​Inspiring innovation in Education City

Posted on 13th Sep 2016 in University Study, Qatar

Carnegie Mellon offers a unique approach to scholarship and research...

In 2004, Carnegie Mellon University entered into a partnership with Qatar Foundation to offer highly-ranked undergraduate programs in Education City. With just 41 students in its first incoming class, today CMU-Q is home to over 400 students and offers five undergraduate degree programs: Biological Sciences, Business Administration, Computational Biology, Computer Science and Information Systems.

The university’s graduates are highly sought after by regional and international organizations, and the vast majority are in graduate programs or employed in top organizations like Google, Microsoft, Qatar Petroleum, Shell and Commercial Bank of Qatar. In May 2016, 89 students graduated from our top-ranked programs, bringing the total number of alumni to 570. Students enjoy a low faculty-to-student ratio of 1:7, which helps to foster each student’s abilities and talents.

Programs of study

CMU-Q offers undergraduate programs in fields at the forefront of technology, innovation, scientific discovery and economic growth. All undergraduate majors require four years of full-time study, after which students earn a bachelor of science degree.

Biological Sciences: The Biological Sciences program is offered in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar. The program uses interdisciplinary approaches to tackle some of today’s most important scientific problems, and provides students with an education that has both intellectual breadth and depth of exposure to modern research biology.

Business Administration: Carnegie Mellon’s undergraduate Business Administration program has earned global recognition for its approach to the study of business management as a science. The Qatar Business Administration program further extends the reach of this powerful curriculum. Business administration students partner with professors, students, researchers and employers to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations.

Computational Biology: The Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon realized the potential of computational biology early, offering one of the first degree programs in the United States. This program provides an intensive, interdisciplinary education that enables outstanding students to become leaders in identifying and solving tomorrow’s biological problems using computational methods.

Computer Science: Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science is known worldwide as an incubator of original ideas that have spawned some of the most exciting advances in computer science. Students in the Computer Science program acquire a wide variety of skills that transcend technological trends.

Information Systems: The Information Systems program at Carnegie Mellon University exposes students to four areas fundamental to understanding and solving problems in information systems: organizations, decision making, research methods and professional communications. Students may specialize in social and global aspects of technology, in technology and applications development, in applications of technology to business, or in user experience in design.

Cutting-edge research

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar fosters an innovative research environment, encouraging a collaborative approach. Faculty researchers often work with Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, as well as institutions within Education City and major centers around the world. Research is an important part of the undergraduate educational experience at CMU-Q, with students engaging in independent studies, senior and honors theses, summer internships and funded projects as junior researchers.

Faculty members contribute to the CMU-Q body of work through studies funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) and internal seed research funds. Funded projects fall within the core disciplines of Biological Sciences, Business Administration, Computational Biology, Computer Science and Information Systems, as well as complementary areas like mathematics, languages, environmental science and social sciences.

Current projects relate to cloud computing, education, robotics, bacteriophages, business process design and engineering, innovation-driven entrepreneurship, next-generation wireless networks, cyber security and air quality.

Community outreach

Carnegie Mellon Qatar has strong ties to the community through several outreach efforts that target pre-college students. Several workshops take place each semester to introduce students to the different programs of study: Biotechnology Explorers Program for biological sciences; Tajer Investment for Qatar for business administration; CS4Qatar and CS4Qatar for Women for computer science; and Ibtikar for information systems.

The Summer College Preview Program is a three-week offering that provides a glimpse into the rigor of university coursework. Students attend math and English courses, prepare a project in one of the four programs of study, and learn essential skills for standardized tests and college applications.

CMU-Q also holds educational competitions like Botball, Alice Computer Programming and Pi-Day Mathematics Contest to involve and engage students in high schools across Qatar.

Collaborations with industry

CMU-Q has strong ties with government and industry through partnerships that provide internships and job opportunities to students. In return, we provide our partners with executive and professional education training; during the past year, we have worked with nearly 800 professionals from government agencies and corporations in Qatar.

Ideas that shape your world start here

As a global leader in education, Carnegie Mellon University is known for its creativity, collaboration across disciplines, and top programs in business, technology and the arts. The university has been home to some of the world’s most influential thinkers, among them 19 Nobel Laureates and 12 Turing Award winners.

Carnegie Mellon University ranked 23rd in the best national universities category in US News & World Report’s 2016 list, and 22nd in the Times Higher Education world university ranking.

Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar – like all Carnegie Mellon campuses globally – is founded on the firm belief that by encouraging scientific inquiry and promoting practical preparedness, the university is providing a generation of thinkers, business leaders, researchers and scientists that will change the world. Core values of innovation, creativity, collaboration and problem solving provide the foundation for everything the university does.

Carnegie Mellon has more than 13,000 students, 100,000 alumni and 5,000 faculty and staff globally. In Qatar, students from 37 countries enroll at our world-class facilities in Education City, affording them a truly unique and multi-cultural experience.

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To learn more, visit www.qatar.cmu.edu