DOHA, QATAR – Forty executives from top organizations in Qatar gathered at Carnegie Mellon University for a three-day course on dynamic organizational leadership as part of the university’s new Executive and Professional Education Program.
The first course offered comes off the back of memoranda of understanding signed last year between Carnegie Mellon and major Qatari companies and ministries.
“Last year, we signed agreements with nine organizations in Qatar, and I am pleased that we were able to enhance our ties with seven of these organizations through the Executive and Professional Education Program. This course represents an important step in the national capacity-building efforts, in line with Qatar's National Vision 2030 and its National Development Strategy 2012 – 2016. We look forward to offering future courses to local and regional leaders in both the public and private sectors,” said Ilker Baybars, dean of Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.
Employees from Qatar Statistics Authority, the General Secretariat for Development Planning, the Supreme Education Council, Al Jazeera Network, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior’s Police Training Institute, and the Supreme Committee for Qatar 2022 completed the course, which is designed for those who lead or aspire to lead dynamic organizations. Participants covered general principles of organizational leadership and received practical techniques for achieving and sustaining outstanding organizational performance.
“This was a very good opportunity for our employees to benefit from the knowledge and experience of Carnegie Mellon’s professors and to interact with employees from other organizations,” commented H.E. Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit, secretary general of the General Secretariat for Development Planning.
“I want to thank Carnegie Mellon University for its continued commitment to Qatar’s development. I believe this should be a model for other educational organizations; they should focus not only on students, but also reach out to the community as a whole,” he added.
Included in the course were important lessons in establishing and maintaining organizational values; in planning for and measuring organizational vitality; in setting and achieving organizational goals; in hiring and motivating talented employees; and in effective use of performance reviews.
“I found the three-day course very interesting and I will apply the skills I have learned in my everyday life. In addition, it will help the development of the teachers and schools in Qatar and will advance our best practices. We would like to work with these professors and trainers again in future workshops,” said Muna Mohammad Ahmed Al Kuwari of the Supreme Education Council.
The course included lectures, group exercises and case studies designed to teach general principles of organizational leadership.
Dean Ilker Baybars, Tom Emerson, director of executive and professional education, and Fadhel Annan, assistant dean for government and corporate affairs, presented all 40 participants with a certificate of recognition for attending the dynamic course. Also participating in the ceremony were H.E. Dr. Saleh bin Mohammad Al Nabit, secretary general, General Secretariat for Development Planning; H.E. Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al Thani, director general, Al Jazeera Network; Ahmed Aljanahi, higher education institute acting director, Supreme Education Council; and Brigadier Dr. Mohammed Al-Marri, director of Police Training Institute.
The Executive and Professional Education Program will continue to offer courses next year as part of the university’s corporate and ministerial engagement.
