world-class universities right here in Doha gave my entire family – my mother, my sister, and now my siblings – the opportunity to grow, explore, and build our futures without needing to leave home. “As a graduate, I can confidently say QF shaped me.
I hope the next generation of my family will experience the same journey in a place that is like a second home.” Al-Thani’s story is just one of many, and is mirrored by that of Alya Majid Sultan Al Issa, who this year graduates from Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), a QF partner university. Her QF journey began when she was just four years old, at Qatar Academy Doha.
Her sister graduated from Northwestern Qatar; her two cousins and her sister-in-law from fellow QF partner university HEC Paris in Qatar; and her older brother was among Qatar Academy’s first graduating class. Several of her cousins have studied at VCUarts Qatar since the early 2000s, and today some of her family members work there. “QF is a common topic at our family gatherings,” she says.
“Even our daily routines often revolve around QF, whether it’s having coffee in Education City or attending QF events together. During her years at CMU-Q, Al Issa explored both athletics and entrepreneurship; co-founded, with her sister, her own jewellery store; and participated in several marathons. “QF gave me the skills and support to turn passion into reality,” she says.
Kareem Khazaal, a law student graduating in 2025 from QF’s Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), believes that QF has never been just an educational institution, but rather “an integrated community.” “My family and I feel a sense of belonging to this community deepen as we reflect on how each of us has had a unique educational experience within the QF ecosystem, and how this diversity has shaped our paths and made us who we are today,” he says. Khazaal’s mother worked for years at Texas A&M University at Qatar, a QF partner university, before moving to HBKU; and three of his brothers also graduated from QF partner universities.
Khazaal earned his degree from Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q), a QF partner university, and is currently pursuing graduate studies in law. “We often talk at home about our experiences at QF, the challenges, the lectures, and the efforts of my mother working behind the scenes,” he says. “Our conversations, memories, and future aspirations remain linked to QF’s vision.
” Khazaal credits QF’s support and his professors’ belief in him, expressing his desire to give back by mentoring HBKU law students in international competitions. “What sets QF apart is the sense of community – it creates a lasting cycle of support and belonging,” he says. Asmaa Salah, a fellow member of HBKU’s Class of 2025, describes her family’s experience at QF as enriching, with her husband working and studying within Education City at the same time as she pursued her degree.
“We have formed a deep bond with this place that goes beyond the classroom,” she says. “Living in Education City has given us a sense of belonging. Even the small daily details, like riding the tram in the morning and passing my husband on the way, are simple moments that demonstrate the harmony of our lives within a supportive and cohesive environment.
“QF has been more than a place of learning – it inspired us to align our goals and stay true to our values. It deepened our bond as a couple and gave us a shared sense of purpose within a community we truly belong to.” Now Salah looks forward to continuing her academic and personal growth within the QF environment.
“As a student, I strive to make the most of my time at HBKU, using my knowledge and experiences to contribute meaningfully to my field and to society,” she explains. “QF has already given us so much. We hope to give back even more, and to continue learning and growing together.
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