Discussion
Across the world, there has been an evolving development in higher education that has generated knowledgeable and productive people offering new opportunities for personal and social advancement. The skills acquired in higher education have offered employers massive access to a broadening pool of skilled recruits. Employers are looking for concrete employability skills, including self-management and learning, problem-solving, decision-making, English language, Arabic language, teamwork, and leadership. When the university instills these skills in students, they gain a competitive advantage in the job industry. For instance, Qatar University understands that these skills enhance the institution's reputation because it demonstrates the university's perceived quality. University education offers a competitive advantage for higher institutions. Humphris (2017) argues that the school's image is the fundamental variable that helps build an excellent picture of the school, thus being admired by the target audience. Although the satisfaction rate in Qatar University is decreasing over time, it has branded itself to be a world-class institution with absolute differentiation in terms of production and reproduction of skills.
Teamwork and leadership skills are positively influencing Qatar University alumni and the institutional image. Employers value teamwork and leadership because they regard them as the indications of how recruits will get along with other workers, team members, and clients. It will also determine how they hand their work performance and career success. Employers value these vital attributes from fresh graduates because they need productive operations within the organization and its workforce. Qatar University has partnered with governmental and private organizations to increase job opportunities for its alumni (Goodwin et al., 2019). This aspect is because the current world has few jobs; thus, employees are enjoying comprehensive options during recruitment. In that case, they look for graduates from reputable universities such as Qatar University.
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The English language is also Boosting Qatar University's reputation despite that Qatar University is in an Arabic-speaking country. However, in numerous studies, they have realized that reinforcing English in their learning will positively influence the institution's image. Understanding English among the alumni increases their likelihood of securing an excellent job in multinational companies, either in their home country or abroad. English has been proven to be the language of international communication especially, in the media and on the internet. Therefore, learning English gives Qatar University alumni wider opportunities on the internet while looking for more options. Al-Sheeb et al. (2018) argue that more than 600 million individuals use the internet each day, and about 53% of the most visited sites are displayed in English. Hence, it will give learners access to more than 50% of the content on the internet.
The Arabic language has also boosted the image of Qatar University. Qatar University provides Arabic teaching for both regional and international students whose first language is not Arabic. Each year, the institution provides six language levels from Beginners to Advanced sections. Since its inception, the higher learning institution has become a fundamental place for attaining the university's objectives in enhancing the Arabic language. It has helped the institution create strong academic, cultural, and study relationships with multiple educational schools. Also, it has enhanced collaboration with its national and international partners. For instance, the center has signed more than 20 agreements and a memorandum of association with numerous international campuses that yearly enroll nominees from these institutions to study the Arabic language on a scholarly basis (Kaushal & Ali, 2019). According to the Times Education World University Ranking, the Arabic language has made Qatar University be among the higher-ranking institutions across the world.
Qatar University has quality administrative and academic services that have boosted its image and that of the alumni. A successful higher learning institution is more than teaching. While excellent teaching and learning are vital, the administration underpinning it is essential in offering well-rounded education that will enhance institution and alumni image in the external market. Administrative services ensure that learners have sufficient learning resources, a safe environment, and receiving mental health support (Fares & O K, 2017). Qatar University has well-organized academic departments for recording, tracking, and evaluating student data. Administrative and educational services have promoted accountability. With this in place, several studies have reported that Qatar University has efficient staff management that enables it to manage learners, staff, and tasks adequately (Fares & O K, 2017). Academic reputation influences the perceptions of employers. It creates credibility, trusts and enhances the opportunities for securing a job. Qatar University has placed itself in a good position because employers have found that graduates in the university have a broad knowledge of unique academic fields.
Qatar University's and alumni reputation has increased the trust and credibility of the institution. An institute can survive in a competitive learning environment because awareness and scholarly studies make the target audience trust the institution. University reputation is the essential asset of the higher institution. Qatar University is known worldwide as a reputable institution with excellent publicity. Students in the institution get additional benefits and opportunities inside the campus, such as training and internship. There are also connections and networks with reputable organizations that provide the alumni with the best positions in the labor market. Many studies have found that elite universities such as Qatar University allow the alumni to secure a high degree of social status that they think is integral in getting future professional opportunities.
The summary of the findings has proven that university and alumni reputation is important in the job industry. The results demonstrated the employers are hooked into the aspect of reputation. It has been found that other universities have higher employment records for their graduates compared to other institutions. Therefore, Qatar University is a positive path of giving students a quality education, experiences, and outcomes that will make them marketable in the job search industry.
References
Al-Sheeb, B., Hamouda, A. M., & Abdella, G. M. (2018). Investigating determinants of student satisfaction in the first year of college in a public University in the State of Qatar. Education Research International , 2018, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/7194106
Fares, D., & O K. (2017). The impact of service quality, student satisfaction, and University reputation on student loyalty: A case study of international students in IIUM, Malaysia. Information Management and Business Review , 5(12), 584-590. https://doi.org/10.22610/imbr.v5i12.1091
Goodwin, J. T., Goh, J., Verkoeyen, S., & Lithgow, K. (2019). Can students be taught to articulate employability skills ? Education + Training , 61(4), 445- 460. https://doi.org/10.1108/et-08-2018-0186
Humphris, C. W. (2017). Employability skills: Brush up your business studies. https://doi.org/10.20850/9781534202115
Kaushal, V., & Ali, N. (2019). University reputation, brand attachment and brand personality as antecedents of student loyalty: A study in higher education context. Corporate Reputation Review , 23(4), 254-266. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-019-00084-y
López‐Miguens, M. J., Caballero, G., & Álvarez‐González, P. (2020). Responsibility of the University in employability: Development and validation of a measurement scale across five studies. Business Ethics: A European Review , 30(1), 143-156. https://doi.org/10.1111/beer.12319
