Qatar University (QU) has signed a multi-year partnership agreement with Coursera, a well-known online learning platform providing access to over 10,000 world-class courses, specializations, hands-on projects, and certificates from over 300 leading universities and industry educators worldwide. Coursera is now one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, with 129 million enrolled learners worldwide.
This collaborative initiative encompasses a multi-faceted strategy designed to enhance the cross-skilling of QU students, elevate the skills of graduates to prepare them for future employment, and provide a wide range of professional development opportunities to faculty members. These efforts align strategically with the university’s overarching plans to support the digital transformation of higher education in Qatar.
Expressing enthusiasm for this collaboration, Dr. Omar Al Ansari, President of Qatar University, stated:
Qatar University is deeply committed to the holistic development of our students and faculty. This partnership with Coursera aligns seamlessly with the university’s vision of fostering a culture of continuous learning and digital transformation in education. We are confident that this collaboration will catalyze our community’s success.
The mission of the Digital Learning and Online Education Office is to promote participation and confidence in digital learning, integrate digital knowledge into QU’s education system, and enhance learning experiences through digital learning research and innovation to help individuals improve their employability and stay competitive in their chosen fields.
Kais Zribi, General Manager for the Middle East and Africa at Coursera emphasizes the crucial role of accessible, job-focused credentials and practical skills training in building a workforce that is both competitive and resilient, saying:
Our partnership with Qatar University marks a significant milestone in empowering students to acquire skills for in-demand jobs at unprecedented speed and scale. Together, we are enhancing students’ career readiness and enabling them to drive innovation, ensuring they thrive in today’s dynamic job market.
QU is dedicated to providing high-quality education in areas of national importance. The goal of aligning its colleges, programmes, and courses with established international standards and best practices underpins this commitment. As a result, the university accreditation initiatives have succeeded, with the support of various renowned worldwide accrediting bodies. It provides the most significant choice of academic programmes in Qatar (50 Bachelor, 47 Master), customizing them to the needs of Qatari society.
Qatar University (QU) has served as Qatar’s principal institution of higher education since its foundation in 1977 and has become a regional beacon of academic and research excellence.
Dr. Mohammad Alsmadi, the Director of the Digital Learning & Online Education Office Qatar University, commented:
At the Digital Learning and Online Education Office, we are committed to driving the digital transformation of higher education. This partnership with Coursera represents a strategic leap forward, aligning perfectly with our vision to promote participation and confidence in digital learning, integrate digital knowledge into Qatar University’s education system, and enhance learning experiences through research and innovation in digital learning. By integrating Coursera’s resources into our educational ecosystem, we are poised to offer unparalleled opportunities for our community to engage with cutting-edge digital education.
Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, two Stanford Computer Science professors, founded Coursera in 2012, intending to provide universal access to world-class learning. The organization collaborates with prominent universities and industry partners to offer diverse content and credentials, such as Guided Projects, courses, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Institutions worldwide use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in many high-demand fields, including data science, technology, and business.
