ExxonMobil Qatar and Qatar University (QU) recently held a luncheon to mark the fifth anniversary of the annual Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy. The academy is a joint collaboration between ExxonMobil Qatar, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, and QU’s National Center for Education Development, and it took place this year from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1.
A number of senior representatives from the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, QU, Teach For Qatar (TFQ) and INJAZ Qatar attended the luncheon. Alistair Routledge, President and General Manager for ExxonMobil Qatar, welcomed the luncheon attendees and spoke to them about the academy, its purpose and its accomplishments.
“It is an honor to stand before you today to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy,” said Routledge. “This is an opportunity for us to commend the hard work of everyone who has been involved with this initiative over the past few years. It is through your dedication that the academy has become the model of success that it is today. I am particularly grateful for the support of our partners the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Qatar University. Together, we’ve made remarkable progress in our journey to energize education in Qatar, impacting 165 teachers, 150 schools and, most importantly, 7,000 students who will go on to contribute to Qatar’s knowledge-based economy. Moving forward, our challenge is to continue to find synergies across the education sector and to build on our successes, so that we may create the brightest future possible for Qatar’s children.”
The Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy is a week-long intensive professional development program led by a group of education experts from Doha and the U.S. The program is designed to help teachers from Qatar’s independent schools build on their expertise, enhance their understanding of math and science content, and acquire interactive teaching tools that will ignite their students’ passion for math and science. Workshops for alumni are also held at intervals, giving teachers an opportunity to share ideas, success stories and classroom challenges, as well as provide feedback on the academy.
Qatar University’s President Dr. Hassan Al Derham said: “The Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy contributes to advancing the students’ interest in various sciences, especially in mathematics and applicable sciences. It also provides students with the opportunity to benefit from the expertise of competent teachers in the areas of sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our collaboration with ExxonMobil and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education aligns with Qatar University’s vision to enhance knowledge and build a generation that serves the various sectors of the country in line with Qatar National Vision 2030.”
Dr Al Derham added: “Qatar University is committed to building national capacities to contribute to the labor market, and to highlight the role of teachers as the key drivers of the society’s development and growth.” Since the launch of the program, the U.S. and QU education experts have worked closely together to ensure its continued development, while sharing knowledge and best practices from their respective areas. The collaboration begins with a workshop held every summer, where the academy’s activities are planned in accordance with the Ministry of Education’s requirements. This synergy has allowed the academy to evolve with novel content and tailor-made approaches.
Dr. Abdullah Mohammad Hamdan Abu-Tineh, Director, National Center for Educational Development, and a key player in establishing the Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy, was presented an award at the event for his leadership and ongoing efforts over the past five years. “I am privileged to have several notable accomplishments in my career, and the Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy is high on this list. I have seen the academy grow from an idea to a dream and now a wonderful annual program that has helped hundreds of students and teachers in Qatar. I am honored for this opportunity, and will always be grateful to ExxonMobil Qatar for providing the support and means to make this idea a reality, and also to my colleagues at Qatar University’s National Center for Education Development for their teamwork,” said Dr. Abu Tineh.
Dr. Ahmed Abdulrahman H Y Al-Emadi, Dean of College of Education Office, had the following to say about the academy, “I am thrilled at how far the Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy has come over the past five years. We have worked hard to create a change in the way that many teachers go about their work, while building on their existing skills and passion for teaching math and science. These teachers now think in new ways that will offer powerful possibilities for their students and support them to lead more fruitful lives individually and as members of Qatar’s communities.”
“We are extremely proud to be part of these significant changes that are taking place within Qatar’s schools. Thanks to the support of our partners the Ministry of Education and ExxonMobil Qatar, the future of Qatar’s education system is bright,” added Dr. Al-Emadi. This year, the academy shifted its curriculum from primary school to secondary school, with 40 teachers from grades seven to nine participating in the program, including 10 teachers from Teach For Qatar who attend for the first time. This shift broadened the reach of the academy, allowing for more teachers at different levels in Qatar’s education system to benefit from its instructional teaching practices.
The Qatar University ExxonMobil Teachers Academy is part of ExxonMobil’s long-term commitment to building a competitive workforce that can sustain Qatar’s future knowledge-based society, a vision put forth by His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani’s. As part of this commitment, ExxonMobil supports the professional development of highly qualified teachers and programs that stimulate students’ interest in STEM subjects.
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