18 Living in Qatar Qatar Foundation

Qatar Foundation
for Education, Science and
Community Development

Qatar Foundation (QF) represents the innovation and creativity of His Highness
Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of The State of Qatar, in action.
A private, non-profit organization founded in 1995, Qatar Foundation exemplifies
the value and importance His Highness places on education, science and
community development. As further evidence of the vital role Qatar Foundation
plays in the development of the nation, Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint
Nasser Al Missned, Consort of His Highness, serves as the chairperson, personally
guiding the organization with passion, vision and enthusiasm.

The Sidra Tree

Qatar Foundation’s symbol is the sidra tree, whose deep roots allow it to flourish
in the harsh desert climate. Traditionally the shade of the sidra tree was a retreat
for scholars and poets who gathered beneath its branches to share knowledge
and learn from one another.
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20 Living in Qatar Qatar Foundation

Education City
Qatar Foundation’s unique, flagship project, The Education City, is a center for
educational excellence. The fourteen million square-meter site is home to branch
campuses of five international universities and numerous other educational and
research institutions.

Education City is a community of institutions designed to serve the educational

needs of the country: from early childhood education to post-graduate study.
Education City provides an environment that unites leading researchers with
cutting-edge facilities and qualified graduates. This dynamic atmosphere allows
the opportunity for collaboration and the development of pioneering ideas into
real-world applications.
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22 Living in Qatar Qatar Foundation

By establishing and partnering with educational institutions of the highest

standards, Education City gives a new generation of engaged and innovative
leaders the tools required to face the challenges of an increasingly global society.
These ground-breaking partnerships differentiate Education City from other
international learning centers, and make it the truly exceptional facility that it is.
The following institutions are dedicated to Education:

• Qatar Academy

• The Learning Center

• Academic Bridge Program

• Qatar Leadership Academy

• Faculty of Islamic Studies

• Al Shaqab

• Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar

• Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar

• Texas A&M University at Qatar

• Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar

• Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar

• Northwestern University in Qatar

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By supporting advanced research, Education City fosters the creation of new

knowledge and technologies, the development of existing industries and the
inspiration of new opportunities and sectors. A range of advanced research
is undertaken, or is facilitated by, the following institutions:

• Qatar Science and Technology Park

• Qatar National Research Fund

• Sidra Medical and Research Center

• Rand-Qatar Policy Institute

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By contributing to community health and development programs,

Education City raises the quality of life in Qatar and throughout the
Middle East. Education City is a tremendous investment in the
people of Qatar and the region: positioning Qatar as a recognized
leader in international cooperation and cross-cultural understanding.
The scope of Qatar Foundation’s community development
programs is wide, and incorporates the following diverse centers:

• Qatar Diabetes Association

• Cultural Development Center

• Social Development Center

• Doha International Institute for Family Studies and Development

• Al Jazeera Children’s Television Channel

• Reach Out to Asia (ROTA)

• The Doha Debates

• Lakom Al Karar
CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER
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Education City is also home to Qatar Foundation’s joint ventures, these unique
collaborations in the field of design and MCE (meetings, conventions and
exhibitions) aim to help develop these sectors in the country, through the
implementation of best practice. Qatar Foundation’s two joint ventures are:

• FITCH Qatar

• Qatar MCE Development Institute

Through the Education City, Qatar Foundation has been the driving
force behind the country’s commitment to education and becoming
one of the most developed knowledge-based societies in the world.

Please visit www.qf.edu.qa for more information about Qatar Foundation

and the Education City.
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Education City Housing and Facilities

Education City occupies a 14 million square meter campus on the outskirts
of Doha and offers on-site residential and recreational facilities.

Education City Community Housing (ECCH)

Depending upon your employment offer, you may be entitled to accommodation
in Qatar Foundation’s housing complex, which is conveniently located close to
Education City. You will be allocated appropriate housing depending upon your
job level, marital status, and family size.

The housing compound features fully furnished

villas, townhouses and apartments, which are
equipped with bed linen, towels, kitchenware,
tableware and cleaning tools and start-up
materials. Each unit is also outfitted with a
centralized 100 channel entertainment facility
with VCR and DVD units supplied.
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The Recreation Center

The Recreation Center provides a number of on-site amenities, including a bank,
a branch of Qatar Telecommunication (Q-Tel), a courier service, a post office,
a travel agency and a dry cleaner.

The Center offers the following sport and recreation facilities:

• Green floor multipurpose gym

• Fitness room

• Weight room

• Tennis court

• Outdoor basketball court

• Football field

• Squash court

• 3 outdoor pitches

• 2 playgrounds

• Olympic size swimming pool & Training / Splash pool and Jacuzzi

The Recreation Center also offers a whole range of activities:

• Learn to Swim or Breathing & Technique Classes for Adults and Children

• Stingrays Swim Club (competitive)

• Aqua Fitness classes

• Water Polo

• Gymnastics - all styles and ages

• Ballet and Yoga classes

• Martial Arts classes

• Different styles of Dance classes

• Squash, Tennis and Badminton classes

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Joining Qatar Foundation

Whether you are locally engaged or recruited from
outside Qatar, we aim to make joining Qatar Foundation
as smooth as possible. There are, of course, a number of
formalities which must be dealt with when you join QF.
In this section we aim to provide you with the essential
information you will need to deal with these. We also
provide information that we hope will help you settle in
and orientate yourself in your new surroundings.

Pre-Joining Requirements

Throughout this phase our recruitment representative

will contact you to facilitate your move to QF.
Some arrangements are applicable to all employees
and some are not: please refer to your employment
offer and contact our recruitment representative
for further clarification.

Medical Examination

If you are joining QF from outside Qatar, you will

be required to pass a medical examination, which
can be performed by any recognized medical facility.
An official medical report should be sent to our
recruitment representative once it’s done.
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The medical examination will be at Qatar Foundation’s expense, so please

keep all original receipts for reimbursement. Should you be declared medically
unfit, your joining will be delayed until you are declared fit, or cancelled,
if this does not occur.

Immigration laws require that persons seeking residency in Qatar are screened
for tuberculosis, HIV and hepatitis B and C. Positive results will disqualify
you or any of your family members from residing in Qatar. We advise that all
family members are examined by their personal physician prior to your move,
please note this will be at your expense. You may wish to consider arranging
examinations prior to your acceptance of the job offer.

It is important to note that, as part of the immigration process, Qatar’s

immigration services will perform tests again after arrival and these will be
considered the official test results.

Locally hired candidates are required to do a similar examination after obtaining

a letter from QF addressed to the Health Authority in Qatar.

The following medical examinations are required from all overseas newly
hired employees:

• Complete physical examination (including visual acuity and color vision)

• Urinalysis

• Chest X-Ray

• Blood test (Fasting Blood Sugar / Creatinine / Liver Function Test /

Cholesterol/CBC)

• VDR

• HIV Test

• Blood Group

• Hepatitis
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Central Investigation Department (CID)

and Police Clearance Certificates (PCC)
The Central Investigation Department and the Police Clearance Certificates
basically are certificates of good conduct. These are mandatory documents
required by the government of Qatar for all employees, both hired locally and
from overseas, to ensure that those employed do not have a criminal record.

Depending on your employment offer, overseas hired employees requesting

Permanent Residency Entry Visa to Qatar need to obtain a Police Clearance
Certificate (PCC) from their home country or any country they have lived in
for the past 10 years. The PCC must be attested by the nearest Qatar Embassy
in their home country or their Embassy in Qatar and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Qatar. Locally hired employees requesting sponsorship transfer to QF
should obtain a PCC from their Embassy and from the Central Investigation
Department (CID) in Qatar and the same must be attested by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in Qatar.

Reference Check

All employees will undergo reference check as a condition of their employment

with Qatar Foundation. Failing to pass this will result in cancellation of the
employment offer.

Visas

Qatar Foundation will arrange all visas required for you and your dependants.
Processing formalities will depend on whether you intend to arrive as a family
or initially on your own with your family to follow. We would recommend the
latter since your first 3 months will be a period of probation. You need to inform
us of which option you propose to take. Those employees entering Qatar on
a residency visa who have a residence permit for any other GCC country are
advised to cancel the same prior to their arrival. According to Qatar Immigration
law, it is not allowed to maintain dual GCC Residence Permit.
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34 Living in Qatar Qatar Foundation

In order to process your residence visa the following documents are needed.
Scanned copies of these may be sent before your move but we advise that you
bring originals with you:

• A copy of your passport and your dependants’ passports, if you are

accompanied by your family. All Passports must be valid for at least
six months and contain at least five blank pages: we advise that each
family member carries an individual passport.

• Proof of your highest education qualification.

• Police clearance certificate from your home country or any country

you have lived in for the past 10 years.

• Marriage certificate if accompanied by your family.

• Children’s birth certificates if accompanied by your family.

• Copy of blood group certificate for you and your dependents.

Travel Arrangements

Once medical and visa arrangements

are finalized you will be asked to resign
from your current position and to
advise us of the date you will be able
to travel. Qatar Foundation will
make flight reservations, on the most
direct flight from where you are
currently residing to Doha, and will
arrange a pre-paid ticket advice
(PTA) in your favor. Our Recruitment
Representative will forward a copy
of the PTA, itinerary and entry visa to
you and ask you to confirm receipt.
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Shipping of Personal Effects

from Outside Qatar
Qatar Foundation recruitment representative will connect you with QF Logistics
team to help you in this regard.

You will be entitled to reimbursement for un-accompanied air freight shipment

of personal effects from your point of origin to Doha, up to the weight specified
in your offer of employment, with the company of your choice. Please note that
reimbursement does not cover packing and unpacking, customs charges, import
duty, taxes and insurance.

Import Restrictions

All shipments entering Qatar are liable to inspection by customs officials.

Certain items are not allowed to be imported into Qatar and will be confiscated
if found in any shipments or in accompanied baggage. Depending on the
seriousness of the offence, prosecution may also be made. Qatar Foundation
will not accept any claims for loss of contraband items, these include:

• Any narcotics

• Alcoholic beverages and food containing alcohol

• Pornographic materials of any kind

• Weapons of any kind whether real or ornamental

• Radio transmitters of any kind including amplifiers and walkie-talkies

• Statues, figures, objects or images contrary to Islamic codes

• Chemical compounds without formal advance declaration to customs

• Pork or pork products

These items may be subject to inspection and censorship.

36 Living in Qatar Qatar Foundation

Pets
Should you wish to bring your pets to Qatar, please inform our recruitment
representative well in advance of your arrival. We will require:

• A copy of your passport

• Expected date of arrival

• Details of the pet: species (animal / bird), breed, color, age, sex, weight,
country of origin

• Your animal vaccination record against distemper, hepatitis/adenovirus,

parainfluenza, parvovirus and rabies

• A health certificate issued by a reputable vet in your place of origin

On arrival, you are required to present a valid health certificate of your animal
to Qatar Customs. Approved by Personnel.

Although Qatar Foundation will assist with import of pets, all associated costs
will be at the employee’s expense.

Good veterinary facilities are available in Qatar.

Others

• To drive in Qatar, you will need to bring a valid driving license from your
home country, or wherever you are residing (for more information, please
refer to page 56 of this handbook).

• If you have any health related special needs for yourself or your family
regarding accommodation you need to inform us as early as possible.

• Once your arrival date is confirmed, a work place, a telephone, an email

and other facilities will be prepared.
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• Qatar operates a GSM mobile telephone system. If you have a GSM phone
you will be able to use it in Qatar with the appropriate SIM card.
We suggest you bring your telephone with you. Prepaid mobile service,
Hala plus is available in Qatar. You can obtain one shortly after your arrival,
you only need to provide a copy of your passport and fill in the appropriate
form at Q-tel desks.

• If Qatari currency is available in your country we suggest you bring about

QR 500 (about US$ 135) with you, if not, you will be able to get cash on
your arrival at Doha International Airport.

• Soon after your arrival, you will be provided with a letter to open a bank
account. You will have to specify which bank you wish to use, you may do
this by informing the recruitment representative before arrival or you may
wish to visit banks once you get here to see which best meets your needs.

Last Minute Issues

Last minute issues could include change of flight details and arrival date,
significant delays to arrival time etc. If you encounter any of these
issues please notify our recruitment representative immediately to make
the necessary arrangements.