About Academic Bridge Program

The Academic Bridge Program is an innovative experiment in the Middle East, seeking to bridge the gulf between local and regional high schools which too often tend to emphasize rote learning strategies and universities where students are expected to seek their own answers to complex problems. While emphasizing improvement of skills in speaking, writing, and reading in the English language, in which all courses are taught, the ABP at the same time tries to encourage students to become inquisitive and curious about both the content and the processes of their learning experiences.  This approach asks the students to grow intellectually, socially, emotionally, and personally.

Most ABP students enroll as Foundation Year students and undertake a nine month course of study emphasizing English,  acquisition of computer skills, familiarity with TOEFL, SAT, and ACT test taking, the English language terminology for mathematics subjects, and the scientific methods of inquiry combined with laboratory experiences in the sciences. Additionally, they have extensive opportunities to experience coeducation, for the first time for many students, as well as to participate in a wide variety of clubs and activities such as debate, drama, journalism, and Model United Nations. Many students enjoy athletic competition and field trips, as well.

ABP students with higher IBT or TOEFL entry scores are enrolled in the Pre-University Program, which is divided into four streams or tracks based on the university majors declared by the students at admission.  These students  follow a curriculum suited to pre-business & computer science, pre-engineering, pre-medicine, or pre-humanities careers.  Pre-University Track students can be permitted to enroll in a limited number of university credit courses at the same time they are perfecting their abilities in English, math, science, and computers.  If approved, ABP students may take credit classes in math, science, history, English, philosophy, psychology, art & design, for example, at Education City Universities such as CMU-Q, VCU-Q, TAMU-Q, and Georgetown University's SFS in Qatar. Many students, but not all, will be able to earn three to twelve credits while enrolled at the ABP.

In summary, the ABP is a rich nine month coeducational program, with boarding facilities for some international students.  The ABP admits  high school graduates of good academic ability (80% percentile or higher on the GSCE) and IBT scores of 36 (TOEFL of 420) or IBT of 52 (TOEFL of  470 or above for the Pre-University Program) to improve their English skills, hone their skills in math and science, develop computer literacy, prepare for university education in EC universities or other English language universities around the world. Moreover, it offers about 200 students annually the opportunity to experience a coeducational learning environment in a beautiful and well equipped facility with an outstanding international faculty of almost forty teachers and about twenty support staff. Nearly all teachers have masters' degrees, most have around 10 to 20 years of experience, and many have had experience teaching in other international schools.

The ABP is a comfortable and congenial place in which to teach and learn.  Its mission is ultimately to help students find their way to careers in government, business, engineering, medicine,  and many other worthwhile endeavors in order someday to make a difference in Qatar and in the world.