Qatar Foundation has launched the accreditation framework for its Rasekh initiative – which connects international education with local cultural and linguistic identity – and announced the first cohort of schools from Qatar and the region to become part of this educational pathway.
The Rasekh Strategic Forum at Multaqa (Education City Student Center) – attended by Yousif Al-Naama, Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Foundation, private international school leaders, and local and global education partners – marked the next step in the implementation of Rasekh, created by Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Pre-University Education.
Supporting schools in promoting Arabic as a language of learning and knowledge development, Rasekh also works to align international curricula with the local context, integrate core values into daily school life, and channel innovation toward community needs and local challenges. During the forum, QF introduced the first cohort of participating institutions, comprising QF schools and private international schools from Qatar and the wider region, which will serve as a foundation for Rasekh’s future expansion.
The new phase also saw the launch of the awareness campaign ‘Roots’, designed to bring the message of Rasekh closer to the community through a symbolic image that reflects how the initiative promotes language, instills values, and consolidates identity. The campaign has three main messages: ‘Roots that Empower the Arabic Language’, ‘Roots that Instill Values’ and ‘Roots that Nurture Identity’ and it is anchored in the initiative’s official slogan: Toward an Education That Deepens Roots and Creates Impact. Featuring contemporary Arabic visual identity, Roots’ digital materials are intended to make Rasekh’s message resonate with parents, students, and the wider community.
The forum brought together school leaders and international education institutions to discuss how Rasekh accreditation provides schools with a practical, measurable roadmap for aligning the education they offer with their local context, without compromising the rigor of global academic standards.
Sheikha Noof Ahmed bin Saif Al Thani, Vice President of Strategic Educational Initiatives at QF’s Pre-University Education, who gave the opening address at the forum, said: “Rasekh represents a practical step forward in the development of international education in Qatar. It looks at educational quality from a broader perspective, encompassing not only what students learn, but how they perceive themselves within that learning, and their connection to their language, environment, and values.
“We want the international education experience to provide students with a strong foundation of belonging and confidence, empowering them to contribute to their communities and interact with the world consciously and capably.”
The forum included the opening address and the launch of the Rasekh Framework and Accreditation, followed by a presentation titled ‘Rasekh Ecosystem: Resources and Initiatives’ delivered by Maryam Al-Hajri, Executive Director, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships at QF’s Pre-University Education. The forum also featured a panel discussion with Farida Aboudan, Head of Education Sector at UNESCO Regional Office for the Gulf States and Yemen, Mary Tadros, IB Development & Recognition Senior Manager for Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Fatima Hassan Fadlallah, Qatar Country Manager, Partnership for Education, at Cambridge University Press and Assessment, and Samia Bishara, Managing Director of Tarsheed.
Presentations by the International Baccalaureate Organization, UNESCO, and Cambridge University Press & Assessment reaffirmed these institutions’ support for bilingualism, curriculum localization, and the promotion of values within international education. The International Baccalaureate Organization explained that its programs support multilingualism and learning in more than one language, and that the Rasekh framework aligns with its educational philosophy by connecting learning to the Arabic language, culture, heritage, values, and local context.
Cambridge University similarly noted that its programs provide flexible educational frameworks that enable schools to adapt content, incorporate local examples, and integrate national language, culture, and social values without compromising international academic standards.
UNESCO highlighted that bilingual education strengthens identity and belonging, supports long-term academic achievement, and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It also emphasized its partnership with Qatar Foundation as a bridge connecting global knowledge with local expertise, strengthening identity through bilingual education, reinforcing belonging, social cohesion, and the protection of cultural diversity. It further noted that it opens the door to broader participation of families and local communities in education, in addition to the transmission of traditional knowledge and cultural values.
The Rasekh framework is built on four standards that translate its goals into actionable school practices:
- Arabic Language: Promoting Arabic as a language of identity and innovation in daily learning and knowledge production – fostering balanced bilingualism, and empowering students to communicate with confidence and depth in both local and global contexts.
- Curriculum Localization: Aligning international standards and curricula with the local context, national priorities, and learners’ identity to ensure relevance, depth, and authenticity, without compromising global academic benchmarks.
- Ethical and Citizenship Values: Building a robust value system rooted in ethics, responsibility, and belonging, and translating these values into tangible behaviors and practices within the educational environment.
- Local and Global Innovation: Empowering students to turn knowledge into solutions with positive impact through innovative projects linked to local challenges and global trends, while utilizing the Arabic language as a medium for thinking, communication, and presentation.
As well as QF schools, Rasekh’s first cohort includes Al Maha Academy for Boys, Al Maha Academy for Girls, Al Jazeera Academy, Arab International Academy in Doha, Arab International Academy in Lusail, Amman Baccalaureate School in Jordan, and Houssam Eddine Hariri High School in Lebanon. This inaugural cohort will help to build applied models demonstrating how international schools can adopt the framework to elevate educational quality, strengthen school character, and improve student outcomes.
The Rasekh accreditation pathway consists of integrated stages: application and institutional commitment, self-assessment, external review and evaluation, accreditation, and periodic reviews for continuous development. Schools meeting the framework’s requirements receive the Rasekh accreditation certificate, the right to use the Rasekh quality mark, and membership in the Rasekh school network. They also benefit from ongoing professional and pedagogical support to sustain and deepen the framework’s impact.
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