The Community College of Qatar in service agreement with Houston Community College

HE Saad bin Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of the Supreme Education Council (SEC) and Dr. Mary Spangler, Chancellor, Houston Community College (HCC), Houston, Texas, USA today, Monday, May 17, 2010, signed a service partnership agreement that will see Houston Community College develop and institute a fully operational Community College of Qatar (CCQ) by September 2010.

HCC was chosen from among eight U.S. community colleges to develop a custom curriculum and institute a fully operational community college by September 2010.

“The partnership agreement between the CCQ and HCC is an important achievement for Qatar as HCC is well known for its high potential in the diversity of its academic programs and experience of international collaboration with community colleges in Asia and South America and the Arab world at large,” said Dr. Ibrahim Saleh Al Naimi, chairman of the CCQ Steering Committee and the project’s director.

The five-year CCQ-HCC partnership is part of Qatar’s educational reform efforts to continue towards its goal of developing a modern, world-class education system. The reform initiative called Education for a New Era, benefits from the best educational ideas from around the world while weaving those strategies into a unique framework that serves the particular needs and ambitions of Qatar’s own students.

The CCQ plans to open to 300 new students in September 2010. It anticipates enrollment from students who need assistance with English and Math for University transfer; students who are working but would also like to go to college; students who need technical coursework for a job or a better job; and students with degrees who wish to update their knowledge.

“We are pleased to work with CCQ, which like HCC, will further our shared belief that community colleges play a huge role in the development of our global economy,” said Dr. Spangler. “We both recognize the importance of developing a highly trained and globally competitive workforce. We both value the accessibility community colleges provide to higher learning and the opportunity they make available for students who may not otherwise have access to a post-secondary education.”

HCC will initially provide qualified staff and faculty while the CCQ is in development. The CCQ and HCC will work together to create the operating procedures, student policies and hiring practices for the community college. The partners will develop a curriculum designed specifically for Qatari students. Students attending the CCQ will have dual enrollment in HCC for Associate in Arts, Associate in Sciences and Associate in Applied Sciences Degrees. Credits at CCQ will transfer to major universities from around the world.

“This partnership creates possibilities for students in Qatar as they have choices to further their studies in a number of prestigious universities in the USA and Qatar University and Education City after completing a 2-year Associates degree at the CCQ,” said Al Naimi.

The CCQ will provide three degrees: Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Sciences, a two year degree intended to provide education for work in primarily three areas initially – business, technology and energy.

“The accreditation that CCQ will be seeking is the same as that held by HCC and that is being sought by Qatar University - Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS),” said Dr. Judith Hansen, Dean of the CCQ. “With accredited Associate in Arts and Associate in Sciences (AA and AS) Degree/Diploma curriculum articulated to local and national university curricula, students will graduate from CCQ and be able to transfer to universities as a third year student.”

The CCQ will also provide short-term Certificates and Training Courses, specialized training needed for industry jobs and foundation coursework in English, Math and computing.

Student applicants will take entrance exams in English and Math, so that students are placed in courses and programs in which they will be successful.