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Doha at a Glance

Doha: Higher Education and Health Care

Doha provides several institutions for Qatari and international students in higher education.

Qatar University

Qatar University, located in Doha, offers a multitude of majors as well as 60 specializations to citizens and expats living in Doha. While its curriculum offers a solid educational basis, the university is eager to keep students in close touch with business and industry. In this way, they can combine theoretical knowledge with practical experience.

Due to its good academic infrastructure, Qatar University is the leading research center in the country. Its main campus is located 16km from the city center. From the campus, students and staff have a great view over the Doha Golf course and the West Bay Lagoon housing complex. In addition to the main campus, the university owns an experimental farm 65km north of Doha.

The university’s campus is divided into two adjacent sections for male and female students. Both sections have lecture halls and laboratories for the students. Qatar University prides itself on being an equal-opportunity institution with a diverse student body.

The university first opened its gates in 1973, accepting a total of 150 students (93 women and 57 men). As expected, the number of students grew rapidly, once the university opened additional departments and offered more diverse courses of study. In 2008, the number of new students reached a total of 7245.

Education City

Aside from Qatar University, Education City is a major institution in Doha. It offers programs for all kinds of educational needs and all age levels, from early childhood to postgraduate studies.

Apart from that, Education City has partnered with top-notch educational institutions and is now home to nine renowned universities from the US, UK, France, and Qatar, which greatly enhance its already high reputation.

Qatar Academy is part of Education City as well. It offers Arabic and English-language education to girls and boys from preschool to university entry level, accepting students of all nationalities. Founded in 1996, Qatar Academy is essentially an International Baccalaureate World School with a senior program designed to prepare students for university.

A key component of Qatar Academy is its community service, which students are required to participate in. These services also count towards the students’ grades. The school offers a lot of extra-curricular activities as well.

Hospitals

Qatar has a high-quality health care system, offering all kinds of services to patients with general medical and special needs. While Qatari citizens receive free health care, expats have to pay for these services or cover the costs through a private health insurance. To learn more about the Qatari health care system, have a look at the InterNations article on Living in Qatar.

There are some primary health care centers and public hospitals in Doha, which are managed by the Hamad Medical Corporation, such as

• Hamad General Hospital
• Rumailah Hospital
• Women’s Hospital
• Psychiatric Hospital

Aside from these public health care facilities, Doha is also home to some international hospitals. The staff at these hospitals is often better qualified to cater to the needs of expats:

• American Hospital, on C-Ring Road next to the Labor Department
• California Medical Center, Wadi El Sail Area
• Apollo Clinic Qatar, Masoura Area on Al Mutaza Street
• Euro Clinic, on Al-Kenana Street
• Future Dental Center, on Asmaa Street in Al Waab
• FMC Future Medical Center, on Al Waab Street, opposite the Villagio Mall

This is not a comprehensive list, of course. Expats who want to be sure that they choose the hospital which is just right for them should contact their insurance company for a full list or get in touch with other expats from the InterNations Doha Community. They will surely be glad to offer some advice.