Interview with Acting Director for Higher Education Institute Mr. Mohammed Saleh Al Mannai

Mohammed Saleh Al Mannai became the Acting Director of the Higher Education Institute (HEI) in 2007 . The Higher Education Institute, which is part of the Supreme Education Council, is responsible for helping Qatar’s students prepare for post secondary education and gain admittance to the top colleges and universities around the world. The HEI also manages Qatar’s generous scholarship program.

Mr. Al Mannai joined the SEC after years of distinguished service to Qatar as a Cultural Attaché in the United States and the United Kingdom. He is a noted educational affairs researcher who has strong relationships with university leaders around the world. He participates in many international conferences each year, learning new practices in education and building relationships with important educational leaders. Early in his career, Al Mannai was a teacher. He received his B.A. in English from Qatar University.

Since taking the position of Acting Director, Mr. Al Mannai has been working to make the HEI a valuable resource for Qatar’s students and help develop the next generation of leaders for the nation. He recently sat down with Education for a New Era magazine to discuss the many issues being addressed by the HEI.

Q: What do you see as the main mission for the HEI? What are the most important tasks the Institute performs?
A: The main mission of the HEI is to ensure that Qatari citizens pursue their college and career aspirations by studying at some of the best and most prestigious universities in the world. The HEI also advises and assists students in the application process and supports them during their studies and after graduation.

Q: The HEI has only been in operation since only 2004. How do you assess its performance in such a short period of time?
A: The primary objective of establishing the HEI was to provide opportunities for students to receive the best higher education possible. We provide scholarships to the best universities and colleges in the world to the top students. It is difficult at this point to evaluate the performance of the institute, as it has been functional for only a short period of time. But I believe that there are some efforts that have greatly helped in building a solid foundation and it will soon allow us to do more in the near future.

Q: How do you handle scholarship applications from students in the independent schools?
A: The HEI accepts applications from students in the independent schools. We have a set of standards and meeting those standards is base for dealing with the applications irrespective of the scoring system applied. Many of them already received scholarships to the Education City universities and other universities abroad. The students are studying in fields that will help meet the needs of the local labor market.

Q: How can the HEI be certain it is helping meet Qatar’s future workforce needs?
A: The HEI needs to know the human resource needs of all public organizations in Qatar and then we can list the universities that are offering education in the fields required by those organizations. The HEI will participate in the upcoming career fair which will be held under the patronage of HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in order to communicate with the graduates the needs of the local labor market.

Q: Some students have complained complaining about the counseling services provided by the HEI. What are you doing to address their concerns?
A: In the academic year 2005 - 2006, the Advising and Career Center visited all the independent and MoE schools to offer advice and guidance to prospective students. However, in the academic year 2006 - 2007 the team from the Advising and Career center visited some schools and was unable visit others because many students were engaged in the activities associated with the Asian games 2006.

At the same time, we also conducted a workshop attended by advisors from all independent and MoE schools. This year, the team from the Advising and Career Center will visit all the MoE, independent and private Arabic schools once again.

Q: How many students applied for scholarships from the independent school system?
A: Approximately 51 students from the independent schools applied for scholarships.

Q: Do you think the students from the independent schools will encounter any difficulties seeing that they have a different scoring system?
A: On the contrary, students graduating from the independent school system have earned acceptance into reputable universities. The standards being taught in the independent schools are benchmarked to international standards, which will make it easier for them to gain acceptance in the future.

Q: There are currently no Arab universities on the confirmed list of universities for scholarships. How are you going to deal with the students currently studying in Arab universities and their certification?
A: It goes without saying that we are trying to compile a list of the best universities in the world to complement the overall educational development initiative. The list is constantly being updated according to educational outputs. Students who received scholarships in Arab universities through the MoE will continue their studies and their certificates will be accepted since they were sent for studies through the formal means.

Q: Students often complain about the admission criteria and conditions set by the universities both locally and abroad. How can the HEI assist in this regard?
A: The HEI has no say over the conditions and criteria set by the different universities and any student wishing to study abroad must abide by them. All we can do is provide advice and guidance on career options and assist in the application process.

Q: Is HEI obligated to provide financial assistance for the family of the married students or you are only responsible for the student alone?
A: We abide by the laws and bylaws that govern single and married students studying abroad. HEI is obliged to financially assist the student, his wife and three of his children under the age of 18. The financial benefits given to Qatari students are among the best in the world.

Q: What role does the HEI play in preparing students for the college entrance exams, such as the SAT and ACT?
A: The Advising and Career Center has high-tech test centers that offer students the opportunity to take a number of pre-entry tests like ACT, SAT and iBT TOEFL, which are prerequisites for admission into many international universities. The tests are conducted according to schedules submitted by the international bodies supervising the tests.

Q: What are the specific new programs or initiatives for this year?
A: This year we hope to meet (via satellite) with some of the universities recognized by the HEI; collaborate with the employment sector and ministries to learn their labor needs; work with Qatar National Bank to develop a new system that ensures timely disbursement of funds; and work to prepare a list of world-class universities that complement the needs of the labor market.

Q: What is your plan for next year with respect to the development of scholarship programs?
A: Undoubtedly, Qatar has made rapid progress in the education reform in a short period of time. Qatar has created a world-class system of curriculum standards, student assessments, and school surveys, and much more.

With this mind, the HEI needs to create an internationally competitive scholarship system that will help equip students with the skills they need to be more competitive not only locally but also in the global market. Studies on the development of scholarship programs are underway and will be announced once they are completed.

This year, we hope to increase the number of candidates studying in all fields, especially in those areas that are needed in the labor market.

We are also seeking to develop comprehensive programs to deal with the difficulties our students face while applying for medical courses.