(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Ayeni Olusegun |
The Peninsula
The global job market is undergoing a rapid change. As these jobs evolve, so will the skills needed to perform them. According to reports, 42% of the“core skills within roles” on average are expected to change by 2022.
In years past, degree requirements have been added to more jobs, screening out skilled applicants. However, in today's world and the foreseeable future, skills-based hiring will be considered more by employers and this will focus on priority technical skills, foundational and transferable skills.
This trend has ensured universities and global teaching institutions implement policies to improve educational delivery and prepare prospective job seekers for the demands of the modern market.
In Qatar, the Graduate Studies Office of the Research and Graduate Studies at Qatar University is committed to ensuring students have the 'knowledge and practical skills' rather than a degree on paper, Dr. Ahmad Al Own, Dean of Graduate Studies, has stated.
Speaking to The Peninsula, Dr. Al Own said,“Right now, the market is not concerned about only knowledge, but how to use this knowledge especially in science, engineering, medicine, computer science, etc.”
“Maybe like 20-30 years ago, the Graduate Studies programmes was more about giving the students knowledge, now we train students how to also apply this knowledge,” he added.
Dr. Al Own stressed that the future market would be focused on research and skills. To succeed in this scenario, both are integral, he said, adding,“that's what we are doing in Qatar University, building new programmes and restructuring current ones to meet the market.”
An Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimate recently disclosed that more than 1 billion jobs are likely to be transformed by technology in the next decade.
Also, the World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates 133 million new jobs in major economies will be created to meet the demands of the digital revolution.
The QU Graduate Studies office works collaboratively with the university community and industry partners to cultivate talents, foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and scholarly excellence.
This further streamlines the university's research drive to meet the country's needs. According to Dr. Al Own, QU organizes several programmes to aid students in developing research, publication, and presentation skills.
“In the last few years, we have changed some of our Ph.D. programmes to become research-based where students take minimum courses because they have already built their knowledge during their bachelors and masters. So, we give them more time to give more focus on research,” he added.
Meanwhile, through the improved Graduate Assistantship (GA), students can focus on one research and apply for projects of their interest.
“Previously, we receive applications from students, and the college chooses randomly. Now we ask faculty members about their research plans or proposals, and after evaluation and awarding the projects, the students can apply for any project of their choice.
“The faculty members are then asked to pick a student of their choice to support their research. This helps the faculty member and also the student to focus on one research,” Dr. Al Own said.
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