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{{short description|Qatari academic}}
[[File:Al-Misnad01.jpg|thumb|right|250px| Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad]]
'''Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad''' is a [[Qatar]]i academic who has occupied numerous positions in teaching, administration, and research for over three decades. She assumed presidency of [[Qatar University]] in 2003 serving to 2015 replaced by Hassan Rashid Al-Derham. Before assuming presidency, she served the university as Vice President for Research and Community Development (2000–2003), Head of the Department of Foundations of Education (1992–1995), and as a member of the University Council (1986–1989; 1998–2004).<ref name="qubiography"/>


==Education==
''' Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad''' a leading Qatari educator for nearly three decades, has occupied numerous and prestigious positions in teaching, administration, and research, assuming the presidency of Qatar University in 2003. Prior to that date, she served Qatar University as Vice President for Research and Community Development (2000 - 2003), Head of the Department of Foundations of Education (1992 - 1995), and as a member of the University Council (1986 -1989; 1998 - 2004).
Al-Misnad received her undergraduate training at [[Qatar University]], where she attained a [[Bachelor of Education]] in 1977, and subsequently a [[Postgraduate Diploma in Education|postgraduate diploma in Education]] in 1978. She went on to enroll in doctoral studies at [[Durham University]] in the United Kingdom, where she was awarded the title of Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1984.<ref name="qubiography"/><ref>{{cite web |last1=Al-Misnad |first1=Sheikha Abdulla |title=The development of modern education in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar with special reference to the education of women and their position in modern Gulf society |url=http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/10485/1/10485_7282.PDF?UkUDh:CyT |publisher=[[Durham University]] |accessdate=22 January 2020 |date=1984}}</ref>


==Background==
==Career==
===Research===
Professor Al-Misnad received her undergraduate training at [[Qatar University]] where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Education (1977), and subsequently a diploma in Education in 1978. She then enrolled in doctoral studies at [[Durham University]] in the United Kingdom, where she was granted the title of Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1984.
During her graduate studies at Durham University, Al-Misnad was active in research related to education in the [[Persian Gulf]] region, particularly education pertaining to women. Her thesis on “The Development of Modern Education in the Gulf States with Special Reference to Women's Education” was published by London-based Ithaca Press in 1985.


She has authored more than 50 articles published in various specialist journals during the span of her career.<ref name="qubiography"/>
==Research==
Professor Al-Misnad became active in research pertaining to education in the Gulf area in general, and education pertaining to women in particular during her graduate studies at the [[University of Durham]]. Her doctoral dissertation on “The Development of Modern Education in the Gulf States with Special Reference to Women's Education” was subsequently published by Ithaca Press (London) in 1985. Despite her administrative duties and community involvement, Professor Al-Misnad has written more than 50 articles published in professional journals and presented at leading conferences and seminars.


==Activities: Local==
===Local activities===
[[Qatar]] has witnessed an educational renaissance movement within the past decade, where the strategic goal of the nation has been to apply national reform to its entire educational system. Professor Al-Misnad was commissioned in 2003 to lead a massive reform project to transform Qatar University into a leading regional institution of higher education. Major academic reforms have already been initiated in the areas of curricula, programs, and structure.
Al-Misnad has been at the forefront of Qatar's educational reform movement since the past decade. In 2003, she was enlisted to head a reform project to develop [[Qatar University]] into one of the leading higher education institutes in the region. Aside from Qatar University, she has also been involved in implementing reforms to the country's primary, secondary and private education system.<ref name="qubiography"/>


Professort Al-Misnad's involvement in educational reform is not limited to her duties at Qatar University. For many years, she has played a key role in the reform of primary, secondary, and private education in Qatar. As a member of the Board of Directors of Qatar Foundation for Education Science and Community Development since 1999, she has been instrumental in the governance and leadership of the educational institutions comprising Education City, foremost among which are Qatar Academy and The Learning Center. As an ex officio member of the Board of Governors of both institutions, she has seen Qatar Academy flourish into an accredited international school enrolling nearly 800 students from the pre-school to secondary school levels. The Learning Center was established as an educationally conducive environment that provides an option to average or above-average students with learning difficulties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/president/biography.php |title=THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE |publisher=Qatar Universityf}}</ref>
A member of [[Qatar Foundation]]'s board of directors since 1999, she has played a significant role in the governance of several of the educational institutes which constitute [[Education City]], most notably of [[Qatar Academy]] and The Learning Center. She is a former member of the Board of Governors of both institutes.<ref name="qubiography">{{cite web|url=http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/president/biography.php |title=The President's Office |publisher=Qatar University|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405003734/http://www.qu.edu.qa/offices/president/biography.php|archivedate=5 April 2013}}</ref>


The reform of publicly funded education in Qatar has been entrusted to the Supreme Education Council (formed in 2002). This ambitious and massive reform project aims to establish progressive and modern independent schools that are privately operated but publicly funded. Professor Al-Misnad is considered one of the most active members of the Supreme Education Council overseeing this project.
Al-Misnad is regarded as one of the most active members of the [[Supreme Education Council (Qatar)|Supreme Education Council]]'s project to develop a modern education system in which the independent schools are privately operated but publicly financed.<ref name="qubiography"/>


==Activities: International==
===International activities===
At the international level, Professor Al-Misnad is a member of several prestigious bodies and delegations. For example, she was a contributing member of the Steering Committee of the Symposium at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education Applicability to the Arab States of the Gulf, held in Doha on December 5 - 7, 1999. Since June 2004, she has been a selected member of the United Nations University Council (UNU). Professor Al-Misnad’s long and illustrious record in education has gained her a wide and esteemed reputation not only in Qatar,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unu.edu/council/members/Al-Misnad.html |title=UNU Council Members |publisher=UNU Counci}}</ref>
Al-Misnad is a member of numerous international bodies and delegations. She was an active member of the Steering Committee of the Symposium at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education Applicability to the [[Arab States of the Persian Gulf]], which was held in Doha from December 5 to December 7, 1999.<ref name="qubiography"/>


but also in the Arab Gulf region and international arenas. She was recently awarded an honorary doctorate in Civil Law by Durham University in recognition of her "Outstanding achievements in the field of education" in January 2008.
She has been a member of the United Nations University Council (UNU) since June 2004. Her distinguished career in education has gained her a wide and esteemed reputation not only in Qatar,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.unu.edu/council/members/Al-Misnad.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040830031112/http://www.unu.edu/council/members/Al-Misnad.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2004-08-30 |title=UNU Council Members |publisher=UNU Council }}</ref> but also in the broader region and in international arenas. In January 2008, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in Civil Law by Durham University in acknowledgement of her achievements in education.<ref name="qubiography"/>

===Presidency of Qatar University===
She was appointed president of Qatar University in 2003.<ref name="wise">{{cite web|url=http://www.wise-qatar.org/abdulla-al-misnad-sheikha|title=The WISE Prize for Education|publisher=WISE Qatar|accessdate=8 August 2015}}</ref> In June 2015, she was replaced by Hassan Rashid Al-Derham.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dohanews.co/qatar-university-gets-new-president/|title=Qatar University gets new president|publisher=Doha News|author1=Shabina S. Khatri |author2=Lesley Walker |date=15 June 2015|accessdate=8 August 2015}}</ref>

===Government===
She was conferred the rank of Minister by the Qatari government in 2010.<ref name="wise"/>

==Controversy==
In her speech to Dalhousie University in 2013 Al-Misnad expressed how she had to ask one thousand Qatari students to leave the university within the first year of taking up her position as a president of Qatar University. The statement generated controversy and public outrage among the Qatari community.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dr Sheikha Al Misnad has got it wrong|url=http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/index.php/views/letters-to-the-editor/262510/dr-sheikha-al-misnad-has-got-it-wrong|publisher=The Peninsula Qatar|date=28 November 2013|accessdate=8 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=whykaykay|date=2013-11-27|title=QU's President's speech causes anger among some Qatari's|url=https://www.qatarliving.com/forum/news/posts/qus-presidents-speech-causes-anger-among-some-qataris|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Qatar Living}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Misnad, Sheikha Abdulla}}
[[Category:Qatari people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Qatar+University+faculty]]
[[Category:Academic staff of Qatar University]]
[[Category:Qatar University alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Alumni of St Aidan's College, Durham]]

Latest revision as of 18:17, 7 May 2023

Sheikha Abdulla Al-Misnad is a Qatari academic who has occupied numerous positions in teaching, administration, and research for over three decades. She assumed presidency of Qatar University in 2003 serving to 2015 replaced by Hassan Rashid Al-Derham. Before assuming presidency, she served the university as Vice President for Research and Community Development (2000–2003), Head of the Department of Foundations of Education (1992–1995), and as a member of the University Council (1986–1989; 1998–2004).[1]

Education

[edit]

Al-Misnad received her undergraduate training at Qatar University, where she attained a Bachelor of Education in 1977, and subsequently a postgraduate diploma in Education in 1978. She went on to enroll in doctoral studies at Durham University in the United Kingdom, where she was awarded the title of Doctor of Philosophy in Education in 1984.[1][2]

Career

[edit]

Research

[edit]

During her graduate studies at Durham University, Al-Misnad was active in research related to education in the Persian Gulf region, particularly education pertaining to women. Her thesis on “The Development of Modern Education in the Gulf States with Special Reference to Women's Education” was published by London-based Ithaca Press in 1985.

She has authored more than 50 articles published in various specialist journals during the span of her career.[1]

Local activities

[edit]

Al-Misnad has been at the forefront of Qatar's educational reform movement since the past decade. In 2003, she was enlisted to head a reform project to develop Qatar University into one of the leading higher education institutes in the region. Aside from Qatar University, she has also been involved in implementing reforms to the country's primary, secondary and private education system.[1]

A member of Qatar Foundation's board of directors since 1999, she has played a significant role in the governance of several of the educational institutes which constitute Education City, most notably of Qatar Academy and The Learning Center. She is a former member of the Board of Governors of both institutes.[1]

Al-Misnad is regarded as one of the most active members of the Supreme Education Council's project to develop a modern education system in which the independent schools are privately operated but publicly financed.[1]

International activities

[edit]

Al-Misnad is a member of numerous international bodies and delegations. She was an active member of the Steering Committee of the Symposium at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education Applicability to the Arab States of the Persian Gulf, which was held in Doha from December 5 to December 7, 1999.[1]

She has been a member of the United Nations University Council (UNU) since June 2004. Her distinguished career in education has gained her a wide and esteemed reputation not only in Qatar,[3] but also in the broader region and in international arenas. In January 2008, she was awarded an honorary doctorate in Civil Law by Durham University in acknowledgement of her achievements in education.[1]

Presidency of Qatar University

[edit]

She was appointed president of Qatar University in 2003.[4] In June 2015, she was replaced by Hassan Rashid Al-Derham.[5]

Government

[edit]

She was conferred the rank of Minister by the Qatari government in 2010.[4]

Controversy

[edit]

In her speech to Dalhousie University in 2013 Al-Misnad expressed how she had to ask one thousand Qatari students to leave the university within the first year of taking up her position as a president of Qatar University. The statement generated controversy and public outrage among the Qatari community.[6][7]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "The President's Office". Qatar University. Archived from the original on 5 April 2013.
  2. ^ Al-Misnad, Sheikha Abdulla (1984). "The development of modern education in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar with special reference to the education of women and their position in modern Gulf society" (PDF). Durham University. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ "UNU Council Members". UNU Council. Archived from the original on 2004-08-30.
  4. ^ a b "The WISE Prize for Education". WISE Qatar. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  5. ^ Shabina S. Khatri; Lesley Walker (15 June 2015). "Qatar University gets new president". Doha News. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Dr Sheikha Al Misnad has got it wrong". The Peninsula Qatar. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 8 August 2015.
  7. ^ whykaykay (2013-11-27). "QU's President's speech causes anger among some Qatari's". Qatar Living. Retrieved 2020-10-09.