The International Students Section (ISS) at Qatar University (QU) yesterday welcomed 93 incoming international students in an orientation exercise to ease their transition to a new academic environment and a new country.
The students from Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Turkey and other countries were new admits to QU’s undergraduate and graduate degree programmes and its Arabic for Non-Native Speakers programme.    
They were introduced to a number of processes and resources at QU in relation to personal, financial, immigration and housing issues.
ISS employees provided the new comers with briefings on administrative issues such as obtaining their residency permit and undergoing medical tests to opening a bank account, buying text books and receiving general information about the university and its facilities.
ISS head Huda Dabbour welcomed the students and wished them a successful academic journey. “ISS is a starting point for you all to transition with ease into your new life here in Qatar. We are here to assist and support all students to ensure they have a distinguished academic experience”, she said.
Kahraman Jamal from the College of International Students in Turkey said: “My main purpose to study at QU is to improve my Arabic language and interact with students from various cultures.” Jamal highlighted the importance of the orientation session in answering all his questions regarding QU services and facilities.
Chemistry undergraduate Afnan AbdulRasheed from Somalia said: “I heard about QU from relatives here who encouraged me to come to Qatar and benefit from the remarkable academic experience that QU provides to its students.”
Her colleague Reem Othman, engineering undergraduate, said: “QU’s website gave me a good impression about the university and inspired me to pursue my studies here. I would like to thank ISS for this opportunity and my appreciation is extended to all academic advisors who extended every effort to respond to our concerns.”
l Over 190 new faculty  of Qatar University ( QU) were oriented on faculty-related issues and other settling-in requirements such as immigration, housing, banking, residence permit, Talabati services, health insurance, and other administrative matters.
The orientation programme  ‘Marhaba’ took place from August 16 to 27. The new members were also provided with a series of presentations on the university’s organisational structure, applicable rules and regulations and administrative processes.
“We are happy and privileged to welcome the new faculty”, QU vice president and chief academic officer Dr Mazen Hasna said. “QU is committed to attracting and retaining highly-qualified diverse faculty body by providing them with a vibrant work environment and opportunities for development and growth with the view to motivating exemplary service and career success. I trust that along with their families they have an easy transition into the QU community and the Qatari society.”
The new faculty will be officially welcomed during the ‘Ya Hala 2015’ academic orientation event on September 6. QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham will introduce them to the organisation’s learning/teaching environment and apprise them of its aspirations towards academic and research excellence with a view to motivating them to engage fully in student-centred learning towards academic success and distinguished careers after graduation. Faculty will be engaged on academic rules and expectations and goal-setting, and will attend workshops on many issues.