HBKU, QRDI Partnership To Accelerate Intelligent Systems

Doha, Qatar: Building on their shared commitment to strengthening national capabilities in advanced electronics, semiconductor technologies, and intelligent systems, Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council have entered into a strategic partnership. Under the collaboration, QRDI will fund the University's newly launched master's programme in Integrated Circuits and Intelligent Systems Design.

Formalised through a funding agreement signed on the sidelines of Web Summit Qatar 2026 by President, HBKU Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah and Secretary General, QRDI Eng. Omar Al Ansari, the new programme will provide world-class education and develop future generations of experts. Under the agreement, QRDI will provide funding of up to $1 million. By combining HBKU's academic and research expertise with QRDI's advancement of Qatar's RDI ecosystem, the programme will cultivate a highly skilled workforce aligned with national priorities in emerging technologies.

Commenting on the agreement, President of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Dr. Ahmad M. Hasnah said,“This funding agreement with QRDI reflects a shared commitment to advancing Qatar's capabilities in semiconductor and intelligent systems technologies. Through this partnership, we are preparing a new generation of highly skilled talent equipped with the expertise and innovation mindset required to lead in critical fields that will shape Qatar's knowledge based economy and global competitiveness and be responsive to evolving technological needs and trends.”

“This partnership reflects QRDI Council's focus on building deep technical capability in areas where advanced skills are critical to long-term competitiveness,” said Secretary General of the QRDI Council, Eng. Omar Al-Ansari,“We are supporting engineers with practical experience in semiconductor design, intelligent hardware, and system-level integration by funding HBKU's master's programme in Integrated Circuits and Intelligent Systems Design.

From his side, Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean, College of Science and Engineering, HBKU, Dr. Amine Bermak added:“This master's degree underscores HBKU's commitment to strengthening Qatar's knowledge economy through world-class education and research in advanced integrated circuits and AI-enabled hardware.

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