Background
Qatar's Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (also known as the Ministry of Awqaf) is one of the country's principal government bodies, responsible for religious affairs, mosque management, and endowments oversight. In April 2026, the ministry's Training and Administrative Development Department launched the first VR-based leadership development programme in the organisation's history.
The deployment
The programme, titled 'Leadership in Crises with Virtual Reality (VR) Technology', ran from 26 to 30 April 2026. The initial cohort comprised 15 female leaders, including heads of departments and heads of Quran memorisation centres. Trainees engaged with interactive virtual scenarios designed to replicate real institutional crisis situations, requiring rapid assessment, decision-making, and team coordination under pressure.
Skills and objectives
The programme targeted a defined set of leadership competencies:
- Crisis leadership and decision-making under pressure
- Risk analysis and emergency assessment
- Communication and team management during crisis conditions
- Supporting business continuity and reducing the institutional impact of crises
Expansion and significance
The programme is described as the first of its kind at the ministry. A second cohort targeting male leaders is planned for May 2026. The initiative forms part of a broader commitment to modernising training from traditional classroom methods to interactive, technology-driven solutions, in line with the ministry's direction toward smart and interactive training systems.
