News

The American University of Kuwait will be hosting the 2006 annual AUK Awards Night at the Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmed Theater and Hall on the night of 23 May at 7:00 pm. AUK seeks to recognize student achievement both inside and outside the classroom. This event is to be a celebration of the talents, service, and dedication of those students who have made AUK into a better place to work and learn.

The following awards will be presented:

Presidents Award:
The President's Award is the university's most prestigious student award, recognizing the unique combination of academic excellence with outstanding service and commitment to the university.

Dean's Award: This award goes to the student who has demonstrated commitment to promoting a positive image of the university, embodied in the goals and mission of AUK, and has contributed positively to the life on campus.

Outstanding Student Leadership: This award goes to an officer of a recognized student organization who has displayed positive leadership traits, have been visible on campus as an organizer or participant in university activities and are considered to be a role model for their peers.

Campus Service Award: The Campus Service Award goes to students who demonstrate initiative by assisting in promoting student life on campus, including organizing student events and volunteering to further initiatives on the campus of AUK.

Student Worker Award: This award goes to those student workers who rise above the given tasks and exhibit a high degree of initiative, motivation, and positive work ethic in their duties throughout the university.

Sports Award: The Sports Award goes to students who have demonstrated skill, determination, and sportsmanship within athletic organizations and serve as outstanding representatives of the university.

Club and Organization Awards: These awards go to those who display a positive work ethic, motivation, and excellence within extracurricular activities on campus. Formal invitations will be delivered to the students selected to receive awards. In addition to the awards listed above, other academic awards will be presented during the occasion.
 

Sean Dollman, the dean of Admission, speaks to one of the parents who attended the open house.

Various AUK departments were there to offer students all the needed information.

The 2006-07 Student Government Election process closed yesterday after several weeks of intense campaigning. Over 500 students turned out to vote, representing over 60% of the AUK student body. Several candidate races were extremely close including the Presidential race in which all three candidates were only separated by a total of 20 votes. After triple checking the vote tally, the results were announced to an eagerly awaiting group of students Tuesday evening April 25th in the lobby of the Arts & Sciences building on AUK's campus.

Congratulations to all of our candidates for their hard work and strong efforts during the election process. A special thanks to those students & staff who assisted in the election process.

The newly elected Student Government will assume their responsibilities in early May. Congratulations to our Student Government Representatives for the upcoming year!!!

2006-07 Student Government Association Representatives

President: Jawaher Ali-Redha
Vice-President: Abdullah Nasser Al-Zankawi
Secretary: Fahad Al-Kharafi
Treasurer: Ameen Al-Ahmad
Social Committee: Sarah Boodai
Cultural Committee: Nizar Mashal
Media Committee: Fatma Al-Ibrahim
Freshmen Committee: Tareq Al-Rifaai
Public Relations Committee: Nawaf Najia
 

Meshal Al-Ali, the last SGA President for the AUK congratulates the AUK's new president Jawaher Ali-Redha.

Courtesy of Kuwait Times
4th April, 2006
Event was held on 3rd April, 2006

Kuwait: A number of private companies participated in a one-day Health Fair organised by the American University of Kuwait (AUK) yesterday. Among the companies participating were United Laboratories and the International Clinic who provided Consultations and check ups for students and participants, free of charge. Other companies offered services for free plus a chance to win a prize in a raffle. Some five-star hotels, health clubs, spas and restaurants also participated. The Terry Fox Run, a foundation dedicated to supporting cancer patients also participated by selling tickets to win plane tickets or valuable electronic appliances.

AUK counsellor Andrea Al-Adwani admitted that the Health Fair is part of a student project to gather information. "But generally our aim and purpose is to promote health and fitness for our campus and to Kuwait in general. If you noticed our invited companies, they were all serious, not just in their respective businesses, but also in promoting health consciousness to the public."

The Health Fair project is the first of its kind at the AUK campus. After the successful event, they are now planning to hold them annually. The International Clinic provided doctors and nurses to check students' blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes levels. Maidan Dental Clinic also provided a mobile dental clinic along with their dentists and hygienist, which also offered free dental check ups. Other participants provided free meals, visits to their companies and free products and services. "Everything here is free. The only benefits for the companies participating was to promote their names and services. They all agreed and they are all here to give their products and services to our students," Al-Adwani added.

Copyright (C) 2006 Kuwait Times

An AUK student is checking his blood pressure at the International Clinic Stand during the Health Fair.

Sakura restaurant offered the AUK students free sushi demonstration

Diet Care offered AUK students tips on how to lose weight.

'Emphasis on Liberal arts' By Francis A. Clifford

Courtesy of Arab Times
19th March, 2006
Event was held on 18th March, 2006


KUWAIT CITY, March18: The American University of Kuwait (AUK) follows an American approach to higher education, as the US education system stresses the value of liberal arts-that is not very well understood in the Middle East and this calls for some confidence building measures, says Acting President and Dean of Arts and Sciences at the AUK, Marina Tolmacheva.

Addressing a pack of reporters at the AUK on Saturday, she added that, "Liberal arts means broader exposure to various disciplines. We place a lot of emphasis on general education such as teaching, thinking, knowledge retrieval and communication skills. The teaching of professional ethics is very important because it results in the education of a whole individual and therefore we put this as the conerstone of our academic programme."



Dr. Marina Tolmacheva
Photo courtesy of the AUK Public Relations & Marketing Department. (C)2006

"I am pleased to be part of AUK. To have an institution based on American model is a very interesting approach. AUK is not part of a network of American universities but a full-fledged Kuwaiti university started by Kuwaitis."

Tolmacheva went on to add that AUK and Dartmouth college have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that allows the two institutions to bring about a series of advisory, consultative, and cooperative projects over the next five years, noting that a team of Dartmouth consultants recetly visited the AUK and exchanged views on varied subjects, while several AUK FACULTY members also visited Dartmouth and these visits are expected to continue.

Having served the WSU College of Liberal Arts as Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, Tolmacheva received her undergraduate degree with Distinction from St Petersburg University and Ph.D. in History from the Russian Academy of Sciences.

She further noted that as a Dean of AUK, "I wanted to ensure that our academic programmes were built on American philosophy of higher education. As a president, I want to begin the process of American accreditation of AUK, and as soon as we achieve the Kuwaiti accreditation, we will start preparing for American accreditation which may take several years to realise."

"This is something our faculty members will work on for a number of years. It is a tall order, and we will have to keep up the momentum. AUK will work closely with the New England Schools and Colleges where we intend to apply for the accreditation. As for our graduates are concerned, this is going to be a very important advatage to them, Tolmacheva continued. Detailing the programmes of AUK, Tolmacheva said AUK offers nine major programmes in various disciplines, including Computer Sciences and Information Systems, English, Economics, Anthrobology and Sociology, History and International Studies, Business Studies among others.

She said AUK is considering establishing residential facilities and that several universities have approached AUK with an aim of signing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) so that they can send their students to Kuwait on research-related assignments. We will host and render all assistannce to students, who have won Fullbright scholarships, she added.

"We are hoping to add Digital Design to our programmes in future. AUK as part of its mission prepares life long learners so that individuals can keep pace with the quickly changing world in addition to helping them build their careers. To succeed in business, one does not need a business degree but a broader level of education," she went on. She concluded by sayin that "All American universities spread across the Gulf are independent, but that does not mean that we cannot develop a Memorandum of Understanding in the future."

Copyright (C) 2006 Arab Times

Photography by the AUK Public Relations & Marketing Department (C)2006

Courtesy of the Arab Times
14th March, 2006
Event was held on 12th March, 2006

Kuwait City, March 12: The Australian College of Kuwait (ACK) in partnership with American University of Kuwait (AUK) and Gulf University of Science and Technology (GUST) held a "Private Universities Championship Cup" at the ACK campus, Sunday.The two major events were the Men's Soccer and the Ladies' Volleyball. The is the second competition of this kind to be held this year.

The ACK Ladies' Volleyball Team defeated Gust 2-0, but were in turn beaten by AUK 2-1. ACK were ahead 20-10 against AUK in the first set before losing it. Then they took the second set fairly easily, but lost the third one. In the other fixture, AUK beat GUST 2-0 and went on to win the competition.

In the Men's Soccer, ACK edged GUST 1-0 in the first match. In the second one AUK defeated GUST 1-0, while in the third fixture, ACK held a 1-0 against AUK, before being edged out in the second half 4-1. AUK were declared the winners of the tournament. Indvidual awards too were given to the outstanding players. In the Ladies' Volleyball, Fay Al-Homoud was chosen as the MVP (Most Valuable Player) while the honor for Best Defensive Player went to Michelle Venter. In the Men's Soccer Jassim Al-Hassawi was named the MVP and Abdullah Al-Sabah as Leading Soccer.

Speaking during the award presenting ceremony, Kawthar Abu Gazellah, Vice-President, ACK said that the sports event "was a great success" and all three institutions enjoyed the great competition. "It was great to see the students and staff from different colleges and universities participate in this event and we hope to have many more in the future."

Copyright (C) 2006 Arab Times
 

AUK's Ladies' Volleyball Team

AUK's Men's Soccer Team

Working people in Kuwait now have another option to consider when they are looking for education and training programs - the American University of Kuwait's Center for Continuing Education.

AUK's new Center is offering a series of daytime and evening courses, starting in April.

"Our primary target audience is working adults in Kuwait," says Dave McHardy, the Center's Director. "Our goal is to provide the courses and programs they need to fulfill their goals, whether those goals are work-related or personal."
The Center's initial offering includes daytime workshops in Leadership and Training Design & Delivery, certificate programs in Project Management and Supervisory Skills, an evening Business English program, and personal interest courses in Interior Decorating and Creative Writing/Writing Short Fiction.

"Since I arrived from Canada last August, we have been reviewing marketplace needs," says McHardy, "and we are now responding to those needs by delivering programs that people have specifically asked for."

The Center's first offering is a four-day program starting April 2 called "Achieving Leadership Excellence" which features Tony White, an experienced and respected consultant and trainer whom McHardy has known for over 20 years.

"It was important for us to bring in trainers who were not only experts in their fields, but also excellent instructors," says McHardy. "Most of our daytime programs are being taught by professional trainer/consultants whom we are flying in from overseas and they are all people whom I have personally seen teach. I have heard the excellent feedback from students and received great reports from employers. These are instructors who can make a big difference in the lives - and the careers - of course participants."

McHardy expects that one of the Center's most popular program areas will be English and Communications.

"The University has great faculty members and, within them, a superb team of English professors and instructors." notes McHardy. "We hope to utilize them as much as possible to deliver courses that will be designed and scheduled to meet working adults' needs."

"Improving Your Business English" is the Center's first English course and, so far, it has proven to be very popular.

"We ran a series of newspaper ads and have received over 100 telephone calls," declares Program Coordinator David Hart. "The program has five levels ranging from elementary to advanced and we will be assessing and placing each person into the level that is most appropriate for him or her. "We are very confident that this program will help participants make noticeable improvements in their English communication skills. And, once this program is successful, we plan to add courses in Business Writing, Presentation Skills and Conversational English."

Among other program areas being explored by the Center are Education and Design. To assist in this process, the Center has contracted with two local professionals to liaise with Kuwait businesses, organizations and associations and help develop programs for both professional development and personal interest. Lynda Abdul Raheem, a counselor at a local bilingual school and Nafessah Al-Ghusain, a Kuwait-based Interior Design consultant and instructor, have recently been added as part-time members of the Center's team.

For the upcoming Summer, the Center is also planning to offer programs for young people.

"Once our new Program Coordinator starts in April, one of her first projects will be to work with stakeholders from within and outside AUK and develop an extensive summer program for young people," says McHardy. "It's going to be educational and lots of fun. And developing it is going to be very exciting."

Biography - David McHardy
David McHardy has managed continuing education, distance learning and corporate training programs for thirty years and has taught courses and seminars in adult/continuing education, management development, and leadership in Canada, the USA and Europe. A graduate of Canada's McMaster University (B.Sc., Biology), Mohawk College (Diploma, Community Education) and Simon Fraser University (M.A., Administrative Leadership), McHardy has worked in the public and private post-secondary education sectors and managed certification and educational programs for a provincial occupational health and safety authority. His Master's Degree thesis was a case study that focused on issues related to organizational culture, decision-making and structure within a College and its Continuing Education Department.

McHardy came to AUK in August, 2005 from Langara College in Vancouver, Canada. He is married with three children, two of whom are attending the American School of Kuwait and the oldest of whom is a freshman in the International Relations program at the United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya.

People interested in learning more about the Center and its programs should call (+965) 224-8399 ext. 309 or email cedc@auk.edu.kw.

Contact Person:
David McHardy, Director, Center for Continuing Education
Telephone: (+965) 224-8399 ext. 308
Fax: (+965) 571-5909
Email: dmchardy@auk.edu.kw

David McHardy Director of the Center for the Continuing Education (C.C.E.) Photo courtesy of the AUK Public Relations & Marketing Department. (C)2006

The American University of Kuwait (AUK), a private independent liberal arts institution, recently announced that the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees and Dr. Shafeeq Ghabra had reached a mutual agreement not to renew his contract as University President. To ensure a smooth transition, the Board has appointed as Acting President, Dr. Marina Tolmacheva, Dean of the College of Arts and Science.

Sheikha Dana N. Al-Sabah, Chair of the AUK Board of Trustees, said "Dr. Ghabra was our founding president, a strong proponent of the philosophy of a liberal arts education; he has made an important and lasting contribution to the growth and development of AUK and was instrumental in establishing our relationship with Dartmouth College - a relationship that continues and endures."

Dr. Shafeeq Ghabra said in a statement sent to Faculty & Staff "While I am tremendously proud of the work we have accomplished together and have enjoyed working with everyone in this community, it is time for me to move on," adding that the time was right for AUK to enter into the kind of transition in leadership that is part of every healthy university's life cycle." Dr. Ghabra added "AUK will always have a place in my heart. I know that it will continue to grow and flourish and I wish you all success in your future growth, personal development, and academic endeavors."

Dr. Marina Tolmacheva, a member of the AUK leadership team since January 2006, will continue in her role as Dean while serving as Acting President. Dr. Tolmacheva, Professor of History and past Directors of Asia Program at Washington University, is a specialist in Medieval Arab History and Islamic Civilization. Her research explores the works of Medieval Arab Geography travelers, among them the famous Ibn Battuta.

The American University of Kuwait is a liberal arts institution based on the American model of higher education. It is dedicated to providing students with knowledge, self-awareness, and personal growth experiences that can enhance critical thinking, effective communication, and respect for diversity. AUK seeks to create leaders and life-long learners who aspire to the highest standards of moral and ethical responsibility in their societies. The university opened in 2004 and will graduate its first class this spring.

Dartmouth College has signed a memorandum of understanding with AUK that has allowed the two institutions to initiate a series of advisory, consultative, and cooperative projects. Founded in 1769 in New Hampshire in the United States of America, Dartmouth is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college with graduate programs in the arts and sciences, medicine, engineering, and business. The agreement reflects AUK's commitment to creating the best in liberal arts education, drawing from the rich tradition and expertise of Dartmouth, and Dartmouth's recognition of the AUK commitment to quality.
 

Dr. Marina Tolmacheva AUK's Acting President