Doha, March 29 (QNA) - The Ministry of Education and Higher Education launched a new system for equivalency of university degrees, providing a prior approval service for Qatari students wishing to study abroad on their own expense, as well as a service for equivalence of university degrees for Qatari students who studied outside Qatar on their own expense and obtained prior approvals, in addition to a service for authentication of university certificates for non-Qatari students.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Director of the Department of Equivalency of University Degrees Jaber Ahmed Al Jaber said one of the advantages of the new system is shortening time of the process, accelerating work and achievement, avoiding errors and complaints, and allowing direct communication and correspondence with the cultural attaches of the State of Qatar abroad which have the same system, thus reducing the stages of service involved.
He stressed that the idea of prior approval aims to control the quality of university outputs for Qatari students, ensuring that the student is qualified and is a graduate of an academically recognized university as well as is able to assume responsibility and compete in the labor market, which is in line with Qatar National Vision 2030, stressing that prior approval is the right of the student and is in his interest.
He also indicated the department's keenness to communicate with the Cultural Attache in any country to obtain a statement from it to address the university, educational center or educational institution in that country to inquire about any university degree and to ensure more about its validity in accordance with the controls and conditions of the system of equivalence of university degrees, provided that the university is among list of universities approved for studying abroad, and the student have prior approval, noting that there are now 1900 accredited universities for Qatari students to study abroad on their own expenses to obtain a bachelor's degree and 1000 universities for postgraduate studies.
The Director of the Department of Equivalency of University Degrees at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education noted that the new system is now available on the public service portal of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education website, which makes it easier for all concerned parties to communicate and overcome any related difficulties and problems.
During the period from 2018 to 2021, the department completed 5,000 transactions related to grades and certifications in addition to 2,000 prior approvals for the same period, compared to 700 requests for prior approval in 2022 and 2,000 requests for grades and certifications, he said, noting that the new university system aims to increase the provision of services by 35 to 50 percent, as it contributes to the completion of the transaction within one minute instead of 25 minutes in the previous system.
At the end of the interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Jaber highlighted many plans and programs to develop the work of the university Department of Equivalency of University Degrees, including training employees and raising their efficiency in their field of work and handling visitors, in the field of human resources, certificate equivalency and solving student problems, along with the allocation of a new hall to receive visitors that was equipped with the best possible means to complete transactions with ease and convenience. (QNA)