Qatar University’s (QU) College of Education, represented by the National Center for Educational Development (NCED), as well as QU’s College of Engineering and QU’s Office of Strategic Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Economic Development, in collaboration with ExxonMobil Qatar, launched the Innovators in Education’ project announced the winning projects in a closing ceremony held this week at the College of Education building.
The closing ceremony was attended by the HE Minister of Education and Higher Education Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, QU President Dr. Hassan Al Derham and a number of dignitaries, deans, directors, university professors, educators, participants, and male and female students.
The project aims to provide opportunities for students in universities and colleges, as well as educators in schools, colleges and universities, to participate in designing educational resources that enhance student learning, contribute to the development of the innovation system, and meet current and future needs in three key areas: educational tools, educational games, and multimedia and learning software. The deadline for submissions was set for Dec. 25, 2022.
Participants in the ‘Innovators in Education’ project went through various stages after their submissions were accepted to demonstrate the effectiveness, authenticity, innovation, and applicability of their ideas until the final product was delivered on April 2, 2023. The submissions underwent internal and external judging based on criteria for both the electronic file and the product in its final form after implementation.
In his speech during the ceremony, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Omar Mohammed Al Ansari said that the project, which the university is celebrating in its first edition, stems from the QU’s vision, which is to develop the spirit of innovation and creativity, to promote and rehabilitate the culture of excellence, and to encourage finding ways to a unique educational institution that supports learning, achieves excellence in the educational process, and achieves intellectual development and constructive cooperation between members of the educational community.
In a statement on this occasion, HE Dean of the College of Education Dr. Hessa bint Hamad Al-Thani, said, “The College of Education prioritizes the establishment of the foundations of a good life in higher education. The Innovators in Education’ project is one of the contributions by the College of Education, which supports the creative and productive capacities of students and enhances their ability to innovate.” In his comment, Dean of the College of Engineering, Dr. Khalid Kamal Naji said, “The participation of the College of Engineering in this project is in support of the project’s vision, which aims to create an educational environment that supports innovation and creativity and builds professional learning communities to achieve sustainable learning. Additionally, it encourages educators and higher education students to innovate educational resources that support student learning, achieve a qualitative leap in education, and enhance intellectual development and constructive collaboration within the educational community.” He added, “This project is considered a valuable initiative that has worked on discovering educational talents for their development and investment through the Technology Innovation and Engineering Education (TIEE) unit. This is done by leveraging the latest developments and advancements in technology applications in educational curricula, teaching methods, engineering education, assistive technology, educational assessment, and e-learning environments.” Director of the National Center for Educational Development, Dr. Sneed Salem Al Daiya Al Marri praised all the efforts exerted by the project preparation team from the National Center for Educational Development. He said, “The Innovators in Education’ project is considered a strong and supportive source for practical creative ideas, and it serves as a stimulus for innovation for all educators, whether in the university or school community, as well as for university students from all categories. He expressed his gratitude to ExxonMobil for their continuous and steadfast support for the projects of the College of Education.” Director of Government and Public Affairs at ExxonMobil Qatar, Dr. Mohammed Hashem Al Hashemi, said, “I would like to congratulate the winners of Qatar University’s Innovators in Education’ program who have truly exemplified the essence of innovation and hard work through their participation in this project.”
Source: Qatar News Agency