Doha: The Academic Bridge Programme, a centre of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, organised an orientation event for 250 new students at Learning Resource Centre at the ABP building on the QF campus.
The 2016-17 students were introduced to facilities, policies, activities, officials, faculty and staff with whom they will work during the academic year. The orientation included an introductory speech by Dr. Bryan Lewallen, Director, ABP, who welcomed the students and said: “Our faculty and staff work hard for everything to run smoothly.
“We look forward to a very successful and rewarding academic year. I am very proud of ABP students and the accomplishments they achieve.”
He provided them with information about ABP. A short film was screened to highlight the student life during one-year study prepared by last-year students.
The students were divided into groups and introduced to facilities.
They were also taken on a tour around the Science and English sections, Student Services, administration offices and labs, dining and recreational facilities.
On the second day, Dr. Bryan highlighted events and activities students would be engaging in.
They were divided into groups and taken to classrooms led by the faculty, who gave them a session on study skills such as time management and note-taking, which would make the future studies easier.
The students were also taken in shuttle buses on a tour across Education City, where they learnt more about facilities and services of the Recreation Centre.
They also visited the seven universities on the campus and the Student Centre.
All students had taken the Accuplacer test. ABP administrators and department supervisors use the results to place each student at the appropriate level in English, maths, science and computer skills.
Since its inception in 2001, ABP has graduated about 2,650 students, over 85 percent of them enrolled at English-speaking universities in Qatar, the US, the UK and other countries.
The ABP faculty has experience ranging from seven to 25 years – 15 years in average — and most have at least one master’s degree and some haver doctoral degrees.
ABP operates under pre-university education office to provide high school students from Qatar and other similar schools with academic and personal skills for success in English-language universities, while preparing them for the universities in Education City.
Since 2001, ABP has adapted model approach in teaching English, maths, science and computer skills, along with activities, including debates, a Model United Nations, school clubs, newspaper and sports teams and students’ union.
ABP is accredited by Commission on English Language Accreditation in the US, which makes it easier to fast-track graduates into universities in the US without the need for them to complete a university foundation year.
The Peninsula
