Ceremony held in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Labour at Pullman Doha West Bay

The City University Qatar Class of 2026 with faculty and guests.

City University Qatar (CUQ) celebrated the graduation of 171 students at its Class of 2026 ceremony on Saturday, 26 September 2026, at Pullman Doha West Bay, in the presence of His Excellency Dr Ali bin Saeed bin Samikh Al Marri, Minister of Labour. Graduates from Higher National Diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes received their awards in front of more than 500 guests.

The ceremony was also attended by His Excellency Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education; Dr Hareb Mohamed Said Al Jabri, Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs; Mr Omar Abdulaziz Al Naama, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs; Dr Batool Hashem Al Sayed, Director of Higher Education Institutions Affairs; Eng. Hassan bin Abdullah Al Marzouqi, Director-General of the General Directorate of Endowments; Ms Natra Abdulla, Chairperson of the CUQ Board of Trustees; Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University; and Mr Nasser Hassan Al-Naimi, CEO and Board Member of Artan Holding.

The largest class to date

The Class of 2026 is the largest in the university’s history, spanning eleven programmes across law, education, business, computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. It marks the first graduating cohorts in five programmes: the Master of Laws in International Commercial Law, the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence, the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Artificial Intelligence, the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computer Science, and the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Global Business with Data Analytics.

The BEng graduates are the first in Qatar to complete a Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence.

Voices from the evening

The evening opened with a welcome from Professor Faris Gorashi, President of City University Qatar.

“We are especially proud to graduate Qatar’s first cohort from the Bachelor of Engineering in Artificial Intelligence programme, alongside our graduates in the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. You are entering a field that is reshaping industries and societies. Yet technology alone cannot create a better future. That depends on the people who guide it with wisdom, responsibility, and a clear sense of purpose.”

Dr Batool Hashem Al Sayed delivered the address on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

“The ministry deeply appreciates the university’s continued efforts and firm commitment to providing diverse educational pathways that help prepare national talent, and values its academic partnership with Ulster University, which enriches students’ learning experience. Dear graduates, today you move from the classroom to the world of work. Your nation is counting on your energy and believes in your abilities.”

Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, addressed the graduates.

“It is truly remarkable to celebrate this milestone here in Qatar, a country whose ambition for education, innovation and human development is recognised across the region and beyond. It is vital to us at Ulster University to partner with an institution whose ambition for the development and success of students matches our own.”

Mr Hassan Rabiah Al Kuwari, Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Communication at Qatar Stars League, delivered the keynote address.

“Life is a series of decisions, and from today, every step you take is a decision. If a decision does not work out, it is not the end of the road; it may simply be a sign to change direction. Do not let fear set your path, and do not compare yourselves to others. Above all, leave a positive impact on your country.”

Three graduates also spoke on behalf of the Class of 2026.

Academic Excellence Awards 2026

Eleven graduates were recognised for outstanding results across their programmes:

• Arman Aidenov, MBA
• Fatima Al-Naimi, MSc Artificial Intelligence
• Mashael Abdulrahman Y A Ahmed, LLM in International Commercial Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Lolowa Al-Kaabi, Master in Education Management
• Ana Carolina Souza Apolinario, BSc (Hons) Business Studies
• Simran Santosh Kadam, BSc Business Analytics
• Amamah Jamil, BEng (Hons) Artificial Intelligence
• Khushi Sah, BSc (Hons) Computer Science
• Laila Naeimi, BTEC HND in Business (English)
• Hamad Al Khathiri, BTEC HND in Computing with Cybersecurity
• Fahad Al-Qahtani, BTEC HND in Business (Arabic)

Moments from the evening

A UK degree, studied in Qatar

City University Qatar’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees are awarded by Ulster University, so students in Qatar earn a UK degree while studying full time at the university’s Lusail campus. Applications are now open for the January 2027 intake: apply online.

See the photos, films, speeches and award winners on the Class of 2026 page.

As featured in The Peninsula