Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education (PUE) is transforming secondary education through the establishment of the Education City High School by combining students from three of its schools.
Qatar Academy Doha (QAD), Qatar Academy Sidra (QAS), and Qatar Academy for Science and Technology (QAST) are the schools working under this innovative and forward-thinking model.
Mehdi Benchaabane, executive director of QF International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools and director of QAD and Education City High School, in an interview published on QF website highlights that the open campus model is central to the vision of Education City High School.
“The idea for Education City High School emerged three years ago as we looked at QF’s multiversity strategy and the concept of an open campus. At the time, we saw an opportunity to foster collaboration between QAD and QAS with the aim was to pool our resources and create a more balanced educational experience” said, Benchaabane.
“This model evolved further when QAST joined us, bringing the Advanced Placement programme with a focus on STEM education. The integration of these schools not only enriched the academic experience but also laid the foundation for Education City High School, which now operates with the core principles of resource-sharing, personalised pathways and an open campus model,” He explained.
According to the official, the Education City High School offers a range of academic pathways designed to accommodate students’ varied interests, strengths, and aspirations.
“When we combined students from different schools to share resources, our main goal was to broaden the range of choices and tailor the learning experience to each student’s needs.
We began by expanding subject options within the IB Diploma programme, then introduced the IB Career-related Programme, which was authorised last year. When QAST joined, we added the STEM High School Diploma programme with Advanced Placement courses , providing a third pathway for students,” continued, Benchaabane.
Last year the school introduced a fourth pathway through the collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, strengthening the high school diploma with external validation, to offer more flexibility for personalised learning.
According to Benchaabane, the Education City High School allows students to access the vast resources of Education City, including universities, research centres, and innovation hubs. He noted: “This principle is built on the belief that learning should not be confined to a single school; instead, students should be immersed in an ecosystem where they can engage with higher education institutions, industry professionals, and cutting-edge research.”
The school, with a capacity for 550 students, primarily serves those from QF schools but is expanding to welcome more external students. “This year, 25 non-QF students joined, and we aim for up to one-third of our capacity to be filled by them, enriching our community and broadening access to quality education. Admission considerations are the academic performance, behaviour, attendance, and a student's commitment to personal development. Each academic pathway has specific requirements, and we work to place students in the programme that best aligns with their needs,” highlighted the official.
“The open campus model allows students to move between buildings, fostering independence and preparing them for university life. Additionally, the model is physically represented in the way students move between buildings for their classes,” he pointed out.
“Moreover, we plan to extend the benefits of this location to the wider community by offering after-school programmes and access to our facilities. This will allow students from other schools to experience life at Education City High School and take advantage of the unique resources available here,” added, the official.
Mehdi Benchaabane
