Doha, Qatar: Four students from Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) have been recognised through the prestigious Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) Design Excellence Award and the Creative Achievement and Potential Award.
The awards, launched in 2007 and 2014 respectively, were conceptualised by AEB Group Chief Executive Officer and Chief Architect, Dr. Ibrahim Jaidah, as a way to nurture emerging talent and encourage distinguished VCUarts Qatar students in their academic and professional journeys.
“Our longstanding partnership with the Arab Engineering Bureau reflects a shared commitment to supporting emerging designers, from the moment they begin their education at VCUarts Qatar through to their entry into the professional field,” said Amir Berbić, Dean of VCUarts Qatar. “Industry recognition affirms the caliber of talent emerging from VCUarts Qatar and provides our students with meaningful exposure and opportunities as they begin their careers.”
Dr. Jaidah added, “For nearly three decades, VCUarts Qatar has cultivated a dynamic environment where creativity, critical thinking, and cultural dialogue converge.
“Sponsoring these awards is part of Arab Engineering Bureau’s broader commitment to sustaining design excellence across generations. As we mark our 60th anniversary this year, and celebrate the 20th cycle of AEB Excellence Award, this initiative holds particular significance: it bridges our legacy in practice with the promise of those who will shape what comes next. Recognising these students is not only a moment of celebration, but a reaffirmation of our role in nurturing the evolving design industry.”
This year’s online iteration of the AEB Awards honoured senior students Nada Tamer Abdo, Interior Design, and Julianne Villanueva Pagulayan, Graphic Design, with the Design Excellence Award, while two junior students Sophia Isabel Flores, Interior Design, and Shamma Al-Ali, Graphic Design, received the Creative Achievement and Potential Award.
