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Doha, May 22 (QNA) - The Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Thursday held an introductory workshop on the Government Scholarship Programme for the private sector.
The event aimed to familiarise private‐sector institutions with the programme’s components and objectives, and to highlight the distinctive benefits it offers to Qatari nationals seeking to enter the labour market.
It also reviewed the latest developments in the National Manpower Affairs programmes, all as part of efforts to broaden partnerships, enhance cooperation and foster constructive dialogue with this vital sector.
The workshop addressed HR directors in the private sector, explaining the mechanisms and aims of the Scholarship Programme as a strategic measure to align educational outputs with labour-market requirements.
This alignment supports the private-sector job-nationalization plan and the National Strategy for an Effective and Highly Productive Workforce (2024-2030).
In his opening remarks, Assistant Undersecretary for National Manpower Affairs in the Private Sector at the Ministry of Labour Khames Mohammed Abdulrahman Khames Al Naimi described the Scholarship Programme as a pivotal step in investing in national talent and building a sustainable professional future for Qatari cadres in the private sector.
He stressed that this initiative underpins the growth of the national economy and fulfils the objectives of the Third National Development Strategy.
Al Naimi added that the programme is founded on a clear vision to increase the number of qualified, competitive Qatari professionals and to boost their employment rates in strategic economic sectors by identifying priority specialisms directly linked to market needs.
He went on to explain that the programme forms part of the Ministry’s commitment to empower Qatari students and prepare them for the labour market in partnership with private-sector entities. By providing high-quality scholarship opportunities, the initiative equips a new generation of ambitious, qualified nationals to contribute effectively to sectoral development.
Al Naimi concluded by reaffirming the Ministry’s dedication to offering further quality programmes and initiatives to enable young Qataris to become active partners in driving economic growth, noting that collaboration between the public and private sectors will yield a highly skilled, professional national workforce capable of delivering innovative solutions to the country’s labour-market challenges.
Assistant Undersecretary for Higher Education Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dr. Hareb Mohammed Al Jabri outlined the features of the new Scholarship Programme.
He explained that it aims to support economic growth, promote equal opportunity, embed the values of diversity and inclusion, and develop Qatari human capital by guiding students towards in-demand specialisms that meet the nation’s future needs.
The programme also supports localisation plans in both the public and private sectors in cooperation with the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau and the Ministry of Labour.
Dr. Al Jabri detailed that the plan comprises three main streams: the Amiri Scholarship Programme, which covers the top 24 globally ranked universities for international scholarships and five Education City universities for domestic scholarships; the International Scholarship track, which includes the top 300 universities in subject-specific rankings for diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees; and the Domestic Scholarship Programme for outstanding students at national and private universities listed under the internal scholarship scheme, excluding the Amiri universities.
He noted the inclusion of specialised initiatives such as the Academic Bridge Programme and Tomouh, designed to meet evolving labour-market demands and enhance immediate employment prospects for graduates. According to the 2025 budget, the number of scholarship recipients is expected to rise substantially, by 114 percent for new students, 150 percent for international recipients and 100 percent for domestic scholars.
Dr. Al Jabri further explained that the updated plan simplifies application procedures, expands the list of approved universities and disciplines, and enhances financial allowances in line with the chosen academic pathways, which now encompass eleven tracks.
The plan places special emphasis on future-focused fields such as engineering, medicine, innovation and entrepreneurship, the creative economy, computer science and artificial intelligence, reflecting the national shift towards a knowledge-based economy and preparing a generation to lead development across diverse sectors. Registration for the Government Scholarship Programme will open on Jul. 1, 2025 and close on Aug. 30, 2025. (QNA)
