“I wouldn't have been this happy in any other university. I'm not one of those people who is good at 
traditional learning. I am not good at memorising stuff very easily, so being able to have a place that is student-centred, and where we can have discussions with each other that are moderated by professors, has been very critical to my learning process. There is a stark difference between my high school exams and my university grades. I feel that I can retain the information I am learning,” she adds. 

Because of her enthusiasm for academics and advocacy, Dareen was chosen to be a fellow at the Open Society University Network (OSUN) Global Service Network, which promotes the sharing of education and culture between communities of higher learning all over the world. “I'm so happy, I love working with students from different backgrounds and cultures. We get to share with each other instead of just reading about it. It allows me to not only connect with different students around the globe, but also to connect with other students in AQB. It's great to see how people's insights can grow when there is diversity. A few weeks ago, there was a lot of news circulating around campus – including about Palestine - and we used the opportunity to talk to Bard (AQB’s partner university in the USA) and express ourselves as Palestinians.”
 

Another part of the globe in which Dareen has a growing relationship is Qatar, through Qatar Connection, where students have access to various activities, internships and exchange opportunities. “During my summer break I was able to participate in two training sessions with Al Jazeera Media Institute. One of them was advanced photography, and the other one was creating digital storytelling. As a media student, I found it to be very insightful, and something that will enrich my experience later on, to see what it's really like to work in media.” Qatar Connection, through its partnership with leading Qatari organisations, provides a mechanism to connect scholarship students with opportunities they would otherwise never to be able to access, no matter their location.

As Dareen continues her degree at AQB she remains a vocal proponent for Qatar Scholarship and its positive impact on both students and society. “Some of the most active students at AQB are Qatar Scholars, and that's very important because before this year we didn't have the Qatar Scholarship for BA students. While there were a lot of projects and civic engagement, it wasn't as vibrant as it is now. When I go to events, a lot of the leaders and attendees are Qatar Scholarship recipients, and I feel that it is a critical step in the right direction.”