QF and ILO Launch New Partnership to Shape Evidence-Based Workforce Policies

The five policy briefs will be accompanied by national dialogue sessions bringing together ministries, universities, employers, and civil society actors.

A major new partnership between Qatar Foundation (QF) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) has been launched to strengthen Qatar’s human capital development through evidence-based policy insights. The collaboration will tap into QF’s extensive labour market research—including its landmark Alumni Impact Study, which tracks 25 years of graduate outcomes—to produce a set of five co-authored policy briefs offering practical recommendations for national decision-makers.

This initiative marks the first formal publication collaboration between QF and the ILO since the establishment of the ILO Project Office in Qatar in 2018, signaling a deepened commitment to aligning Qatar’s educational achievements with labour market needs and long-term development strategies.

Five Policy Areas to Support Qatar’s Future Workforce

The policy briefs will explore critical areas shaping Qatar’s evolving labour market:

1. Bridging skills gaps and mismatches between graduates and employers

2. National talent retention and strategies to reduce outward mobility

3. Entrepreneurship readiness within Qatar’s higher education system

4. Aligning university programmes with labour market demands

5. Advancing gender equality and inclusive employment across sectors

These insights aim to help Qatar achieve the vision set out in Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy, both of which emphasize a knowledge-based, diversified, and future-ready economy.

Partnership Formalized at WISE 12 Summit

The collaboration was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during the WISE 12 Summit in Doha. Signatories included:

• Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education and Education Advisor at Qatar Foundation

• Francesco d’Ovidio, Country Office Director of the ILO Doha

Marmolejo emphasized the strength of QF’s long-term educational model: “QF’s unique education ecosystem provides deep insights into the factors that shape meaningful student and alumni outcomes. This collaboration with the ILO does more than produce analysis—it supports structured national dialogue on skills development, graduate pathways, and inclusive employment.”

ILO to Bring Global Analytical Expertise

Francesco d’Ovidio highlighted the partnership’s strategic value for Qatar: “With structured access to QF’s anonymized Alumni Impact Study dataset, the ILO can apply global benchmarks and analytical frameworks to develop concrete, evidence-based labour market recommendations.”

He underscored that the findings will directly support Qatar’s shift toward a knowledge-based economy, reinforce decent work principles, and contribute to long-term workforce sustainability.

Qatar Foundation’s Alumni Impact Study: A Unique National Resource

Over 30 years, more than 11,000 graduates have completed their studies at QF’s partner universities and Hamad Bin Khalifa University. They represent diverse academic fields, including:

• Medicine, engineering, and computer science

• Communications and international affairs

• Law, public policy, Islamic studies

• Art and design, business, humanities and social sciences

The Alumni Impact Study examines:

• Employment sectors and career pathways

• Relevance of acquired skills to labour market needs

• Career mobility and job satisfaction

• Alignment between university education and workplace realities

National Dialogue and Policy Impact

The five policy briefs will be accompanied by national dialogue sessions bringing together ministries, universities, employers, and civil society actors. These sessions will focus on identifying research-backed, actionable strategies for enhancing Qatar’s workforce resilience and aligning education with economic needs.

The partnership signifies a major step toward data-driven policymaking, ensuring that Qatar’s investments in education translate into strong employment outcomes and inclusive workforce development.