Multaqa: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), established by Qatar Foundation, has inaugurated the 2025 edition of the Career Counselors Hub at Education City’s Multaqa. This initiative is in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the US Embassy in Doha, and Qatar Foundation Higher Education. The two-day event gathers 200 counselors from various schools across Qatar, alongside those from Education City institutions, to enhance career guidance and student support nationwide.
According to Qatar News Agency, the opening ceremony witnessed the participation of Saad Abdulla Al Kharji, Executive Director of QCDC, and representatives from MoEHE. Notable attendees included Stefanie Altman-Winans, Charge d’Affaires a.i. at the US Embassy in Doha, Francisco J. Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at Qatar Foundation, and Abeer Al Khalifa, President of Pre-University Education.
The Hub’s program commenced with speeches from QCDC leadership and partners, followed by a panel discussion on optimizing career counselors’ roles in Qatar’s human resources strategy. The agenda included bilingual training sessions, interactive workshops, and a networking exhibition connecting counselors with universities, government bodies, and educational organizations.
The high-level panel featured Dr. Khalifa Al-Salahi Al-Yafei, CEO of Qatar Finance and Business Academy; Professor Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad, former President of Qatar University; Yaqoub Saleh Al Ishaq, Director of Civil Service Affairs at the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau; and Maha Zayed Al Ruwaili, Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs at MoEHE.
Program highlights for September 9-10 include skills-building workshops in Arabic and English, sessions on university admissions processes, and structured networking opportunities to foster collaboration among counselors and higher education partners.
Running alongside on the second day, Doha Counselors Day 2025 offers school counselors and administrators insights into academic programs and admissions processes, providing a platform to exchange best practices with university admissions teams.
Saad Abdulla Al Kharji emphasized the Hub’s significance, stating, “Career Counselors Hub is where policy meets practice. By convening counselors from every corner of the school system and our Education City partners, we are building shared standards, practical tools, and a common language for guidance that helps every student make informed academic and career decisions.”
Maha Al Ruwaili highlighted the Hub’s role in empowering students to navigate their academic and career paths, underscoring its importance in realizing Qatar National Vision 2030’s focus on human capital development.
Stefanie Altman-Winans expressed the US Embassy’s pride in collaborating with Qatari institutions, emphasizing the role of counselors in fostering a skilled and resilient generation. Francisco Marmolejo acknowledged the critical role of counselors in supporting students’ transitions to higher education and celebrated the partnership with QCDC.
The Hub serves as a cornerstone of the national career guidance ecosystem, developed by QCDC with MoEHE and partners. It focuses on standardizing counselor capacity-building, promoting evidence-based tools, and reinforcing connections between schools, higher education, and employers, aligning with Qatar National Vision 2030’s Human Development pillar.