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ANOTHER ACADEMIC YEAR HAS BEGUN. AROUND THE WORLD, THE ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE OF STUDENTS LEAVING FOR THEIR UNIVERSITIES HAS BEGUN – CROSSING STATE LINES, BORDERS AND EVEN OCEANS. THE STORY ISN’T DIFFERENT IN QATAR WHERE STUDENTS ARE HEADING TO THE UK, US, AUSTRALIA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES, EVEN AS INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS MAKE THEY WAY DOHA-WARDS, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE UNIVERSITIES OF GLOBAL REPUTE WHICH CALL QATAR HOME. WE HOPE THE ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE WILL HELP MAKE THE TRANSITION A LITTLE EASIER, IRRESPECTIVE OF WHICH WAY YOU ARE HEADING.BEST OF LUCK!

Address all correspondence to CAMPUS, Oryx Advertising Co. WLL, P.O. Box 3272 Doha-Qatar. Tel: (+974) 44672139, 44550983, 44671173, 44667584. Fax: (+974) 44550982; Email: campus@omsqatar.com. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for advertising contents. Licensing/Republishing CAMPUS content: To obtain permission for text syndication in books, newsletters, magazines, newspapers and web or to use images/pictures carried in CAMPUS, please contact our syndication and licensing department on the numbers given above. Permission is also required to photocopy a CAMPUS article for classroom use, course packs, business or general use. Custom reprints: Any previously published article/s to be used as stand-alone pieces can be reprinted by us on special request. The reprint cost is based on the length of the article and the quantity ordered. Contact our custom publishing division on the numbers given above for more information.Previous issues (January 2004 onwards) of CAMPUS are available for sale, contact our library department. To subscribe to CAMPUS call our subscription department on the numbers given above.

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ISSUE 29 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2015

19THE MORE YOU KNOW,THE MORE YOU DARE

Tales from the HEC Paris Campus, where the culture, history, and charm of the French capital are easily accessible.

08MELTING POTOur student correspondent Suad Ashimi talks to some of the international students in Doha to find out if college life in Qatar is all they expected it to be.

16

MIND THE DIFFERENCESA quick guide to help you understand how colleges in the US differ from those around the world.

34READING BETWEEN THE RANKSAditya Karkera has some insightful advice to get high school senior year students through

the stressful and crucial admissions time.

22

36

SPORTING BLOODJosoor Institute has been steadily working on building human capital and creating knowledge towards sustainably managing sporting bodies and hosting large sporting events.

THE MILLENNIALCAMPUS EXPERIENCELauralee Kilgour, Dean of Student Affairs at College of the North Atlantic- Qatar, speaks on taking education beyond the walls of a conventional classroom and creating a path to new-age learning.

THE NEXT ADVENTUREAisha Al Naama talks about her exciting year of building schools in the Amazonian jungle, climbing Kilimanjaro, camping at the North Pole, and cycling through Europe.

RAW TALENTSuad Ashimi takes us inside Qatar University to show us its artistic side.

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6 ISSUE 29 2015

CAMPUS NEWS

LANGUAGE LEARNING MADE EASYRegistration opened for a variety of evening language classes offered by the Language Center of Hamad bin Khalifa University’s Translation and Interpreting Institute. The 40-hour programs, which provide instruction in Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish, are spread across 13 weeks and delivered two evenings per week - either on Sundays and Tuesdays or on Mondays and Wednesdays - at T II’s facilities within Education City.

ASHGHAL DELIVERS MORE SCHOOLSThe Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced the completion and delivery of 22 schools and 11 kindergartens in Doha and the surrounding areas to the Supreme Education Council in preparation for the 2015-2016 academic year. The authority handed over 21 schools and kindergartens to the SEC at the beginning of the 2014-2015 academic year and 20 educational facilities at the beginning of the 2013-2014 academic year, in addition to schools that have been handed over in previous years.

New students actively participated in freshman orientation at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. Designed to prepare new students for life at CMU-Q, the student-led orientation program consisted of a variety of activities that introduced them to the

university’s campus, resources, and values. Through team-building activities, the incoming class was introduced to essential university values including trust, collaboration, community building, creativity, innovation, dedication and integrity.

A FUNSTART TO

THE NEW YEAR

7 2015 ISSUE 29

From August 30 to September 3, Hamad bin Khalifa University held its third annual “Gateway to College” summer event, an innovative one-week program aimed at fostering teamwork, innovative thinking, and entrepreneurship among high school students, preparing them to get the best out of their upcoming university years. In partnership with Qatar Science and Technology Park, students at this year’s

intensive workshops were confronted with a variety of business challenges, and, with guidance from their instructors, were responsible for finding and assessing solutions. Mana Al Ansari from HBKU Student Recruitment commented: “It is a unique opportunity for high school students to learn these skills directly from staff, students and alumni from HBKU and its partner universities.”

THE FIRST CAMP QATARA SUCCESSCamp Qatar 2015 recently wrapped up its inaugural year of summer activities with more than 150 Arabic-speak-ing children between 11 and 14 years old from private and independent schools across Qatar having taken part. Held under the theme “Seifak Ala Keifak”, Camp Qatar 2015 marked the closing of its first successful year with a student work exhibit that provided the children an opportunity to showcase their experience at the fun-filled fortnight to family and friends. Camp Qatar 2015 offered the children of Doha a unique experience comprised of both social and academic components - developed in partnership with INJAZ Qatar, the Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Sports Academy, Little Engineer Qatar, Mad Science, Qatar Museums, the Doha Film Institute, Weill Cornell Medical College Qatar and Arts and Crafts.

HBKU PREPARES COLLEGE-

GOERS

8 ISSUE 29 2015

ROLL OUT THE TRACKSThe first shipment of trams, bound for Education City, arrived in Doha. Executives from Qatar Foundation and Siemens, the company tasked with the project, were present to receive the first of a total of 19 trams. With a capacity of 234 passengers per tram, including 60 seated, the system is set to transport an average of approximately 3,000 people in each direction every hour, with 17 trams operating, some at four-minute intervals during peak times. Additionally, the trams will feature a range of state-of-the art energy-saving features.

SUMMER PROJECTA team of National Vision Scholars who investigated the application of robotics technology in the energy industry won the prize for best research project in the inaugural Summer Engineering Academy at Texas A&M University at Qatar. During the two-week academic enrichment program, the five Qatari high school students studied how robots could be used to ensure pipeline integrity or fight fires, and they developed prototypes for those applications. The winning team comprised Salem Al Marri, Ebrahim Al Muhannadi, Ali Al Sayed, Ahmed Al Sumaiti and Ghanem Al Yafei.

COLLEGE OF LAW CELEBRATES A GOOD YEAR In a press conference organized by the College of Law at Qatar University, lead by the Dean Dr Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al Khulaifi, along with Associate Deans Dr Yaser Khalaileh, Dr Francis Botchway and Dr Yassin El Shazly,the panel spoke about the college’s major accomplishments for the academic year 2014-15. Research achievements include a team from the college that won a National Priorities Research Program award of more than half a million dollars to conduct research into Qatar’s legal preparedness to host the FIFA World Cup 2022, and publishing more than 30 pieces of work in interna-tional journals and books by faculty members. With their current strength of more than 1,000 students, of which 60% are Qataris, it comes as a great push to the state’s legal education efforts. Their masters program is set to be introduced this fall.

10 ISSUE 29 2015

SPOTLIGHT

11 2015 ISSUE 29

Doha is home to many international students drawn to its world-class educational institutions. In fact, the International Students Section at Qatar University welcomed 93 incoming international students in an orientation exercise aimed at easing their transition to a new academic environment and a new country. These students from Mexico, Japan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Turkey and other countries join the sizable numbers of existing international students in QU and across the universities in Education City. Our student correspondent Suad Ashimi talks to some of the students in QU to find out if college life in Qatar is all they expected it to be.

NABILATADEOYINMAJOR: FINANCE AND ECONOMICS

NAT IONALIT Y: NIGERIA

MI-YOUNKIM

MAJOR: ARABIC PROGRAM FORNON-NAT IVE SPEAKERS

NAT IONALIT Y: SOUTH KOREA

ANICHALOVA

MAJOR: ARABIC PROGRAM FORNON-NAT IVE SPEAKERS

NAT IONALIT Y: BULGARIA

AKILAH BOOTY

MAJOR: ARABIC PROGRAM FORNON-NAT IVE SPEAKERS

NAT IONALIT Y: UNITED STATES

ASMA ASHIMI

MAJOR: ARABIC PROGRAM FORNON-NAT IVE SPEAKERS

NAT IONALIT Y: UNITED KINGDOM

12 ISSUE 29 2015

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO STUDY IN QATAR? IS IT THE STUDENT LIFE, QUALITY OF EDUCATION OR SOME OTHER FACTOR

THAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION?

AKILAH: I was drawn to Qatar University for many reasons including its diverse student body, its location in

the Gulf and the fact that it’s one of the premier universities in the region.

AKILAH: I didn’t really experience any culture shock because I’ve been to Qatar before. However, having a male side of campus and a female

side of campus has taken some getting used to.

ASMA: It was a new opportunity for a

change of environment.

ASMA: Segregation

NABILAT: It was a new place and I felt I needed a

new experience after finishing high school.

ANI: I got a scholarship here and couldn’t afford

another university.

MI-YOUN: QU’s very strict curfew policy.

MI-YOUN: I decided to study in Qatar because the curricula

seemed good and the environment (security-wise)

seemed the best in the region.

WERE THERE ANY CULTURE SHOCKS IN COMING TO

STUDY IN QATAR?

ANI: The fact that the university is separated and boys and girls study apart.

NABILAT: The classes not being mixed was a surprise.

But overall I noticed that most locals and foreigners mixed to

understand and exchange cultures and languages.

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WOULD YOU COMMENT ON SOMETHING THAT

NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED OR EXCLUDED IN QATAR’S

EDUCATION SYSTEM?

ANI: My friends and professors.

AKILAH: I was fortunate enough to be able to study alongside international students at my university, but I don’t think that enough universities in the United States offer this

experience so I’d like to bring this back. Also, I’d like to encourage other students to

study abroad in the Middle East.

ANI: More activities outside campus.

ASMA: Karak tea and the peaceful atmosphere.

MI-YOUN: Active academic clubs for students should

be included.

NABILAT: My friends! Any experience is better when

you have friends.

MI-YOUN The language programs with scholarships

for foreign students.

NABILAT:I feel that there needs

to be a bit more exposure. But mostly

there are so many restrictions on female

students in extracurricular

activities like traveling.

WHAT WOULD YOU MISS OR LIKE TO BRING BACK HOME FROM QATAR

AS A STUDENT STUDYING ABROAD?

14 ISSUE 29 2015

ASMA: Only in the winter maybe. I come from the UK, where the hottest day of the year in the UK would be 26 to 28, which

can’t even be compared to Qatar especially in the summer.

AKILAH: I would definitely tell my friends and family members to add

Qatar to their bucket lists! I feel like this country has a lot to offer particularly in

terms of architecture.

NABILAT: Mostly if you have friends in Qatar it’s a fun place to be. It depends on the friends you have for you to have an amazing

experience.

MI-YOUN: If they can get funding, I would advise people to go study

there, but it seems to get harder to get a job after studying there. So I’m

actually not very sure.

ANI: Yes! It’s an international experience.

WOULD YOU ADVISE ANYONE ELSE TO COME TO QATAR? WHY?

15 2015 ISSUE 29

The nextadventure

Is it possible to wake up one day and be a completely different person? Aisha Al Naama says “yes”. Until recently very much the girl next door, her sudden

transformation into a thrill-seeking adrenaline junkie has led her to build schools in the Amazon Jungle,

climb Kilimanjaro, camp at the North Pole and cycle through Europe within the span of a few months.

BY AYSWARYA MURTHY

YOUNG TURKS

16 ISSUE 29 2015

new life goal is to not miss anything. On any account. In the pursuit of this goal, she has put her body through the extremes, but the true challenge was psychological. “My trip to the Amazon was the spark that ignited this thirst in me for adventure and to experience all the beautiful things the world had to offer. But it’s human nature to just stick to something you are comfortable with. It’s not an easy thing to pry yourself away from what you are used to,” she says. And despite the year she has had, Aisha still feels she is guilty of clinging to her comfort zone sometimes. “I struggle with some choices in life in certain areas where I have to try something that’s completely different,” she shrugs.

You wouldn’t think so when you hear about her experience taking part in the Global Biking Initiative (GBI) in Europe this year. The event invites cyclists from various countries to complete a week-

long, 800 km bike ride across Europe, traversing four countries and seven cities. While Qatar has been participating in this charity event for the last three years, Aisha only heard about it early this year, less than four months before the actual kick-off. Before she knew it, she had signed up, convinced three of friends to join her and then realized she had never ridden a professional sports bike before.

“I knew nothing about cycling as a sport and the kind of specialized bikes that are used for such rides. Initially I had to rent one until I bought my own - all the tests and measurements taken to adjust the bike to fit my specifications really surprised me,” she says. Luckily, she got plenty of advice from Qatar Sandstormers who represent Qatar at the GBI. She started small - with 10km rides- until one day she joined the group during one of their regular weekend long rides where they cover over 100 km, roughly the distance she’d be covering daily during her ride across Europe. “I had to get comfortable cycling for long hours. Most of those in the group were cycling enthusiasts who had been doing this for years and it was so difficult to keep pace with them,” she says. She thanks God for the support car. “The bike was uncomfortable, everything ached, I was hot and thirsty...,” she says. “And then I started thinking about how I was going to this everyday for 6-8 hours for a whole week.” While she was exhausted and frustrated, she was also committed. A few more rides later, the whole thing started feeling almost normal. “Cycling makes you tired but the recovery is quick. And by tracking my performance, I could see that I had substantially improved over time. But still, until the last minute I was scared and didn’t feel ready enough for the actual event,” she says.

That’s understandable, because no matter how many hours you spend training, there are some things you simply can’t prepare for. “Part of the fear was about the completely new, unknown landscape and environment. And then there’s the altitude. We climbed over 2000m over the week and it was the most difficult part for me. Walking uphill is much easier than riding uphill on a bike where you have to carry your own weight as well as that of the bike. Just a couple of hundred meters on a slope can feel like it goes on forever,” she says. “But the Qatari group, made up of close to 30 riders, was motivated, stuck together encouraging each other and keeping everyone’s energy up - mentally and physically.”

But she saw it was worth it. Apart from the fact that this was for charity, the experience in itself was unique and unforgettable. “Every day was different; we were riding through mountains, rivers, fields, small villages and towns, passing by gorgeous scenery which

Aisha’s

17 2015 ISSUE 29

is impossible to fully appreciate from inside a car or train.” And while the knowledge that you have pushed yourself past what you imagined were your boundaries and stuck to your goal despite the obstacle, is very fulfilling, what stays with you is the feeling of being fully alive and completely in the moment, she says. “You get back to your life, get busy with work and get sucked into the distractions and complications of daily life. But you’ll always remember how it felt to enjoy the beauty of the Alps and the company of your friends without having to look at your phone. That disconnect gets you more involved in the moment and that’s one of the things I really appreciate about all my experiences.”

Each of the personal challenges she set for herself required a different type of fitness and preparation. “My trip to the North Pole (or rather to 78 degrees North) was that of exploration and self- discovery. It didn’t require much physical preparation prior to the expedition but the environment was hostile and surreal. Living in a basic yurt, zipping through a frozen, white desert on a dog sled pulled by huskies that you harnessed yourself, while the sun shines brightly all through the day - afternoon, evening, midnight - and the chill that never seems to leave your bones no matter how many

layers you put on; it was all a different kind of experience,” she says, and one that she wouldn’t have missed for the world.

“Now when I run into friends and I casually ask them if they have been up to much lately, they say ‘Well, not as much as you!’” she laughs. And she keeps getting asked what she is planning next, she says. Predictably, we did too. “Currently I don’t have anything in mind, but I won’t deny that I am looking for something. The next adventure that I can grab. I am sure one is just around the corner.” While doing this, Aisha has also been working at the

Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy in their technical department which oversees delivery of stadiums, and running two companies which are currently incubated. “Why not,” she shrugs at the unasked question. “I have the energy and there are so many things I want to do,” she says.

What’s even more amazing about Aisha’s story is that the Amazon trip, which was the watershed moment that plunged her into a life of globe-trotting adventure, was also one that triggered plenty of controversy back home about Qatari women and culture. One would have expected something like that to hold her back but it didn’t. Instead it only seems to have pushed her to prove something to the world. But Aisha denies the incident influenced her future expeditions in any way. “Certain situations in life teach you things and you grow from them. I am grateful for the Amazon opportunity, regardless of what happened, because it has led me to where I am today. It showed me a side of myself that I didn’t know I had,” she says. “So take every opportunity you get; you never know what’s going to come out of it. At the end of the day, it’s about me and my choices. If I miss out on what could have potentially been a great adventure, no one else can compensate me for it, or give me another chance. It’s up to me to fulfill my dreams and satisfy my desires because it is I who would have to live with the regret of missed opportunities.”

“Certain situations in life teach you things and you grow from

them. I am grateful for the Amazon opportunity, regardless

of what happened, because it has led me to where I am today.

It showed me a side of myself that I didn’t know I had.”

18 ISSUE 29 2015

THE MILLENNIALCAMPUS EXPERIENCE

EXPERT TALK

BY AARTHI MOHAN

19 2015 ISSUE 29

T hree-minutes of inspiration while on a ski lift in the Canadian Rockies is all it took Lauralee Kilgour to redirect

her career path from business to the development of youth and she has been passionate about it ever since. Having been in the education sector for much of her professional life, Lauralee believes in the value of learning outside the classroom. She is translating this into her mission as Dean of Student Affairs by caretaking the students’ diverse cultural, physical, professional and social experiences and empowering students to achieve their full potential. “The learning that goes on within the classroom is essential; however, when a student takes advantage of campus experiences available outside the classroom, that’s when a student’s education becomes immensely enriched,” she says.

Though each is distinct, the varied units within Student Affairs at CNA-Q share the common goal of celebrating student success through a vibrant campus life. Together, these units’ foster qualities of campus life that help make college education richer, fuller, and more rewarding. Lauralee works closely with her staff members who design career preparation programs, sport and wellness programs, cultural and humanitar-ian activities, leadership and student governance, alumni connections, and counseling and career services. The Student Life staff is responsible for leadership development, cultural activities, events, charities and clubs while alumni staff focus on keeping graduates connected through ongoing professional development, job opportunities and social networking. The active Recreation, Sport and Wellness staff offers programs using state-of-the art equipment and wellness expertise.

Members of the Counseling staff work with students to ensure their personal and academic success while the Career Services Coordinator provides students and graduates with current job preparation and opportunities as well as pathways for university articulation around the globe. “As Dean, I have the privilege of working with these committed professionals but also with some of the most interesting and talented youth in the Qatar community,” says Lauralee.

There are more than 20 active clubs and sports teams at CNA-Q. Students can easily find their niche in the auto racing, eques-trian, debate, photography, fashion, library and music clubs or by becoming a member of one of the CNA-Q Falcon teams such as cricket, power lifting, soccer, archery, rugby, basketball, volleyball, billiards, chess, or swimming. And when it’s time to just chill out, students can relax in the new students’ lounge, the Falcon’s Nest. If a student is motivated by becoming a peer

tutor, a student assistant, an ambassador, a member of the student advisory board, or a member of the Student Representative Council, the Student Affairs Department is ready to enable that.

In terms of student culture, CNA-Q has an incredibly interesting student population. Students from over 40 nationalities bring their diverse and rich experiences to the campus. At CNA-Q, it’s a primary goal to create a community of respect and appreciation. To encourage this, the College hosts not only a Respect Campaign but also an annual Global Village, where students and staff come together in a colourful celebration of multiculturalism.

Student artistic development is celebrat-ed through an annual art and photography exhibition that is complemented by ArtMart, an online art shopping experience where customers may purchase the work of CNA-Q photographers, and have their proceeds contribute to a student artistic achievement award. Student Affairs also offers student

Professional expertise and a well- rounded education are indispensable in nurturing college students in this new era. Lauralee Kilgour, Dean of Student Affairs at College of the North Atlantic- Qatar, speaks on taking education beyond the walls of a conventional classroom and creating a path to new-age learning.

20 ISSUE 29 2015

awards for sport achievement and leader-ship development while the Student Representative Council offers financial awards to students in need of assistance.

The Student Affairs Department is a catalyst for bridging challenges to solutions. The college places great importance on setting the right environment for students to feel secure. “CNA-Q’s dedicated faculty and staff are partners with students in their learning and they make themselves available to help students manage their college life, whether selecting courses, finding the right internship, interviewing for a job, connecting with friends, or solving life’s big questions,” she says.

To Lauralee, her success lies in the success of students. She emphasizes that “Student Affairs is dedicated to making each student’s educational journey a success by

providing a supportive, safe and vibrant campus. Success is not only about getting good grades; equally important are the expe-riences and lifelong friendships that students gain through social, leadership,

athletic, and cultural activities. All these threads make up the fabric of life at CNA-Q and weaving them together creates a tapestry that is both challenging and exciting.”

“CNA-Q’s dedicated faculty and staff are partners with students in their learning and they make themselves available to help students manage their college life, whether selecting courses, finding the right internship, interviewing for a job, connecting with friends, or solving life’s big questions.”

21 2015 ISSUE 29

THE MORE YOU KNOW,THE MORE YOU DARE

Who would have thought the fashion and culture capital of the world would be known for something completely different? That was my first thought as I walked through the HEC Paris Campus, located a few kilometers away from the French capital, in the small picturesque village of Jouy-en-Josas, nestled

among beautiful green spaces with walkways and landscapes that would make any student yearn to be part of the surroundings. HEC Paris is on a 340-acre

wooded campus, 20 km southwest of Paris, where the culture, history, and charm of the French capital are easily accessible.

BYSINDHU

NAIR

CAMPUS TALK

22 ISSUE 29 2015

One of the oldest business schools, HEC Paris was established in 1881. When it was created, the idea was frowned upon and only a few supporters

of economic "liberalism" and a handful of firm believers of progress through education were really convinced. Now, HEC Paris is an educational institution that has been consistently recognized for the quality and variety of its programs, the excellent faculty, and its close relations with the corporate world. Its outstanding partnership with other top French research institutions and businesses, and being the sole business school founding member of the Paris-Saclay innovation cluster, have made HEC Paris the preferred choice of international students who are seeking to acquire the highest-quality education in business, including those aspiring to pursue a truly successful and rewarding professional career in Europe.

Talking to Middle East journalists, Bernard Garrette, Associate Dean, HEC Paris MBA, revealed another facet of HEC Paris: its diversity in the intake of students. “About 40% of HEC Paris’ students are international students of which 85% are enrolled in the MBA program. Looking at

the faculty, 65% are represented by the international faculty. Of all the international students, around 95 nationalities are represented on campus,” says Garrette.

Entrepreneurship is focused on at HEC Paris. “Guided by its motto ‘The more you know, the more you dare’, HEC Paris advocates that knowledge and research determine the entrepreneurship required for a better world. With the goal of trans-forming potential into success, the school’s multidisciplinary approach to management has been established to serve the needs of an increasingly competitive and interna-tional environment, and to attract students from all over the world,” says Garrette.

Accordingly, HEC Paris has gone from being an outstanding French Business School to an internationally renowned university. Its long tradition of academic excellence prepares graduates for the challenges they will face in an ever-chang-ing world of business, by offering a complete business program portfolio. This includes Master’s, MBA, PhD, Executive MBA, TRIUM Global Executive MBA, and open-enrolment and custom Executive Education programs.

This is evidenced by the programs’ rankings: in 2014, the HEC Paris MBA, a leading global MBA, was ranked number

one in Europe and number four in the world by The Economist. The Master in Manage-ment was ranked number two worldwide in 2014 and the Executive Education programs were ranked number two in 2015, both by the Financial Times. According to Garrette, HEC Paris instils the concept of social diversity into future business leaders.

THE CAMPUS EXPERIENCEThe stringent selection process ensures only highly qualified individuals from a diverse set of nationalities are admitted into HEC Paris MBA’s 200-strong student body, which is made up of 90% international students with a wide range of academic and professional experience.

The students are housed in a specialized MBA residence called Expansiel. To facilitate international student life while in Paris, two HEC Paris staff members are assigned to provide for all their needs, including visa process facilitation.

With Paris being the epicenter of European business, it hosts a higher concentration of multinational corporations than any other city on the continent. Thus, students also benefit from a wide range of job and internship opportunities, comple-mented by the school’s strong corporate relations.

23 2015 ISSUE 29

HEC PARIS MBAThe HEC Paris MBA curriculum has two phases, the Fundamen-tal Phase and the Customized Phase. The Fundamental Phase provides students with advanced knowledge in essential business disciplines. The Customized Phase allows for tailor-made learning in accordance with students’ professional objectives.

As a transformative experience that takes 12-16 months, including the option of a specialization, the HEC Paris MBA is comparable to those in the US that take up to 24 months to complete.

With a sound European approach to business education, the HEC Paris MBA program enables students to really learn about the European working culture. Additionally, HEC Paris’ network of academic and corporate partners that include innovators, multinationals and top recruiters, offers students the broadest range of career opportunities in Europe.

HEC PARIS MBA ALUMNIGarrette takes us through the list of achievers on the HEC alumni list. According to The Times Higher Education Alma Mater Index 2013, HEC Paris has produced more alumni in CEO positions within Fortune Global 500 companies than any other European business school. “This ranking is a clear illustration of HEC’s ability to shape the business leaders of tomorrow,” says Garrette.

Giving back to the alma mater is also practiced by most of the alumni, says Garrette. “Counting 11 CAC40 - the benchmark French stock market index - CEOs, including those of well-known brands such as BestBuy, L’Oreal, Kering, Lafarge, AXA and Michelin as alumni, these top executives take time out from their busy schedules to engage students with their valuable insights. Students are also provided with privileged access to La Défense, the epicenter of European business that has the highest concentration of multinational corporate headquarters on the continent,” he says.

HOW TO ENROLAs a minimum requirement, candidates must have completed an undergraduate program at an accredited university and provide academic transcripts. The requirement of an undergraduate degree may only be waived if the candidate can provide a certificate certifying that he or she has completed secondary education. In addition, the candidate must have completed five years of professional experience with at least three years in a managerial position. Candidates who are/were athletes that have represented their country at a national level are exempt from the professional experience and undergraduate degree requirements.

All candidates must also have completed and submitted an online application form.

The entire HEC Paris MBA program uses English as its medium of instruction and thus English is the only language required for admission. Therefore, non-native English speakers who do not hold a university degree from a university where English is the teaching language must have completed one of the following: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), TOEIC, IELTS, PTE. The minimum results obtained must be at least: TOEFL - 100 internet-based, 260 computer-based, 600 paper-based; TOEIC - 340 Speaking & Writing (preferred) or 850 Listening & Reading; IELTS - 6.5; and PTE: 72. These results must also be less than two years old.

As the admissions work on a rolling basis throughout the year, candidates are able to proactively manage their application throughout the entire process. However, candidates must have also decided which deadline they wish to apply for to ensure that the application has been submitted before the date on which they wish to be considered.

The entire admissions journey is expected to last for five weeks.

24 ISSUE 29 2015

Q

For more than a year since it was established, Josoor Institute has been steadily working on building human capital and creating knowledge, both in Qatar and the broader MENA region, towards sustainably managing

sporting bodies and hosting large sporting events.

THESPORTING

BLOOD

CAMPUS TALK

25 2015 ISSUE 29

QQatar’s sporting ambitions are no secret. And time and again, most recently during the Men’s Handball Championships this year, it has been proven that the country can do a stellar job of organizing world-class sporting events. It is these capabilities that Josoor Institute hopes to build on with their certificate and diploma courses, professional development workshops and bespoke training programs, like the ones developed for the Qatar Stars League. The institute is gearing up to train many of the people who will play an integral role in Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, who will then have the knowledge to go on and deliver large-scale sporting and non-sporting events across the region long after 2022. The institute’s focus also reflects on their efforts to give the region’s football industry a shot in the arm, so that they may be able to run an efficient business while also keeping the spirit of the game alive among the football-crazy Arab population.

We learn all this while chatting with Afraa Al Noaimi, HR Manager and Director of Operations at Josoor Institute, last August in the midst of one of the modules of the Professional Certificate and Diploma courses. With several years of experience in the oil & gas and entrepreneurship sectors, she joined Josoor Institute last year because she strongly identified with its vision and that of its founding organizations, which “believed in the potential of the country’s and the region’s human capital and wanted to shift the western perspective about Qatar’s capability in handling events on the scale of World Cup 2022”.

The institute provides courses across two verticals - Football and Sports Business Management and Major Events Management. These flagship programs, “core areas targeted at long-term career growth and development where Josoor wants to concentrate”, were launched earlier this year and are accredited by Georgetown University in the United States. With the popularity of their maiden intake, which had more than 80 students, they had

to expand to accommodate a second batch with close to 30 more students. “Designed as part time programs, the courses are offered through six modules of one week duration each, spread over 18 months,” she says. Going forward, the two batches will be combined for the future modules and will graduate together in October 2016. During the three months between the modules there is constant communication between the students and academic partners and professors and continual work on a lot of deliverables like assignments and papers.

Open to high school and college graduates and those with relevant work experience of at least 3-5 years, the courses

have been designed with their academic partners Georgetown University, Leeds Metropolitan University and the University of Liverpool. This way, the courses cater to both those looking to enter the sports event industry as well as those who are already industry practitioners who want to further enhance their skills and support themselves with more education. “The curriculum has been designed to empower students to take up leadership positions in the industry,” says Al Noaimi. Someone straight out of school wanting to go into football management, would start off with a foundation course, which can prepare those with even a basic knowledge of the industry to take on relevant future modules like, for example, Leadership and Management Core Competencies, that develop the key skills needed in the industry if one wants to grow as a leader. Currently they have students from across the region – from Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan – and middle and senior management professionals from several sporting bodies like their local football associations, QFA, QSL, Olympic committees, etc, specializing in several verticals – from HR and marketing to operations and architecture.

As for career opportunities, Al Noaimi says that with Qatar’s growing ambitions in this sector and its history of successful bids for sporting events, placements for those with proven competency and educational qualifications in the sector wouldn’t be a problem at all. “We are going to need more people to work on the many upcoming events,” she says. “Additionally, we are working on creating a division for placement and membership which will come into operation once we graduate our first batch. Through this network of our students, many of whom are from sports and events organizations and our partners including International Centre for Sports Security, Beyond Sport, Rushmans, etc. (please see box), we’ll always know who to connect with whom, should there be specific requests or vacancies.”

PARTNERS IN A PURPOSE

To fulfill its mission to catalyze a transformation in the sports and events industries in the region and set new standards globally, the Josoor Institute has partnered with a broad array of industry and academic organizations.

FOUNDING PARTNERS: Aspire Academy, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Qatar Football Association, Qatar University, Silatech, Qatar Tourism Authority

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS: Deloitte, Georgetown University, IMG, the Inter-national Centre for Sport Security, Qatar Stars League

PROGRAM AND COURSE PARTNERS: Beyond Sport, Leeds Metropolitan University, Rushmans, Wasserman

ASSOCIATE PARTNER: College of the North Atlantic- Qatar

MEDIA PARTNERS: Al Jazeera, Getty Images, SportBusiness International

26 ISSUE 29 2015

CAREER TRIVIA

WITH INCREASED COMPETITION AND LITTLE TO NO WORK EXPERIENCE, FRESH GRADUATES TODAY ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND A DECENT JOB. AND WHILE MOST OF THEM FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THEIR

LACK OF EXPERIENCE IS WHAT IS JEOPARDIZING THEIR JOB SEARCH, RESULTS FROM OUR RESEARCH DISAGREE WITH THAT ASSUMPTION.

FRESH GRADUATES MAKE WHILELOOKING FOR A JOB

The truth is, employers in the Middle East are increasingly tapping into the graduate talent pool, and the proof is Bayt.com, where

thousands of entry-level jobs are advertised on the website on any given day. So if your experience (or lack thereof) isn’t what is

standing between you and your dream job, then what is?

27 2015 ISSUE 29

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Bayt.com is the #1 job site in the Middle East with more than 40,000 employers and over 21,000,000 registered job seekers from across the Middle East, North Africa and the globe,

representing all industries, nationalities and career levels. Post a job or find jobs on www.bayt.com today and access the leading resource for job seekers and employers in the region.

WANTING TO START FROM THE TOPActually, your journey to the top could well start with a paid internship. Students usually expect a starting point that is very high in their career; little do they know that their first job is a place where they could learn many things, be super busy, and meet a lot of people in the industry.

FORGETTING ABOUT NETWORKINGYour network of family, friends and colleagues is a valuable resource for your job search. Networking may sound intimidating, but it can be very useful. If you’re uncomfortable asking for favors or embar-rassed about your employment situation, don’t be - everyone knows what it’s like to be unemployed and looking for a job.

NOT HAVING A CUSTOMIZED CVYour CV shouldn’t just include your education, internships and part-time jobs. Use your CV to make a strong statement about yourself, your career goals, and what you can bring to the company. In short, look at your CV as a marketing tool.

APPEARING UNPROFESSIONALBecause most often than not there’s no second chance to make a first impression, sometimes it takes no more than 30 seconds for a person to form an opinion of you. When you’ve only got a short time to sell yourself, you need to effectively communicate your professionalism both verbally and non-verbally.

CARING TOO MUCH ABOUT THE SALARYEverybody wants to earn as much as possible on a job, but sometimes fresh graduates set high salary expectations and get really disappointed when given their first job offer. What we suggest is using online resources, such as the Bayt.com Salary Search tool, to get an idea of what you’re really worth in the job market before accepting or rejecting a job offer for an entry-level job.

LACKING AN ONLINE PRESENCEBeing search-engine friendly is the first step to getting yourself noticed by employers. It’s important to amp up your online presence. Are you an expert in your field? Start a blog. Do you have knowledge and expertise worth showing to employers? Get a Bayt.com Public Profile, which is like an online business card which shows your contact details and everything you’re good at.

NOT HAVING A MENTORAsking for help when you need it may be the biggest service you ever did your career and you may be shocked to discover just how many super-successful professionals have had serious mentors in their careers. Choose a mentor wisely for their personal rapport with you as well as their industry skills and coaching skills, as well as networks and know-how.

BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE JOB MARKETWe strongly recommend that you learn about the job market and industry that you are working in. Look for what employers are looking for. You will find some interesting insights in the Bayt.com Hiring Practices in the MENA survey, June 2015.

LACKING THE SKILLS EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FORBefore you choose a skill or experience, keep this in mind: What skills are supplied more than they are demanded? Those are the ones you might want to stay away from. Rather, you ought to look for the skills that are demanded much more than they are supplied. For this, you would want to check our recent survey, the Bayt.com Middle East Job Index survey, February 2015, or Bayt.com’s Career Map - a great tool to see what skills employers are looking for.

NOT KNOWING YOURSELFOne of the oldest rules in the book is to know yourself. You may want to write down what you love to do or ask people who know you about your strengths and weak-nesses. This is the time to really ask yourself what your life objectives are, what motivates you and makes you happy, and what you imagine yourself doing for the foreseeable future that would fulfill you, excite you and agree with your values and life priorities.

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READINGBETWEENTHE

RANKS

CAMPUS TALK

31 2015 ISSUE 29

As the end of the year approaches, countless high school students in Qatar and, indeed, across the world, will find themselves embracing the excitement, anxiety, and uncertainty that are part in parcel of the college admissions cycle as they ask themselves an age-old question – where am I going to end up?

From sleepless nights pondering over college essays and the immeasurable permutations of essay topics and life stories to sleeplessness for no apparent reason at all – the college admissions cycle can be a testing time for us all. Besides the stress we inflict upon ourselves at this time, there’s a large reservoir of stress waiting to have its floodgates opened by friends, family, teachers, and almost everyone else who knows you’re a step away from college.

Now there’s a sprawling multi-billion dollar industry that was born with the sole intention of feeding off your anxiety and answering this particular question in myriad ways that are as wrong as they are profitable. Some say you’re going to end up in the college of your dreams or you get your money back, while, conversely, others encourage you to aim low to be sure of success. It’s a rather wonderful arrangement – they build a smoke screen of comforting advice to answer the question, and you pay them to do so.

My $0.02 of advice? Change the question.Instead of burdening your mind with the question " where am I

going to end up? ", ask yourself a more important question: where should I end up?

We are all dart throwers waiting to hit the bullseye. Such is the college admissions game. And when you change the question you change the way you play the game. If you blindfold yourself with fear and throw without any care for where you land, you might as well hit a brick wall instead of any target. But armed with clarity, you can judge the effort, energy, and momentum you need to hit a target. Very few dart throwers take shots that they are sure they will miss.

Where you should end up shouldn’t be a matter of talent but

choice. Pick colleges for their usefulness, yes - but not from a purely academic standpoint. Take a step back and understand that the college you pick is where you will spend the next four years of your life, and the first four years of your life as an adult member of human society. If college ranks are your only filter, you’re doomed to be disappointed. As a student of statistics I can attest to its powers of deception.

Take Harvard University for example - the prize a large number of applicants seek. Harvard is consistently ranked the best university in the United States and the world. Surely this must be an amazing place to study. Well, Harvard ranks 14th (out of 50 colleges) on a list of America’s happiest campuses. The happiest campus is Yale University, which barely scraped a top 10 college spot in last year’s rankings. Yale has also been ranked among the politest campuses in the States, which brings us to the most important part of reading between the ranks – assessing what comes out.

Colleges aren’t sausage machines where you can stuff whatever meat and get a standard-shaped sausage to pop out the other end. Depending on where you go, you might emerge an entirely different person - you might be entrepreneurial, ambitious, poetic, or even at peace with yourself. Or you might not come out as any of these things. When you decide what college you want to go to, know that the degree is the only thing that is common between all the students who graduate.

Now, at the end of the day, pressure might prevail and you might simply dismiss my words as idealistic or foolish (it’s a sane world that doesn’t confuse the two). The voice in the back of your head is probably parroting your parents and teachers right now – “Who cares about the college you love? Who cares about what makes you happy? You need a job and you need to make your parents proud.”

Well, if you’re firmly in that camp, I won’t bother myself trying to get you out of it. But it is important to consider that, long after these pages have been claimed by the termites, long after you’ve done your parents proud and made a million other people happy, as you look back on your life, you might find yourself asking yet another question that will keep you up at night - was it worth it?

Aditya Karkera has some insightful advice to get high school senior year students through

the stressful and crucial admissions time and think beyond rankings when choosing a college.

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Since establishing its campus in 2011, ACS Doha has provided a range of co-curricular educational activities and class trips. These educational school trips develop holistic learning, intercultural awareness and a sense of "giving back" amongst students from a young age. Stu-dents in Grades 6-10 are

provided the opportunity to "study beyond the classroom", to investigate real world situations around them, such as learning about the environment and sustainability issues. Recently the students visited the mangroves in Al Khor in order to gain a better understanding of how mangroves sustain life.

A middle school student at ACS Doha visited the mangroves and said: “I am always excited to go on field

trips because I am interested in learning as much as possible about Qatar. I am especially interested in the development of Qatar during the last decade and would really like to see the results of all the ongoing construction, especially the railway station and stadiums in preparation for the World Cup 2022. Most of our field trips help me to relate what I have learnt in the classroom to real-life situations. This past year we visited the mangroves in Al Khor where I was able to relate all that I know about eco-systems.”

“The mangroves are very important to the ecosys-tem because they remove the salt, making the mangrove a good habit for shrimp, crab and other sea life. During this trip we had the opportunity to plant our own mangroves, to help to preserve them as people are destroying them. It is good that we have the chance to learn inside and outside the classroom.

LEARNINGBEYOND THECLASSROOM

ACS DOHA STUDENTS GAIN A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP AS THEY ARE ENCOURAGED TO UNDERTAKE

"EXTENDED ENQUIRY" BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, ENGAGE IN THE COMMUNITY AS

WELL AS ENRICH THE INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF THEIR LOCATION IN DOHA.

33 2015 ISSUE 29

Sometimes we understand better when there is a live example. I really enjoyed this particular trip.”

Another student agreed with his classmate, saying: “I have not yet gone on any overseas trips but hope to do so soon. We are being taught how to be responsible and independent citizens. Going on a trip without my parents would give me the chance to gain more of this and prepare me for when I have to leave for university.”

Over the past two years, senior students of ACS have participated in international outreach programs in Nepal, India and Cambodia, where they were able to identify and engage with the rural community projects. Through these trips, the students demonstrated their commitment to support those who are less fortunate than themselves, playing their part in creating a better, more peaceful world to live in, which is a value central to the IB Organization.

After returning from an inspirational 12-day

expedition to Shree Mahendra Upper Primary, a school in the eastern corner of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, Grade 10 student Yasmin said: “Going to Nepal, we all knew we would be emotionally and physically chal-lenged, but the purpose was to have the ability to recognize it was all worth it. Project Nepal benefits Nepali children’s lives as well as our lives as ACS students.”

“During our time there, as a student-led team, we were involved in all aspects of manual labor, from carrying and laying bricks one by one, to cement mixing, painting the classrooms and creating murals for the walls. Without any power tools we were able to approach the physical challenges with perseverance and finished three new classrooms and revitalized nine with paintings and murals,” Yasmin added, expressing that she hopes to return to Nepal next year.

And speaking about her trip to India where the students visited local vision centers and eye camps set up in rural areas which help to build up children’s eye health services, ACS student Amara, Grade 10, said: “Everybody was so appreciative of the treatment they received, whether it was an eye examination, cataract screening or basic cataract surgery. Patients saw their diagnosis, regardless of its nature, as an opportunity to improve their lives, rather than something to dwell upon. This approach was both inspiring and hum-bling.” Amara also admired the positive outlook of every single one of the patients that she met.

Fellow student Rosie, Grade 10, shared the same sentiment and added: “The hospitals that we visited were often brimming with patients that required urgent care, and while the facilities and equipment were basic, the needs and care of patients were always prioritized.”

At ACS Doha, each school trip is organized with the aim of imparting rich educational benefits, in line with the IB learner profile, which encourages students to be principled, open-minded, and critical thinkers and inquirers, and to be contributing members of society.

Steve Calland-Scoble, Head of School at ACS Doha, said: “At ACS, we nurture the diverse range of qualities within the IB learner profile; academic teaching during school hours is coupled with regular opportunities for students to engage with the wider community, reflect upon critical issues and contribute to positive change through developing creative, responsible solutions.”

“We hope to inspire our students to become global citizens who are passionate about making a positive difference to the world we live in,” concluded Calland-Scoble.

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BY ANDREIA TEIXEIRA, VIVA MUNDO

M I N D T H ED I F F E R E N C E S

A quick guide to help you understand how colleges in the US differ from those around the world.

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Did you know that “college” in the United States is not the same as “college” in England, or even in Ireland, Australia, Canada and

other countries having this type of institution? Learn the differences and know what you can study at each country’s college.

COLLEGE FOR HIGHER EDUCATIONIn some countries, “college” is attended by students at a high school level or lower. In the United States, the word “college” is mostly a synonym for university, i.e., when students start their higher education studies on their 13th scholar year/grade, at the age of 17-18 or older. Although both institutions offer higher education programs, the terms “college” and “university” have their differences even within the American territory. So, which disparities are we talking about?

A “college” normally offers two-year programs - the so-called “Associate Degree” - or three year programs - equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree - besides certificate and diploma courses.

A university has a diversified range of courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, such as Masters and PhDs.

University is, therefore, more comprehensive than “college”. Since a university can represent a group of several higher education schools, it normally includes a college in its structure and within its university campus, whether it is a public or private institution.

There are also colleges in the US which are not part of a university. These are independent colleges but, like university colleges, only offer undergraduate courses, diplomas and certificates.

But then you ask: if I can study my undergraduate course both at university (general) and at a college (independent), why does everyone say they are “going to college” in the United States? This is because, the term “college” in the US is more popular than university - this happens even when you are attending a big university for your undergraduate program. Only at postgraduate level, will you hear the

expression “attending university” from American students.

COLLEGE AS HIGH SCHOOL Did you know that in the ancient Roman Empire, the word “collegium” used to stand for a group of people living under common rules, like a society or association. Other countries use the word “college” but differently from the United States.

If you want to complete your high school studies in Ireland, for instance, you must register at a college. This also happens in

Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa or even in other countries having English as one of their official languages. In these places, an institution named “college” normally offers high school education, for the most part under independent or private management, as an alternative to the government-run high schools. Some colleges, depending on the country, can also provide primary and secondary education.

According to this, college matches the education you take prior to joining a higher

education institution, i.e., before you enter university. “College” in these places is the “high school” in the US, and not the same as “university”.

However, college also has its variations.In some cases, a college offers diversified

education that can range from high school studies to diploma and certificate courses, university pathways, pre-university programs or even higher education. So, in that sense, yes, it is a bit like the US system.

For example, have you ever heard of King’s College London, in the United Kingdom? It is a good example of an institution with the word “college” in its name but which is actually part of a university - the University of London. It is very similar to the American model: King’s College London delivers post-high school education, such as certificate and diploma courses, but it belongs to a more comprehensive institution, the university, which also offers higher education paths.

Yet Imperial College, also located in London, offers higher education, from Bachelor’s Degrees to PhDs, despite its name. At the Belfast Metropolitan College, in Northern Ireland, you will find diploma and certificate courses. Although they are not considered higher education, they provide you with an advanced study level if, after completion of your high school or secondary studies, you don’t want to go straight to university.

So, if a friend of yours tells you he is going to “attend college abroad”, how do you know which educational level he is at? Ask what his destination country is. If it’s the United States, he is certainly going to study higher education; if he is going to Australia or Canada, he is going to study high school; if he is going to the UK, then... well, both are possible.

Discover many international colleges - both universities and high schools - from all around the world this October, by visiting the BMI international education fairs, held in four different locations in the Middle East.21st: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates22nd and 23rd: Dubai, United Arab Emirates27th and 28th: Doha, Qatar30th and 31st: Kuwait City, Kuwait

There are also colleges in the US

which are not part of a university. These

are independent colleges but, like

university colleges, only offer

undergraduate courses, diplomas and certificates.

38 ISSUE 29 2015

Suad Ashimi takes us inside Qatar University to

show us its artistic side.

Raw Talent

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K eeping up good grades, working on projects, having study groups and the like might be just what you would

expect from every student to achieve greater success in their education. But who says we cannot work together to develop our skills and know-how to bring out our hidden talents? Qatar University students Asma Guiamadin and Fatime Ali Mahamat discuss their group’s raw talent in drawing and self-development.

Talking about their world of art, President of their group Asma gives an insight into the group “QUartist”. Though it has not yet been officially recognized by the university, it has managed to draw students that share the same passion and interest for arts and photography through its Facebook group, thus becoming a platform for them to grow and achieve the best they can in applying their talents and skills.

As an international student, group member Fatime confesses to actually

getting involved due to the lack of internet connection. Laughing, she says, “I had nothing else to do. I was so bored and just started drawing and thought maybe I can actually do this more often during my summer break. And so coming back to school, and hearing about other students like Asma with the same interest, they were able to open a Facebook group page to reach out to and challenge other new and developing talents."

To ensure the constant improvement of their individual talents, they challenge themselves by setting a theme every two weeks for members to draw or take pictures, and then evaluate and comment on the week’s challenge. This further serves as a way to encourage them to keep practicing, criticizing, reviewing and improving their skills as a way to learn from their mistakes.

Fatime, a Chemical Engineering student, and Asma, a Mass Communications student, seem like unlikely candidates to be involved in the field of arts and have to balance the pursuit of both aspects of their lives - school work and their passions. However, doing this

as a hobby, not a job or a major, as they both described, is what makes it fun. Work-ing under no restrictions and pressures, but just for the passion and the love of it, is what makes it interesting and worth it.

In planning for the future of the group Asma talks about expanding it to include more members that would incorporate students from not only Qatar University, but also Qatar Foundation. They are equally enthusiastic about their plans to organize workshops and art exhibitions to educate others and showcase their artwork.

As some final advice, Fatime says that the best thing one can do to develop their talent is to constantly practice. Joining a group only serves as a way to encourage yourself to improve and work harder as you tend to realize your mistakes and work hard to improve. And Asma emphasizes the need for one to get involved in a community that shares a similar interest that would eventually be an inspiration to develop skill and passion.

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TECH TALK

SHOOT LIKE IT’S THE 80SMillennials, born with high-resolution cameras, probably have no inkling of how bad home videos used to be in the 80s. Think Blair Witch Project, but much much worse. Now you can get the fun and nostalgia of badly shot videos on your smartphone with the VHS Camcorder app, available on Apple store for $3.99 (Android launch coming soon). The videos you shoot can be made to “look and sound like videotape recordings that have been in storage for 30 years.” To start, the app not only degrades the video quality, but also the audio - static hissing and all. You can also choose to make video as bad as you want it to be; for example, dragging your finger around the frame while recording to achieve a grainy effect. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true camcorder-style video without an obnoxious date stamp, which you customize and pretend that your shaky iPhone video is from the 80s and 90s.

GALAXY NOTE5 AND S6 EDGE+ HIT THE GCCSAMSUNG ELECTRONICS LAUNCHED THE FIFTH GENERATION OF THE GALAXY NOTE AND THE GALAXY S6 EDGE+ IN THE GCC, LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER THEY WERE UNVEILED GLOBALLY.

The Galaxy Note5, with its 5.7” screen, is the latest addition to Samsung’s phablet range and features advanced S Pen technology that allows you to write on the screen when the phone is locked, wireless charging technology and increased 4GB RAM. On the new Note, the large Quad HD Super AMOLED screen is the window efficient multi-tasking with productivity tools such as "SideSync", faster updates to and from social networks, and graphic-heavy games without lag time. Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+, developed from the same design of Galaxy S6 edge, features the new "Apps edge" for easy access to favorite apps, and enhanced ‘People edge’ for easy communications with preferred contacts by just swiping the edge display. The Galaxy Note5 and the Galaxy S6 edge+ also feature 4K Video filming and Live Broadcast, which let users instantly live-stream Full HD video straight from their phone to any individual, group of contacts, or even the public through YouTube Live. Both devices were made available at all major retailers in Qatar at the end of August and come in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, Gold Platinum and Silver Titanium. The Galaxy Note5 32GB and the Galaxy S6 edge+ 32GB retail at QR2,799 and QR3,099, respectively, and the Galaxy S6 edge+ 64GB version will retail at QR3,399.

41 2015 ISSUE 29

VODAFONE QATAR -

THE LONDON EDITION

VODAFONE QATAR UNVEILED DETAILS OF ITS WORLD’S FIRST

LUXURY TELECOMS PLAN LONDON EDITION -AT AN

EXCLUSIVE EVENT HELD AT HARRODS IN LONDON IN THE PRESENCE OF HE DR HESS AL

JABER, MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND

COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY, AND

HE SHEIKH DR KHALID BIN THANI AL THANI, CHAIRMAN

OF VODAFONE QATAR.

“THIS IS M. HOW CAN I HELP YOU?"FACEBOOK IS GETTING INTO THE DIGITAL ASSISTANT GAME WITH M, A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT AKIN TO APPLE’S SIRI, MICROSOFT’S CORTANA AND GOOGLE NOW. This new feature for the Facebook Messenger app can help you purchase items, find birthday gifts, book restaurants, travel arrangements, appointments, and more, according to a post from Facebook’s Vice President of Messaging Products, David Marcus. The social network began testing the feature with a “few hundred” users in the Bay Area, and plans to slowly roll it out to others over time. "Powered by artificial intelligence as well as a band of Facebook employees, dubbed M trainers, M will make sure that every request is answered,” the company says. M, which unlike Siri and Cortana doesn’t have a gender, will only make suggestions based on answers you offer up in the chat. Rumors about M first cropped up last month, with The Informa-tion reporting that the service was codenamed Moneypenny.

LEAVE YOUR SELFIE STICK AT HOME

Several tourist attractions and festivals in Europe have now banned the selfie stick for safety reasons and the list of places

where you’ll no longer be allowed to carry this accessory grows longer. Disney imposed a total ban on selfie sticks after a man on a ride at its Disney California Adventure Park whipped one out as the ride reached the top of a hill. Many festivals have banned the

devices including Lollapalooza and Coachella, with the latter stating it was banning "Selfie sticks/Narsisstics". The decision to ban the devices has also been made by several Premier League

clubs and at Wembley Stadium. Manchester United and Arsenal have confirmed the devices are prohibited at matches, and treat them as severely as fireworks and knives. Tourists are also being

asked to refrain from using the device to take photos of themselves at Rome’s Colosseum. The restriction was announced in March of this year over fears the famous landmark could get damaged. It’s a

good time to invest in a camera with a wide-angle lens.

This invitation only limited edition plan for both Qatar and UK numbers was born out of a demand from Qatar’s frequent travellers to the UK to have a unified service across both countries. Vodafone now makes it easy for prospective clients who already have UK numbers to manage their local and international numbers with one single plan that is payable through a single bill. The single plan innovation for UK and Qatar

numbers is a first in the consumer market. With London Edition, both Qatar and the UK are regarded as home countries, eliminating all roaming charges on the Qatari and UK London Edition SIMs for both destinations. In addition, customers receive a total of 50GB and 30 hours of international calling to use between Qatar and the UK on both SIMs, in addition to 2GB of roaming data for all Vodafone Passport countries.

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WHAT’S COOL

COLOR PLAY

Color experts at OPI have created a new line of blendable nail lacquers that let you layer and mix colors to

create one-of-a-kind looks. This line of ultra-luminous, semi-translucent nail

lacquers come in six new shades, namely Silver Canvas, Pen & Pink,

Magenta Muse, Purple Perspective, Indigo Motif and Turquoise Aesthetic.

OPI Color Paints Blendable Nail Lacquer makes each nail a paintable

mini canvas of creativity.

WARM TONES

Introducing the new limited edition from Bobbi Brown, Telluride Collection features the luminous shades of tawny nude, rose gold, and pink bronzy. This collection makes it easy to achieve a natural,

sun-kissed summer glow.

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BOLD INNOVAT ION

Apple and Hermès introduce the Apple Watch Hermès, a new collection of the Apple Watch in stainless steel with finely crafted leather bands in distinctive styles from Hermès, including the Single Tour, Double Tour

and Cuff. The collaboration merges Apple’s product innovation with the heritage, iconography and craftsmanship of Hermès. Across the

collection, each stainless steel case features an etching of the Hermès signature and includes a customizable face with three exclusive dial designs inspired by Clipper, Cape Cod and Espace Hermès watches.

COOL CASUAL

Cruciani C presents the new XOXO collection, a bracelet line as a celebration

of friendship in the digital world. The bracelets consists of a series of Xs and Os made of high-quality, macramé lace and are available in 14 different colors, one for any occasion. The eye-catching color palette goes from classic, elegant tones

like red, navy blue and beige to flashes of fluorescent green and fuschia, making it the season’s most sought-after accessory.

PERFECT COMPANION

Montblanc reimagines the traditional backpack, with four new designs in

three different materials. Created for the modern trailblazer, it combines elegant aesthetics with functional

designs. From the sophisticated to the more casual, each backpack features a

padded pocket to carry a laptop. Additional zipped pockets provide places

to store items like smart phones and wallets. Italian full-grain cowhide and cotton lining bring refined elegance to the Meisterstück Soft Grain backpack.

44 ISSUE 29 2015

GET GADGETY

This is always a good time to hint to an indulgent parent about that shiny new gizmo you have always wanted. Here are some

fun yet functional gadgets for the new school year.

GADGET MAN

SOUND STYLISH

We are not exactly convinced of the practicality of this thing, but look how shiny! Stelle Audio offers

two variants of its clutch speaker, designed to give you clear audio in style no matter where you go. The Mini-Clutch

speaker comes with a shoulder strap, wrist bangle, aux cable and USB to USB micro charging cable and features a powerful six-watt stereo digital amplifier that delivers optimal audio performance, a stereo speaker system with two 1-inch full-range drivers and bass

radiator,a built-in microphone for speakerphone capabilities and a Bluetooth(R) wireless range of up to 50 feet. Its pocket fits mobile devices up to 5.5”x2.75”, including the iPhone 6. Its larger cousin,

meanwhile, features a 2.0 stereo system and includes propri-etary acoustic drivers (stereo pair) and a universal power

supply which can power 15 hours of continuous play between charges. You can also pick your favorite

outer fabric to match your style.

THE ULTIMATE COLLEGE BAG

There is no such thing as too many pockets. And this bag is testimony to that. The Incase Nylon Backpack has a plush faux-fur lined notebook

compartment (which can fit a 15-inch laptop) with breathable side panels as well as an interior slip

pocket for tablets, mouse and dedicated zippered phone pocket. The added back panel and shoulder

straps with breathable mesh and integrated airflow channel provide for ergonomic support and

comfort.

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SAVE OUR LAPTOPS

Working in the library or coffee shop and need to be away from your table for a bit? You don’t have to pack up everything and

carry it with you. The Kensington ClickSafe Combination Laptop Lock offers effortless computer protection with just one click for

the ultimate in physical security. The anchor attaches to the industry standard

security slot and can be attached to a desk, table or any fixed surface, and a keyless four-wheel combination offers 10,000

possible combinations.

ONE BOX TO RULE THEM ALL

MediaShair Wireless Media Hub is a versatile device that you can use to share your movies, music, photos, and documents wirelessly, or through any device with

a Bluetooth connection. Perfect for accessing data from hard disks and SD cards wirelessly and on the go by just downloading the free MediaShair App from the

Apple and Google Play Stores. Use the MediaShair’s own Wi-Fi signal to share all your stored media with

up to seven smartphones, tablets and laptops. You can even charge almost any mobile device from the hub. What’s more, the hub’s Ethernet port converts wired

internet to Wi-Fi. The hub features an SD card reader, USB for flash drive or external hard drive, built-in battery for up to nine hours of playback, and a car

charger that keeps MediaShair powered on the road.

POWER IT UP

With a 5 or 10 feet extension cord, the Power Cube can be mounted anywhere within reach of a power outlet .To do this, a stick-on dock is included. There is no more need to duck beneath your desk to plug

in your laptop. This PowerCube also includes a powered Dual USB port, so your mobile devices

can be recharged from your desktop. The PowerCube Remote Extended adds an on/off

functionality allowing you to switch the Power-Cube on or off with the press of a button. Its cable

and mounting system enables you to mount it anywhere convenient, like e.g. beneath your desk

or nightstand.

46 ISSUE 29 201546 ISSUE 29 2015

WHEN I C

OMPETED IN MY LA

ST PHYSIQUE B

ODYBUILDING

COMPETITION I USED AN ARSEN

AL OF W

EAPONS IN ORDER TO

DITCH EVERY LA

ST GRAM OF F

AT. ONE O

F THE B

EST WEAPONS

I UTILIZED W

AS A DIET

TECHNIQUE CALLE

D CARB CYCLING.

BY ASHWIN BAKER

FITCOACHQATAR@GMAIL.C

OM

47 2015 ISSUE 29

C arbs are the body’s first choice of energy when you’re exercising and to function on a day-to-day basis. Having lots of carbs in your diet helps you recover from workouts and will improve your

performance whilst you train. But poor timing, eating too many and poor carbohy-drate sources can cause you to gain fat.

Bad carbohydratesYou want to steer clear of all of these. They are Public Enemy No. 1.

When trying to burn fat you want to keep your blood sugar levels stable. What that means is that you need to choose the carbs you eat very wisely. Carbs that raise your blood sugar level drastically are usually known as "simple carbs "because

when consumed they are broken down and transformed into glucose (blood sugar) very quickly. Prolonged periods of high blood sugar levels will make any excess glucose which can’t be stored in your muscles turn to triglycerides (fat) and will lead to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Simple carbohydrates are found in abundance in the following foods: table sugar, any form of bread, pastry, cereals, French fries, potato chips, pasta, chocolate, soft drinks (pretty much all refined foods).

Good carbohydratesWhat your body needs to promote fat loss is "complex carbs". These guys are broken down by your digestive track far more slowly, resulting in a far lower and slower

increase in blood sugar levels. Here are examples of great sources of complex carbs: sweet potato, brown and white rice, yams, oats, new potatoes, wheat bran.

Going zero carbs will make you lose fat fast, but it has its drawbacks. If you removed carbohydrates from your diet completely, the following negative effects would take place.

Your metabolic rate (the amount of calories your body burns a day) will drop significantly. When you are trying to get lean you want your metabolic rate going like a furnace 24 hours a day.

Loss of muscle mass. Starving your body of glucose will raise cortisol levels dramatically, high levels of which will make your body break down your muscles for energy.

Your ability to think straight will be hindered due to the fact that you are starving your brain of its main energy source. A carb cycle will help you get around all

these side effects of a low-carb diet I. In essence, carb cycling is just rotating high, medium and low amounts of carbs through-out the week. It will also help stimulate a hormone called leptin which tells your body that it feels full and satisfied, tricking your body into not going into starvation mode. This rotation of good, clean carbohydrates will keep your metabolic rate fired up and will keep the fat coming off. If you are serious about getting good results you have to obey it seven days a week. That cheeky chocolate bar will make all the difference and will stop your fat burning in its tracks.

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HERE ARE THREE OF MY TOP TIPS TO SUCCESSFUL DIETING...

HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF A CARB CYCLING DIET I USED...

THREE-DAY SAMPLE MEAL PLAN

Low Carb Day Medium Carb Day High Carb DayMeal 1 Omelet (6 whites, 3 yolks) 2 eggs, scrambled Turkey Bacon, 60g oats, 2 cups of rice, milk, 2 slices 35g Whey ProteinMeal 2 35g Whey Isolate 35G Whey Isolate 35g Whey IsolateMeal 3 1 chicken thigh, Roasted 120g Turkey Breast, salad, Chicken breast,150g rice, salad Mediterranean vegetables 200g roasted sweet potato Meal 4 35g Whey Isolate 35g Whey Isolate 35g Whey IsolateMeal 5 8oz rump steak salad 120g salmon, 8oz rump steak, 100g new potatoes, salad 150g sweet potato, saladMeal 6 35g Whey Isolate 35g Whey Isolate Whey Isolate

BE PREPAREDAlways have your food bought and prepped the day before. Not having your food ready to go will make you grab poor convenience food when hunger strikes.

BE EXACTWeight up and track all your food on an app like MyFitnessPal. If you're keeping track of your macronutrients you can adjust aspects of your diet to keep the fat coming off.

KEEP IT INTERESTINGI don’t know anyone that can eat chicken and broccoli all day, every day. Keep your food interesting to stop your mind from craving other foods. Add spices and herbs to your heart's content but be careful when using packaged sources which may contain hidden sugars or too many chemicals.

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AROUND TOWN

DELIGHT YOUR SENSES A NEW APPROACH TO TRADITIONAL INDIAN CUISINE, IN PRESENTATION, TASTE AND FLAVORS, YOU CAN NOW ENJOY A FINE DINING EXPERIENCE WITH AN INNOVATIVE TWIST AT ZAFFRAN.

The theme being molecular gastronomy, Zaffran serves a wide range of traditional Indian dishes, some classic and some new takes on old favorites. A progressive fine dining approach, everyday recipes and street food are presented in a completely different "Master Chef Style" making it look all the more attractive. Located conveniently in the heart of the city, this new project by the popular Zaffran Café caters to the foodies and connoisseurs, seeking a culinary experience that engages the senses of their taste buds. The interiors are done very aesthetically and the staff members are very courteous and helpful. Whether a romantic dinner for two or a night out on the town, the uniqueness of the concept coupled with good hospitality is definitely worth a visit.

REWARDS AND RECOGNITIONAt a media gathering at the Fogue Cafe, the Youth Company, along with Vodafone Qatar, recognized nine volunteers from events, programs and campaigns that were held in the summer, including My Qatar Annual Photography Challenge on Environment and Sustainability, Hasanat Olympics and Qatar Summer Concerts. Of the three hundred seventy five volunteers who were involved throughout the summer activities with The Youth Company, these nine were specially congratulated for their extraordinary skills, talents, abilities and seriousness towards volunteering. Each of the selected volunteers was rewarded with a recognition letter from The Youth Company’s Chairman’s office, a certificate and exciting prizes from Vodafone Qatar including MiFi devices, merchandise, awards, vouchers and mobile phones. The volunteers also got an opportunity to sign up with Vodafone Falla Club free of charge on the day.

A PLATFORM FOR SUCCESSDesigned to support innovative business ideas, Qatar Development Bank has launched a national business competition called Al Fikra. It is an educational and coaching program designed for Qatari-led start-ups and open to entrepreneurs and students who wish to develop business plans that can be turned into private successful businesses. The competition kicks off in September and runs till November 2015. During this period, creative and innovative ideas will be recognised and supported by QDB and its strategic partners throughout the different stages of their development. Five winning ideas will receive awards, reward packages and services from QDB. In addition, workshops on Business Model Canvas and financial planning will also take place.

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CAPTURING THE MOMENTARTISTIC JOURNEYS: NEW ANGLES, NEW PERSPECTIVES, IS A PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION WITH A UNIQUE VISUAL INTERPRETATION OF THIS YEAR’S QATAR-TURKEY 2015 YEAR OF CULTURE.

As part of the Qatar-Turkey Year of Culture 2015 two Qatari photogra-phers went on a two-week expedition across Turkey to photograph its landscapes, people, food, culture and tourist attractions. The aim was to capture the essence of Turkey through Qatari eyes. In return, two Turkish photographers were invited to journey across the Arabian Peninsula to experience Qatar through Turkish eyes. This is the second year of this exhibition which embodies the core values of cultural exchange in the Year of Culture programme. Speaking about his experience in Qatar, Turkish photographer, Ali Muhammat Bayraktariglu said, “From Qatar, I am taking back to Turkey some great friendships. I was not sure about Arabic culture before, what I knew was what I read. But living a culture really taught me a lot”.

AN INTERNATIONAL PLATFORM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, THE GLOBAL YOUTH CONSULTATION ON THE UN’S WORLD HUMANITARIAN SUMMIT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE YOUTH IN QATAR, AND INTERNATIONALLY, TO EXPRESS THEIR OPINIONS, EXCHANGE KNOWLEDGE AND RAISE THEIR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HUMANITARIAN ISSUES.

The first Global Youth Consultation (GYC) of the UN’s World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) was inaugurated by Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) at the Hamad bin Khalifa University Student centre at Education City under the patronage of HE Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar. As part of the preparations for the World Humanitarian Summmit, GYC aimed at improving global disaster preparedness and response as well as shaping the global youth position by gathering inputs from youth on humanitarian challenges and solutions. The consultation allowed the views of over 300 young participants aged between 18 and 30 representing 82 countries, including 70 youth from Qatar, to be incorporated into the UN Secretary-General’s report, and the overall recommendations for the World Humanitarian Summit, which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey, between May 23 and 24, 2016.

A GLOBAL VOICEFOR YOUTH