Dr. Nizar Hamzeh Dean Of College Of Arts & Sciences

Following an extensive international search, President Marina Tolmacheva has announced the appointment of Nizar Hamzeh, Associate Professor of Political Science at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), to the post of Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, effective immediately. Hamzeh, a member of the AUK faculty since 2005, is an expert on Middle East politics, Islamic movements, international law, research methodology, and Western and Islamic political theory.

"I am delighted that Nizar Hamzeh has agreed to serve in this key role," said President Tolmacheva. "He is a recognized scholar with a distinguished research record and a dedicated teacher. As an Arab scholar from the Middle East trained in the United States, he has displayed a broad range of intellectual and administrative leadership skills - qualities that will be essential to the university as we continue to add strength to our academic offerings."

In addition to his teaching post, Hamzeh has served as Associate Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at AUK and directed its Gulf Studies Center. He was head of the Social Sciences Division until August 2006 and has held Prior to joining the AUK faculty, Hamzeh was an associate professor of political science at the American University of Beirut (AUB), where he was a member of the faculty from 1988 to 2004. He was political science department chair at AUB from 1990 to 1999, and acting dean of student affairs from 1999 to 2000.

A 1979 graduate of the Lebanese University Faculty of Law, Hamzeh pursued graduate studies at the University of Southern California, receiving his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in 1982 and 1986, respectively. Building on his dissertation, Conflict in Lebanon: A Survey of Opinions and Attitudes, Hamzeh has become an internationally recognized authority on the culture and politics of Lebanon, with special focus on the development of Hizbullah and Islamist movements across the Middle East. He is the author of In the Path of Hizbullah (Syracuse, 2004), a work that received the Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book Award for 2005. He has co-authored two other volumes, and his articles appear regularly in scholarly journals.

"I am honored to be able to serve the American University of Kuwait in this new role," said Hamzeh, "and I look forward to working with President Tolmacheva, my faculty and administrative colleagues, and our Dartmouth partners, to enhance the academic programs that sustain AUK's distinctive intellectual environment." Hamzeh said he intends to focus his priorities as dean on enhancing faculty structures across the various divisions and programs, developing policies and procedures that support those programs, and ensuring that students continue to have access to a superb academic program based on the U.S. model.

At AUK, the Dean of the College Arts & Sciences is the chief academic officer of the university, responsible for the academic and administrative functions of the College and the Library. With oversight of curriculum development and implementation; faculty recruitment, development, and evaluation; policy development; and budgetary and outreach supervision, the Dean works closely with the President and serves as a member of her leadership cabinet. In his new post, Hamzeh will supervise AUK's four academic divisions: Business & Economics, Humanities & Arts, Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Dale F. Eickelman, Ralph and Richard Lazarus Professor of Anthropology and Human Relations at Dartmouth College, and Relationship Coordinator for the Dartmouth/AUK program, says: "Hamzeh brings an ideal mix of leadership, cultural sensitivity, scholarly achievement, and dedicated teaching experience to the position. His talents reflect the qualities that set AUK apart, enabling it to offer students the finest liberal arts education in Kuwait."

Established in 2003, AUK is the first private liberal arts university in Kuwait. The educational, cultural, and administrative structure, methods and standards of AUK are based on the American model of higher learning. Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire (USA) and AUK have signed a memorandum of understanding that allows the two institutions to initiate a series of advisory, consultative, and cooperative projects. The partnership reflects AUK's mission to provide the best in liberal arts education, drawing from the rich tradition and expertise of Dartmouth, and Dartmouth's recognition of AUK's commitment to quality.