Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation (ALF Foundation) honoured the winners of the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award for the academic year 2023-2024.
The award, organised by the foundation for the 18th consecutive year in collaboration with the College of Education at Qatar University, took place in the presence of HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim bin Faisal Al Thani, chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees and chairman of the Board of Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation; Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and a member of the Award’s Board of Trustees.
Also in attendance were Dr Omar bin Mohammed Al Ansari, president of Qatar University; Dr Salem bin Nasser Al Nuaimi, president of Doha University for Science and Technology; Dr Khaled Al Hurr, president of the Community College; Engineer Abdullatif Ali Al Yafei, general manager of Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation; Dr Asmaa Abdullah Al Attiya, dean of the College of Education at Qatar University, and Mona El Helbawi, general manager of the Education, Culture and Sports Sector at Al Faisal Holding, ARIES Cluster.
The ceremony witnessed distinguished guests from outside Qatar, including Dr Amr Ezzat Salama, secretary-general of the Association of Arab Universities, and deans of education colleges from universities in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, as well as Morocco, and individuals interested in educational research.
HE Sheikh Faisal welcomed the attendees, honoured winners and guests, and expressed his commitment to supporting and sustaining the award.
He emphasised the goal of positioning the award among distinguished global educational prizes that contribute to educational and scientific benefits within and outside Qatar, aligning with the vision of the foundation and Qatar National Vision 2030. He also stressed that the award encompasses the entire Arab world, allowing researchers and educators from all Arab countries to participate, enriching the educational library with quality scientific research.
The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and a member of the Award’s Board of Trustees highlighted the importance and impact of the award on the educational and teaching process.
He congratulated the winners of the eighth edition, thanking Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani for his dedication and support, as well as the efforts of the Board of Trustees, the Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation team and the College of Education at Qatar University.
He commended their efforts in transitioning the award from local to Arab and eventually global recognition. QU president affirmed the efforts made in the award over the past years.He expressed his satisfaction with Qatar University, represented by the College of Education, for supporting the award.
He highlighted the university’s commitment to benefiting education students by applying best practices in the educational field during their studies.
He added, “The Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award is considered a societal and Arab appreciation for the value of educational research and its role in building and developing human capabilities. It lays the foundation for a continuous future vision that supports the sustainability of educational research in the field of education.”
On his part, Engineer Yafei expressed delight at honouring the winners and the distinguished presence of deans of education colleges from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and the Arab world.
He added that the foundation always prioritises supporting educational and scientific research programmes in alignment with the vision of HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, the founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
On her part, Dr Asma Abdullah Al Attiyah, dean of the College of Education at Qatar University, said: “The College of Education always emphasises encouraging educational research in its various fields. The college seeks to enhance the culture of educational research through partnerships and collaboration between different educational institutions within and outside the country. One distinctive ongoing partnership is between the college and the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Foundation (ALF Foundation), which has been presenting the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award since 2016. What sets this edition apart is the victory of two undergraduate students from the College of Education, securing the first and second places in the university students’ category.”
Dr Salama expressed his satisfaction with participating in the Sheikh Faisal Educational Research Award ceremony for the second consecutive year.He noted that research from education colleges contributes to the preparation of a new generation based on genuine scientific research.
Dr Osman Al Munea, dean of the College of Education at King Saud University in Saudi Arabia, expressed his pleasure at attending the ceremony honouring the winners of the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award.
He emphasised the award’s significance in the Gulf region, considering it as a developmental prize aimed at advancing educational research, recognizing its importance, impact, and reflections on the educational and academic fields, ultimately benefiting society.
He highlighted the award’s expansion from the Gulf level to the Arab countries, providing a blend and continuity in research, resulting in a beneficial mix for the educational process. Such awards motivate researchers to present their research, offering annual benefits not only to Qatar but to the entire Arab world.
Dr Issa Mohammed Al Bahlani, dean of the College of Education at Kuwait University, expressed pride and honour in being invited to attend the distinguished award ceremony for the eighth edition.
Dr Saleh bin Salem Al Busaidi, dean of the College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University, described the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award as one of the leading awards in the Arab region.He emphasised its substantial contribution to enriching educational scientific research, disseminating knowledge, and addressing important educational issues.
Dr Amal bint Muhammad Al Hadabiyya, assistant professor in the Psychology Department at Sultan Qaboos University, who secured the second position in the Academics category, thanked Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation and Qatar University’s College of Education for providing the opportunity to participate in the award.She highlighted the award’s support for scientific and educational research, promoting a transition from local to regional and global levels.
Dr Munir Saleh, assistant professor at the University of Bahrain, who secured the third position in the Academics category, considered the award as a call to enhance efforts in scientific and educational research, contributing significantly to the Arab world.
Dr Raed Otaik Al Zahrani, the first-place winner in the Graduate Students category, expressed his joy at participating in the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Educational Research Award. His research focused on the impact of English language learning in the Saudi dialect. He thanked Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani, Al-Faisal Without Borders Foundation, Qatar University’s College of Education and the judges for their contributions.
Dr Mohammed bin Ali Al Kharizi, head of Educational Planning and Development at the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia, who secured the second position in the Teachers and Leaders category, thanked Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani for dedicating an award to educational research on an Arab level.
Dr Duaa Mohammed Ismail Wahba, director of Training Programmes at the National Training Institute in Palestine, who won the second position in the Graduate Students category, represented Palestine in the award.
She expressed her gratitude to the organizers for their efforts, emphasising the significance of the award in promoting educational research that underlies nations’ progress.
Dr Nasreen Al Jaafar, the first-place winner in the Teachers and Leaders category, considered the Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Educational Research Award as a motivator for educational research and researchers in general.
She highlighted its role in serving the educational process, the educational system and finding solutions to challenges faced by teachers and students, ultimately improving knowledge quality in ways that benefit both researchers and the educational system.
Tribune News Network
