Student Services

Student Services Department (SSD) provides services that aim to support the personal, academic and professional development of Qatar University students and contributes to providing a comprehensive and educational environment.

In May 2019, the department’s reorganization was approved within the SLS division organization and three (3) Sections were established as follows:

1. Student Financial Aid Section.

2. University Text Book Section.

3. Auxiliary Services Section which includes Campus ID Card, Self-Service, Photocopying, Lost and Found, Student Lockers, Internet Halls, Service Providers: Pharma vending machines, Outlets: Stationary Stores, Support Center for lamination, binding, scanning

As a result, of this new structure, the department is able to address nimbly and directly the needs of a rapidly changing student population while ensuring the University graduate outcomes and National Vision 2030 are met effectively.

The SSD purposefully designed and structured its programs in compliance with the following international standards:

1. Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)—Professional Standards for Higher Education (https://www.cas.edu); and

2. ACPA—NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Educators (https://www.naspa.org/ima.

MISSION

Student Services Department seeks to support student growth by facilitating the learning process by providing financial aid services, university books and a range of support services.

GOALS

In support of Student Service Department mission, SSD has the following goals:

• Supporting student success by providing efficient services efficiently and in accordance with the department framework and developing existing services according to a permanent evaluation methodology.
• Developing the types of financial aid and methods of providing it to serve students and provide various and sustainable sources of support
• Providing learning resources whether from hard books or electronic books in a way that better serves the teaching/ learning process.
• Improve and enhance the level of professional performance of the staff in Student Services department.

LEARNING AND OPERATION OUTCOMES

The Student Service Department developed set of student learning and operation outcomes using some of the domains mentioned in CAS standards:

OPERATIONAL OUTCOMES:

As a result of our work within the Student Services Department, our programs will

• Student expected to have easy access to the services ex. textbooks and printing, etc..
• Maintain a [high? Above average?] Student satisfaction rate.
• Minimize human errors based on system accuracy/ clear guidelines
• Minimize the complaint rate based on student complaint /ticketing system.
• Deliver services that are sustainable and focus on the following outcomes:
  • Safety: Maintenance, Security, Students Files,
  • Effectiveness: Policies, Procedures, Systems, and Online Applications.
  • Efficiency: Low Cost --High Productivity.
  • Time: Reduced Waiting Time, Improved Service Delivery Time, Shorter Email and Phone-Call Response Time.
  • Equitability: Accessibility, Respect, Integrity.
  • Privacy: Confidentiality of Student Records.

THE STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT MAIN FUNCTIONS:

The Student Services Department has three (3) main functions: Financial Aid Services, University Textbooks, and Auxiliary Services. These functions provide essential services in support of student access and success at Qatar University and are designed to

• Facilitate access to the university by removing financial barriers
• Enable textbook distribution and management
• Generate student ID cards
• Provide other basic student, staff and faculty conveniences including self-service photocopying and printing, stationery supplies, convenient-to-use-lockers and other auxiliary services.

STAKEHOLDERS:

Student Service Department stakeholders consist of three (3) categories:

• Students:
  • Undergraduate,
  • Foundation Program,
  • International Students,
  • Graduated,
  • Others.
• Faculty & Staff:
  • On-Campus departments: Including but not limited to Finance, Communication, Information Technology, Transportation Service, and QU Housing …etc.
• Community:
  • Partner Organizations (Businesses, Charities, NGOs, etc.)
  • Governmental and Semi-Governmental Organizations
  • Parents.

ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:

• Number and percentage of student utilizing services in terms of gender, nationality, scholarship, academic-standing and academic achievement.
  • How to conduct: Using detailed reports that reflect the utilization of each student service.
  • The instruments used: Reports extracted from the available systems that show.
  • The time to collect data: Simi-annually.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, and any other related party that may need such data.
• Student Satisfaction.
  • How to conduct: By gathering information from the students who benefited from the student services (written by email and/or observed through individual interviews).
  • The instruments used: Surveys, personal interviews with the students, and comments received by emails or through phone calls with students.
  • The time to collect data: Annually, daily observations.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, and any other related party that may need such data.
• Criteria measurements based on specific benchmarks, standards and best practices.
  • How to conduct: By gathering information from websites, international standards applied in student affairs, and international conferences that discuss related matters.
  • The instruments used: benchmarking, refer to international standards and best practices, and attending international conferences.
  • The time to collect data: Annually reviewed.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, and any other related party that may need such data.
• Annual usage report for each service.
  • How to conduct: Using reports that reflect the utilization of each student service.
  • he instruments used: Reports extracted from the available systems.
  • The time to collect data: Annually.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, and any other related party that may need such data.
• Impact of services on student’s academic journey.
  • How to conduct: Study the academic performance of the students who benefit from the student services.
  • The instruments used: statistical reports that reflect the academic performance of the students benefited from the services within specific period.
  • Time to collect data: End of each semester compare to previous semesters.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, and any other related party that may need such data.
• Internal Audit and non-academic review assessment and recommendation.
  • How to conduct: It is done by the internal audit department, and Non-Academic Unit Review Committee.
  • The instruments used: A detailed reports that evaluate the situation of student services and provide recommendations based on the results of their evaluation.
  • Time to collect data: Every three years.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, Internal Audit Department, Non-Academic Unit Review Committee, and any other related party that my need such data.
• Stakeholder evaluation(s).
  • How to conduct: By gathering information from the related stakeholders who have direct partnership with student services department.
  • The instruments used: Surveys.
  • The time to collect data: Annually.
  • The related parties to share the results with: Student Service Section Heads, Student Service Director, AVP for student life and services, VP for student affairs, QU President Office, internal and external related parties who have direct contact with student services department.