AUK and ASU Discuss Collaboration Opportunities

As part of its commitment to exploring academic partnerships and opportunities for collaboration with respected institutions, the Vice Chair of the American University of Kuwait's (AUK) Board of Trustees, Mr. Meshal Ali, along with AUK'S President Professor Nizar Hamzeh and his Cabinet, met with a delegation from Arizona State University (ASU) in March to discuss collaborative opportunities. The delegation consisted of Dr. Ajay Vinze, Associate Vice Provost, and Dr. Souad T. Ali, Chair of the ASU Council for Arabic and Islamic Studies and Associate Professor of Middle Eastern Studies. Areas such as student and faculty exchange, study abroad, research collaboration, and the development of new programs were discussed.

"ASU is one of the leading universities in the United States that is rich in its program offerings and its diverse community. We look forward to creating initiatives that are mutually beneficial to our two institutions," President Hamzeh said.

Dr. Vinze was pleased with meeting the AUK representatives and the prospects of collaborating with the University. "We applaud the international efforts initiated by President Hamzeh, and are delighted to be in conversations with AUK to explore academic possibilities that will benefit both institutions," he said.

Dr. Ali was a Fulbright Scholar at AUK in 2009-2010, Faculty Director of the ASU Study Abroad Program at AUK, and a Visiting Professor during the Spring 2015 semester at AUK. "It has been a distinct pleasure to continue the ASU/AUK conversation with Vice Chair of AUK's Board of Trustees, Mr. Meshal Ali, President Nizar Hamzeh, and the President Cabinet. We have been encouraged to explore more mutually beneficial academic and intellectual possibilities," said Dr. Ali.

About ASU

Arizona State University (ASU) is a premier public institution and research center located in Arizona, United States. ASU enrolls students from all U.S. states and 140 nations in more than 700 undergraduate and graduate programs. Driven by values of higher education excellence, access and impact, ASU is ranked the number one choice in the U.S. for international students by the Institute of International Education (IIE); ranked among the top 100 universities in the world by Academic Ranking of World Universities; and ranked by U.S. News and World Report as the most innovative public school in the United States. More information about ASU can be found at www.asu.edu.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 27th April 2016