Fifth Biannual Board of Trustees Meeting

The Board of Trustees of the American University of Kuwait met early on Saturday and Sunday the 10th and 11th of January 2009 on the AUK Campus in Salmiya. The Board met to discuss several pressing issues, including accreditation, graduate programs, the new engineering program, strategic planning goals, and the new PUC membership regulations for private universities' boards of trustees.

Official Trustee engagements began early Saturday morning with accreditation updates at the top of the agenda. In addition to successful renewal of Kuwaiti accreditation, AUK is seeking international accreditation for selected programs. The Board also discussed academic planning and program development, specifically graduate programs and the newly introduced engineering program.

On Sunday, January 11, the meeting commenced with the President's State of the University report, focusing on the logistics for the new engineering program and on strategic planning. The Board formally approved the major goals and objectives of the 2008-2013 AUK Strategic Plan and amended the AUK By-Laws in consideration of the new PUC membership regulations for boards of trustees. The Board also tackled the issue of gender separation and its impact on academic planning.

In the evening, as a conclusion to the official Board activities, the Trustees were invited to attend the Dean's List and President's Honor Roll Ceremony held at the Liberal Arts Auditorium. 

The next board meeting will take place in May 2009.

The Board of Trustees of the American University of Kuwait consists of the following members:

Shaikha Dana Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah
Founder and Chair, Board of Trustees, American University of Kuwait
Chair, United Education Company
Executive Manager, Al-Futooh Investment Company
Board Member, KIPCO Asset Management Company

Mr. Meshal Ali
Co-Founder and Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, American University of Kuwait
CEO, National Offset Company

Mr. Wael Abdul-Ghafoor
Co-Founder, American University of Kuwait
Chair, American School of Kuwait

Mr. Faisal Al-Ayyar
Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer KIPCO (Holding)

Mr. Jassem Al-Mousa
Vice Chair, Kuwait Financial Center

HE Nabeela Al-Mulla
Honorary Trustee
Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Kingdom of Belgium
Ambassador of the State of Kuwait to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Head of Mission of the State of Kuwait to the European Communities.

Thomas Bartlett, Ph.D.
Former President, Colgate University and American University of Cairo
Former Chancellor, Alabama, Oregon and New York State University Systems
Member, Board of Trustees, American University of Cairo

Jawad Behbehani, DMD, D.M.Sc.OB, FICD
Associate Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University
Former President, Kuwait Association of Dental Research
Former Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University

Ms. May Y. Ben-Essa
General Manager, Omer Bey Stores, Kuwait
General Manager, Al-Bayan Bilingual School, Kuwait

Dr. Ameenah Rajab Farhan 
Vice Dean for Research, Faculty of Science Kuwait University 
Ms. Ann Z. Kerr
Fulbright Coordinator, UCLA International Institute, Los Angeles
Member, Board of Trustees, American University of Beirut

Mr. Samer Khanachet
Chief Operating Officer, KIPCO

Walid Moubarak, Ph.D.
Chair, Social Science and Education Division, Lebanese American University

Adnan Shihab-Eldin, Ph.D. 
Advisor, Office of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and former OPEC Secretary General

Marina Tolmacheva, Ph.D.
President
 

Front row: (Left to right) Dana Al Sabah, May Ben Essa, Nabeela Al Mulla, Marina Tolmacheva
back row: (Left to right) Adnan Shihab El-Din, Walid Moubarak, Thomas Bartlett, Wael Abdul-Ghafoor, Meshal Ali