QU, Qapco establish mathematics chair

Qatar University (QU) and Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) signed an agreement yesterday to establish a Professorial Chair in Mathematics to be housed at the College of Education (CED) of QU.  

The Chair will also be managed in conjunction with a specialist team of academics and practitioners from Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan. The agreement was signed by QU president Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and Qapco vice chairman and CEO Dr Mohamed Yousef al-Mulla.

Japanese Ambassador Shingo Tsuda, QU VP and chief academic officer Dr Mazen Hasna, CED dean Hissa Mohamed Sadiq, associate dean for Academic Affairs Dr Yahya al- Nakeeb, Qapco learning and development manager Eng Abdullah Ahmed Naji, Qapco public affairs and communication manager Ahmed al-Hamadi, and Qapco head of Qatarisation Mejali al-Kuwari were present on the occasion.

Funded jointly by QU and Qapco, the three-year agreement covers a seven-year project that aims to improve teaching and learning of primary and preparatory school mathematics and to motivate more students to pursue higher-level mathematics at secondary schools.

As per the agreement, QU will fund a startup and an internal grant for the project, as well as deliver training programmes at CED for school teachers. The organisation will also provide supervision and support for the chair’s duties and responsibilities while Qapco will contribute to the chair’s performance assessment and evaluation.  In collaboration with the CED team, the chair will implement a programme to support teachers, and a follow-up research studies on its effectiveness.

Prof al-Misnad noted: “One of the main challenges facing education in Qatar is the level of achievement in mathematics. This Chair will give much-needed support to Qatar’s education sector”

Dr al-Mulla said: “This agreement to establish a new Chair in Mathematics strengthens Qapco’s and Qatar University’s alliance to drive education forward in Qatar. The new Chair will focus on developing teaching methodologies and approaches to learning, while contributing to further enhancing the performance of teachers.  I believe this groundbreaking initiative will have a positive impact on the next generation’s future”.