Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has celebrated the 10th anniversary of LeaderShape in Education City.
The one-week residential leadership programme, organised by HBKU Student Life as an EBDA initiative, was open to students from HBKU and its partner universities in Education City. A total of 40 students were accepted into the programme after a rigorous selection process and spent the week in HBKU’s housing complex, learning how to live and lead with integrity.
The initiative was part of EBDA, HBKU and Maersk Oil Qatar’s experience-based leadership development programme that seeks to empower future leaders of Qatar. Taking learning outside of a traditional classroom setting, students were taught life skills such as time management, working well in teams and problem-solving under pressure.
Ameena Hussein, director of the HBKU Student Centre said: “HBKU Student Life is honoured to sponsor the 10th Anniversary Leadershape Education City session. Leadershape is a long standing tradition in Education City and it is inspirational to see this group of 40 young leaders learning to lead with integrity as they pursue their personal visions.”
LeaderShape, originally founded in the US, is now delivered to campuses across the world.  Seeking to foster a healthy disregard for the impossible, the programme was brought to Education City in 2006 and is now the longest-standing international institute that LeaderShape delivers. Over the course of the week participants explored topics like how to bring a vision to reality and the value of one, the power of all.
Hissa al-Badr, a participant in the programme from Georgetown Qatar University  commented on the experience:  “I appreciate HBKU opening the LeaderShape  programme  to students from across Education City.  The energy of the community was inspirational and contagious. It isn’t every day that you get to be surrounded by such an energetic and diverse group of people that are so passionate.”