QU’s Al-Bairaq Program marks another year of achievements

Qatar University’s (QU) Al-Bairaq program has seen a series of achievements during the past year, which is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication of many individuals.

Al-Bairaq’s success is built on its principle of providing scientific materials to students through innovative teaching methods following the STEAM curriculum, an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. The program also strives to strengthen the creativity of students and motivates them to explore fields of scientific research and helps to stimulate innovation as it is the main engine for development, enhancing the future of Qatar and its excellence in various fields.

Al-Bairaq began the academic year by winning Bronze in the Reimagine Education Conference in the cultivating curiosity category, in a competition with 1,150 educational projects and 17 categories from around the world. The program is known as the first Qatari program to win over three consecutive years in different categories. It also presented at the conference to spread information about the innovative scientific approach that it adopts with participating students. Further global achievements include winning third place in the engineering and environment category at the Intel ISEF 2019 competition. The winning project, "The Manufacture of Smart Sensors from Environmental Wastes and Industrial Wastes," was also honored by NASA in recognition of the efforts made to implement a distinguished and highly efficient project under the supervision of professors and researchers from QU.

Al-Bairaq also scored 10 awards in the National Science Research Week, organized by Qatar National Research Fund. These awards included three grand awards to represent Qatar in the Intel ISEF 2019 competition in the United States and the ITEX 2020 in Malaysia. In addition, three scientific projects have won category awards: 1st place for chemistry and materials science, 1st place for engineering category and 3rd place for environment and earth science. Al Bairaq awards also included four special awards from international companies including Barzan Holding and ExxonMobil.

President of Al Bairaq Program and Head of Communication and Outreach at QU, Dr. Noora Jabor Al-Thani expressed her pride in the programs many achievements. She also thanked the programs official sponsor, Ras Laffan Community Outreach Program, for their support and appreciation towards Al-Bairaq’s efforts in developing the educational level of the youth of Qatar. Dr. Noora added, in the new academic year, the program has many goals and innovative plans to achieve more at the national and international level coupled with pioneering aspirations.