As part of its institutional cooperation and efforts to strengthen community partnerships between academic and social entities, the Qatar Foundation for Social Work (QFSW), in collaboration with Raqeen Training and Consulting Center, affiliated with the National University of Malaysia – Qatar, organized on Thursday morning a training workshop titled “Strategic Thinking.” The session targeted employees of the Foundation and its affiliated centers and was held at the university’s campus in Lusail City.

This workshop comes within the Foundation’s ongoing efforts to enhance the skills of its staff in areas of analysis, planning, and strategic thinking—aligned with its strategic vision for institutional excellence and its aim to boost performance efficiency and the quality of services provided to beneficiary groups.

The event brought together 25 participants from various administrative levels, including department directors, heads of sections, and staff members. The workshop covered several key topics such as the concept and importance of strategic thinking in social institutions, its core components—vision, mission, values, and goals—as well as analytical tools like SWOT and PESTEL, and the role of creative thinking in developing social initiatives.

Mr. Abdulaziz Ali Al-Binali, Head of External Communication at the Qatar Foundation for Social Work, emphasized that this workshop reflects the Foundation’s commitment to investing in the development of its human capital. He highlighted that strategic thinking forms the cornerstone of institutional development and is a key driver for improving the efficiency and sustainability of social work.

He added that collaboration with the National University of Malaysia – Qatar demonstrates the Foundation’s commitment to building active knowledge partnerships with the academic sector, contributing to knowledge exchange and promoting a culture of innovation and foresight within the social work environment.

For his part, Dr. Hashem Al-Sayed, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at the National University of Malaysia, stated that this workshop comes within the university’s ongoing efforts to strengthen engagement with various institutions and to offer professional programs and training courses tailored to their needs. He noted that this partnership will open new horizons for future collaborations between Raqeen Training and Consulting Center and the Qatar Foundation for Social Work across multiple fields, supporting the advancement of the social work sector.

He added that Raqeen Training and Consulting Center aims to establish sustainable and diversified training and consulting services aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which identifies human development as one of its key pillars.

The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations focusing on promoting a culture of forward-thinking and social innovation in program and service design, and empowering participants to apply strategic analysis and planning tools to develop social initiatives that benefit target groups and support the State’s social development efforts.