he University of Aberdeen with Al Faleh Group for Educational and Acacemic Services launched the campus of AFG College Qatar in Al Mamoura area, making it the first private university to enter Qatar since 2005.

The inauguration ceremony also witnessed signing of an agreement between the Group and the university by Professor Sir Ian Diamond the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, and Dr. Sheikha Aisha Bint Faleh Al Thani, Chairperson of Board of Directors of AFG.

According to the agreement, AFG College – Qatar will start operating in September with courses in accounting, finance and business management.

It is the first British University to open that will provide bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business and other disciplines, Shiekha Aisha told the media on the sidelines of the ceremony held for inauguration of the campus and signing of the agreement.

The college will also provide complementary courses for students coming from other universities in Qatar like North Atlantic and Community College, where students can obtain bachelor’s degree from the University of Aberdeen, she added.

The ceremony held at the campus of the college was attended by Dr. Khalid Al Hur, Director of Department of Higher Education at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Director of Board of Directors of Nasser bin Khalid Company, Sheikh Nawaf Bin Nasser Al Thani, a delegation from the University of Aberdeen headed by Professor Sir Ian Diamond the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen, along with officials from education, finance and Business sectors.

University of Aberdeen is one of the oldest universities in the United Kingdom, and has been ranked 137 in the world’s universities and fifth in UK. It has a total student strength of 14,500 from over 120 countries.

Dr. Sheikha Aisha pointed out that the opening of this university will be beginning for opening other universities in Qatar with direct support and encouragement of Emir H H Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Ministry of Education.

The college’s capacity is 1,500 students but this year we going to start with fewer number in line with the courses we have planned, Dr. Aisha said.

“We will start teaching account, finance and business management but next year we see ourselves moving into Science , Engineering, Humanities and Psychology from September,” Professor Sir Ian Diamond, Principal of Aberdeen university told The Peninsula on the sidelines of the ceremony.