Distinguished experts to advise SEC Community College project

The Supreme Education Council’s Community College of Qatar project recently contracted with two distinguished experts from the USA to advise its team on aspects relating to planning and developing the college. Dr. David Ponitz, President Emeritus of Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio and Dr. Paul Elsner, Chancellor Emeritus of Maricopa Community College District in Phoenix, Arizona recently visited Qatar to check the status and advise on future steps for the Community College of Qatar.

The basic concept for creating The Community College of Qatar was envisioned by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned. In June 2008, the Supreme Education Council (SEC) Executive Board created a Steering Committee to spearhead the efforts that will translate the vision into a development plan for the institution. The committee has ten very experienced members drawn from diverse constituencies from the educational and “world of work” sectors of Qatar.

Chairing the committee is Professor Ibrahim Saleh Alnaimi, former President of Qatar University; Mr. J. P. Das serves as the Educational Consultant and provides support through and the Community College Project Office. The Steering Committee also drew on the knowledge and experiences of a wide array of experts through three Standing Subcommittees – resulting in very focused recommendations on how this college should interface with high schools, universities and the “world of work” in order to be effective in delivery of programs and services.
The institution is being developed along the lines of the US Community College model and will offer courses of studies leading to Associates Degrees in several fields. The distinguishing feature of the community college is the option that the graduates have of transferring credits earned to complete Bachelor’s degrees in their chosen field/major in universities. They may also choose to join the workforce and continue further studies later.

During their visit, Dr. Ponitz and Dr. Elsner met with a number of leaders in the education sector including the Presidents of Qatar University, Stenden University, CNA-Qatar, and the Deans Council of Qatar Foundation, Executive Director of the Office of Her Highness, and HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education. They consulted with the Steering Committee and the Standing Subcommittees, visited selected schools (where they talked with senior students and faculty) and the QU Foundation Program and the Academic Bridge Program at the Education City. They also paid a courtesy call, by invitation, on HE Joseph LeBaron, the Ambassador of the USA to Qatar. Dr. Ponitz and Dr. Elsner will send a preliminary report outlining future steps to the Steering Committee and plan to return to Qatar soon to continue their support role for the new college development process.

Dr. David Ponitz has a doctorate from Harvard University and his achievements include: Founder President of Washtenaw Community College in Michigan; past Chair of the Board of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); leadership with The League for Innovation in the Community College. He is currently involved with the development of colleges in Vietnam.

Dr. Paul Elsner obtained his doctorate from Stanford University, founded many of the campuses of Maricopa Community College district in Phoenix, Arizona – he currently serves as the Chancellor Emeritus. Among his many achievements: Elsner is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Educational Testing Service (ETS), served on the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and as President of the Board of Trustees for American College Testing (ACT). He is currently on the Board of a university under development in China