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The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted a panel discussion entitled "Behind the Spectacle: Branding in the Arab Gulf City-State". The event, which took place at the AUK auditorium, hosted Mr. Oliver Auroy, Managing Director of Fitch Middle East; Ms. Caterina Sabbatini, PhD candidate at science Po, Paris and visiting researcher at AUK; along with the moderator Mr. Mohammed Al-Ghanim , researcher for the Center for Democracy and Civil Society at Georgetown University. The opening speech was given by Dr. Farah Al-Nakib, Director for CGS.

The panel discussed the rapid development and construction frenzy the Arab Gulf has experienced over the past decade. It examined how the Gulf city-states brand and market themselves as centers of cultural capitalism. The topic generated much discussion among the audience on the positive and negative aspects of state branding efforts, their sustainability in the long term, and what it means for local residents.

During his talk, Auroy outlined what he perceived as the benefits of national branding. In his opinion, the marketing of specific projects such as museums, stadiums, or tall towers creates a certain world image of a particular place that makes it unique from everywhere else. He argued that it should be a priority of state governments to manage their state image in order to prevent the rise of negative perceptions, or worse still, no perception at all. In the case of Kuwait, Auroy described how entrepreneurial successes such as Slider Station or the success of internationally recognized locals such as Chef Adla Al Sharhan can be used by the state to foster a positive and unique image of the country abroad.

Investigating the case of Qatar, Sabbatini discussed the effectiveness of sports as a branding tool. Initiatives such as Aspire, the hosting of the 2022 World Cup, and the bid to host the 2020 Olympics represent a comprehensive effort to create a positive image and perception of the country internationally. Sabbatini pointed to the importance of fostering a positive image in Qatar as a way to increase its soft power among its much larger neighboring countries. It is also seen as a means for economic diversification and decreasing the reliance on gas exports in the long term. Lastly, sports initiatives and projects can be seen, according to Sabbatini, as motivated by power politics and feuds within Qatar's royal family.

However, according to Al-Nakib, city-states such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar today (as Kuwait in the 1970s) put more focus on building a city geared towards satisfying a global audience and attracting "temporary" residents (tourists, transient businessmen, and so on). This will eventually compromise the needs and priorities of the city's permanent residents. Al Nakib argued that this approach to city-building is unsustainable over the long-term. Evidence has shown that more than $100 billion worth of urban mega-projects have been either canceled or delayed in the UAE due to the global financial crisis, according to AL-Nakib.

The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) at the American University of Kuwait aims to promote greater cultural understanding of and increased intellectual interest in the Gulf, by facilitating free and open academic discourse on a range of issues that both shape and challenge this critical region of the world. The goal of CGS is to enable scholars as well as political and civil society actors both within and outside the region to contribute and add value to the burgeoning field of Gulf Studies, while at the same time informing and engaging the general public. To this end, the CGS encourages, supports, and cultivates interesting and original research on the Gulf, while regularly organizing a variety of public academic events such as lectures, roundtable discussions, and conferences. For more information about CGS and its activities, please visit www.auk.edu.kw/cgs/index.jsp

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 15th May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The American University of Kuwait participated in the annual REUSE 5.0 exhibition, held this year on the premises of the Australian College of Kuwait (ACK).

During the exhibition, a number of AUK students and professors showcased their work under two categories; the Social Programs category and the Community category. The AUK exhibits included artwork made of reused or re-purposed materials that promote environmental conservation. The AUK delegation was led by Professor William Andersen of the Art and Graphic Design Program, and Professor Charles Cange of the newly introduced Environmental Studies Minor Program at AUK. AUK's Environmental Studies Program is the first of its kind in Kuwait.

Organized by the En.V Initiative, the 4-day REUSE 5.0 featured a dynamic mix of art galleries, music, short films, a lounge, trendy eco- fashion, accessories and more. The last day of the event celebrated Earth Day, bringing in the renowned Moroccan artist and photographer Hassan Hajjaj and the award winning Graphic Designer, Tarek Atrissi, who both gave short inspirational talks on incorporating eco-friendly thought into creative art projects.

REUSE 5.0 serves as an opportunity for non-profit organizations, companies, professionals and aspiring creative talents to showcase their accomplishments in the fields of social responsibility and sustainability. REUSE aims to promote eco-friendly living and provide a platform for those who strive to incorporate this principle into their work.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 10th May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The Office of Admissions at the American University of Kuwait held the 2nd Annual High School Football tournament where Gulf English School (GES) was crowned Champions for the boys' team edging out New English School (NES) in the final. The American School of Kuwait (ASK) was crowned the champion for the girls' team defeating GES. The tournament finals took place on April 29th, for the boy teams; and April 30th for the girl teams.

The inaugural of the High School Football Tournament was initiated last year to create a collaborative atmosphere between high school students and the University community. Last year, the winner of the tournament was New English School. This year, the event brought together approximately 140 high school girls and boys competing daily at the AUK Soccer Field.

AUK Admissions Counselor and event coordinator Ahmed Lotfy said, "Our ultimate goal is to incept the fact in schools that this High School Football Tournament (HSFT) will be an annual event. Next year we're planning to invite more high schools into the tournament and encourage more girls to participate in the event to promote the fact that girls in Kuwait are as competent as boys in such competitions. We will also make sure that students enjoy their experience as much as possible throughout the tournament, and that pretty much will show them a glimpse of what the atmosphere in AUK is like."

The level of participation and the success of the event prompted the Office of Admissions at AUK to consider making this an annual tournament for high schools. Each year teams will be awarded points according to how they placed in the tournament. Each school will then accumulate points that carry over to the following year's tournament creating a ranking system based on both boys & girls participation and performance. Following the conclusion of this year's tournament below is how each school ranked:

1. Gulf English School (GES) = 70 points
2. New English School (NES) = 50 points
3. American School of Kuwait (ASK)= 45 points
4. Lycee Francais du Kuwait (LFK) = 31 points
5. International Academy of Kuwait (IAK)= 25 points
6. Kuwait National English School (KNES)= 20 points
7. Bayan Bilingual School (BBS) = 19 points
8. Universal American School (UAS) = 15 points
9. Arab American Bilingual Academy (AABA) = 15 points
10. Kuwait International English School (KIES) = 13 points

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 9th May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The American University of Kuwait held an environmental forum at the AUK Salmiya campus on April 30th. The forum started with an opening speech by HE the Dutch Ambassador, Ton Boon von Ochsee; followed by a lecture by the cetacean expert, Mr. Joan Gonzalvo, from the Tethys Research Institute in Greece. The event was co-sponsored by the AUK Office of Student Life, and the Environmental Club (Al-Akhdar Club), in collaboration with the AUK Humanities Division, and Arabic Program. The forum was followed by registration booth for the Ionian Dolphin Project (IDP) volunteer program.

During his opening speech, the Dutch Ambassador outlined the interlacing nature of economical, social, and ecological factors that are vital to consider when governmental policies are developed to protect the environment. His Excellency highlighted some issues that contribute to environmental degradation including overpopulation that contributes to the loss of biological diversity. At the end of his lecture, the Dutch Ambassador was handed an honorary plaque by AUK president, Dr Winfred Thomson.

In his lecture, Gonzalvo talked about the twenty-year project on Ionian Dolphins in Greece. According to Gonzalvo, IDP has been operating since 1991 to ensure the long-term viability of dolphin species living in the coastal waters of the eastern Ionian Sea. Gonzalvo highlighted some of the pressures humans are placing on dolphin habitats in Greece. These include over-fishing of the sardines that the dolphins feed on, and the noise and disturbance from increasing boat traffic in the area. In order to instigate a local life style that is pro-conservation, Gonzalvo outlined the local program that they have developed in order to sustain the local interest in the conservation of dolphin habitats. This includes dolphin-related events, public presentations, and production of multimedia.

The Tethys Research Institute, which is hosting the IDP, is an Italian non-profit organization specializing in cetacean research. Founded in 1986, the institute regularly participates in research contributing to conservation efforts. The institute collaborates with many volunteer organizations around the world to assist in their research. Ms. Ghaidaa Mohamad, AUK Instructor of Arabic, is one of those volunteers who joined IDP through Earthwatch (a volunteer organization). As an environmental activist and volunteer, Mohamad initiated the idea of hosting the IDP lecture in Kuwait to raise environmental awareness.

For more Information about the Ionian Dolphins Project, please visit www.ioniandolphinproject.org

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 9th May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

The Office of Student Life organized the 7th Annual Art Exhibition from the 15th to the 19th of April at the AUK Auditorium. Over 40 students participated in 7 different categories of the exhibition - Painting, Drawing, Photography, Graphic Design, 3D, Poetry and Video.

The exhibition began with an opening ceremony that was attended by AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson; Vice President of Administrative and Student Affairs President, Dr. Carol Ross-Scott, as well as AUK staff and faculty members. The event included video screenings, poetry recitation, and a winner award ceremony. Certificates were handed out to winners by Ms. Liane Al-Ghusain, Education Coordinator at Contemporary Art Platform Kuwait, who was also one the judges.

The exhibition was open to the public throughout the week. The Art Factory club, a student organization at AUK, also created a decorative mural at the entrance of the exhibit. This mural not only used regular painting and drawing techniques and ideas, but also involved a few students who covered themselves in paint to create part of the mural.

The week concluded with a Creative Calligraphy workshop by Fareed Abdal. Over 17 people attended the two hour workshop and learnt techniques of "Meditative Calligraphy" employing different body and mind relaxation methods like breathing, adjusting body posture, and mind clearing experimentation.

The Art Exhibition is an event that is open to all registered AUK students. Participants are not required to have taken classes in art or graphic design to participate. It is a platform for students to showcase their artistic talents and interests. This is the second year that Student Life has collaborated with a member of the art faculty Professor William Andersen to organize and plan the exhibition. The Office of Student Life would like to thank all participants, judges, club members, volunteers for making this event a successful one.

The winners in the different categories are:

Painting

Drawing

Photography

Graphic Design

3D

Poetry

Video

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd May 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012

In alignment with its mission to provide students with intensive hands-on experience, the AUK recently introduced Computer Engineering Program has added the first student contribution to the world of undergraduate research. Fatma Qatan, an AUK Computer Engineering Junior student, presented her project "Performance Analysis of Lightweight Block Ciphers" at the Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research on Applied Computing (URC'12), in Dubai, UAE. Under the supervision of Dr. Issam Damaj, Program Lead of Computer Engineering, Qatan's research focused on providing a performance profile for several ciphers running within different computing environments. The proposed performance analysis classifies the investigated algorithms according to a combination of several heterogeneous characteristics. The developed benchmark compares the profile findings with respect to reference implementations by producing performance ratios for each measurement. Accordingly, an overall Indicator is determined by the statistical combination of all the calculated ratios. The overall Indicator provides a quantitative classification criterion and an effective tool for benchmarking. Lightweight ciphers are employed for security in environments where resources are limited.

The URC conference, hosted annually by the College of Information Technology at Zayed University, aims to promote undergraduate research activity at educational institutions in the MENA region. The conference provides a forum for students to present their work and interact with other young researchers, faculty, and industrial leaders. AUK was the only representative of Kuwait in the conference this year. Other participants came from different countries including Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar, Iraq, Palestine, Bahrain, and Jordan.

Dr. Damaj commented on his student's achievement saying, "I'm delighted with Fatma's achievement. Fatma started her research under my supervision in the summer of her Junior year; which is two years ahead of her major's capstone. She has shown exemplary dedication and determination to complete the presented project. In addition, Fatma has put great effort in her development, measurements, and facts checking. I'm very pleased to see one of our students demonstrating lifelong learning and critical thinking skills, besides, showing a good understanding of contemporary scientific issues. I will not be surprised to see Fatma presenting an extension of her work in an international event. We will remember for a long time that Fatma was the first Computer Engineering student that made such a contribution."

The Computer Engineering (CE) program at AUK formally started in Fall 2008, with a focus on providing students with intensive high-quality hands-on experiences. Through this program, AUK aims to fulfill the requirement in Kuwait for a superior quality, technologically advanced and well-rounded educational program that can compete with high quality North American universities. The Computer Engineering program is centered on the key principles of liberal arts and science while providing students with exposure and access to contemporary technology and applications.

AUK is the only private university in Kuwait that offers an independent Computer Engineering undergraduate degree, modeled on unique pillars providing a well-rounded and wholesome approach to education.

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd May 2012

The American University of Kuwait announced the winners of the student competition for The President's Exhibition, Spring 2012. The winning art work was selected from the "best of the best" student class work from the previous semester. All entries were submitted to the competition by the AUK ART and Graphic Design (GDES) professors. The Exhibition includes painting, drawing, graphic design, cut paper, and photography work juried for creativity, originality, and technique. The 21 winners of the competition are:

Sarah Ahmad
Nasser A. Al-Sager
Arwa S. Al-Enezi
Zahraa J. Hamadi
Hayat T. Al Zafiri
Shahad Al-Terkait
Fatima Al-Tamimi
Rawan Al-Omani
Hassan Shah
Jumana Al-Refai
Matrah Aldooseri
Hiam Al-Ali
Sarah Al Ajmi
Sundes Al Blushi
Sarah Khalid Al-Bloshi
Bashayer Al-Hussinan
Roaa Al Majed
Arwa Mulla Ali
Sarah Al-Haddad
Maha Ali
Khadijah Al-Najadah

Students with winning artwork received a certificate signed by AUK President Dr. Winfred Thompson; they and their parents were honored at a reception inaugurating the exhibition. They will also enjoy having their work displayed in the President's Office for the coming six months, ensuring that their work will be viewed by dignitaries and other honored visitors to the University.

The AUK President's Exhibition is an excellent opportunity for students, as it works to increase student pride in execution, rewards excellent work, and provides a valuable accomplishment on their resumes as they graduate and go out from AUK to graduate school or the workplace.

Professor Sharon Orleans Lawrence, Assistant Professor of Art History and Studio Arts, is Chair of the AUK President's Exhibition; Professor Marcella Kulchitsky, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, is Co-Chair.


Win and Graphic Design student winner Sarah Ahmad


Co-Chair Marcella Kulchitsky, President Thompson, Chair Sharon Orleans Lawrence


President Thompson presents a certificate to senior graphic design student Maha Ali


Selections from drawing, graphic design, and capstone artwork


Selections from drawing classes


President Thompson presents a certificate to Bashayer Al-Hussinan


President Thompson presents a certificate to Matra Al-Doos


Sundes Al-Bloshi explains the concept between her artwork to the President and Professor Lawrence


A selection of artwork from the exhibition, work from Drawing II, Drawing 1, and Modern Art History


Winning student Hassan Shah views his artwork with his father


Wining student Rawan Al-Omani with Art History and Studio Arts Professor Sharon Orleans Lawrence

With an opening word by the AUK President, Dr. Winfred Thompson, the 8th Annual Career Fair at AUK was launched on April 10th at the AUK Auditorium. During his speech, Dr. Thompson emphasized the importance of providing guidance and consultation to graduating students about the employment market and the different opportunities awaiting them. The President also highlighted the University's keen approach of continuing to support students until they step into their career lives.

The two platinum sponsors of the fair this year, Zain and Gulf Bank, joined the AUK President in announcing the official opening of the Career Fair. Mrs. Nawal Bou-Risli, the Human Resources Executive Director of Zain talked about her company's policy in supporting Kuwaiti youth through granting them employment priorities, especially in Zain's network, customer services, and marketing departments. She also stressed that supporting and sponsoring the AUK Career Fair come as part of her company's corporate social responsibility policy.

The Annual Career Fair is a yearly event organized by the AUK Career Services and Wellness Center exclusively for AUK students and Alumni. Over 400 students visit the fair every year to meet the participating companies and explore possible job and internship opportunities.

Approximately 20 local and international companies were present at AUK's 8th Career Fair. The participating companies included Gulf Bank and Zain as Platinum sponsors, ABYAT and KAMCO as Gold sponsors, AlYasra Foods and Impact and Echo as Silver sponsors. Also present, were Price Waterhouse Coopers (PWC), Ernst & Young, Hewlett Packard (HP), Wataniya Telecom, Al-Ahli Bank of Kuwait (ABK), M. H. Al Shaya, Ali Abdulwahab & Sons, LoYAC, Burgan Bank, AUK, and Kout Food Group (KOG).

Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 22nd April 2012

Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2012