News

AUK College of Business and Economics (CBE) students participated in the Small and Medium Enterprises in Kuwait: Opportunities and Challenges Conference 2022 hosted by Kuwait Technical College (K-Tech). The conference aims to bring together decision-makers, entrepreneurs, researchers, and other experts to create an encouraging business environment, and develop open and comprehensive practices to support small and medium enterprises.  
 
Among 400 participants in the conference, the AUK students presented and discussed their posters; they secured first and second place in the category of Best Poster Award. The first-place poster was titled, “The Moderating Effect of Social Demographics on the Relationship Between Affective Learning Outcomes and Academic Performances in Private Universities in Kuwait Post-Pandemic: Pilot Research.” This poster was presented by Donia Al-Ghouhari, Farah Al-Saleem, Jasem Abul-Rahim, and Moustafa El-Garawany.  
 
The second-place poster was presented by Mubarak Alhajiri, Osamah Alharbi, and Usamah Aljadi. The poster was on the “effect of customer orientation and technology orientation on digital transformation capability of banking sector operational performance in Kuwait.” Both projects were supervised by Dr. Ahmad Alsaber, AUK assistant professor of management, for the students’ management capstone class.  
 
Additionally, Dr. Naeemah Al-Kharafi, AUK assistant professor of management, also presented her academic paper at the conference.  Her paper, titled, “Comparison Between Sponsored and Non-Sponsored Regarding Personal Administrative Factors for SMEs from Kuwait During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” included questionnaires distributed to more than 4,000 entrepreneurs and business owners in Kuwait and 948 responses that were obtained from participants and analyzed.  
 
AUK is committed to creating an enlightened and progressive education culture, cultivating a community of scholars and students who benefit from the experiences the University offers them.   
 
 

First place winning students. From left: Moustafa El-Garawany, Dr. Ahmad Alsaber, and Donia Al-Gouhari
  

AUK group. From left: Farah Al-Saleem, Donia Al-Gouhari, Jassim Hesham, Mustafa El-Garawany, and Dr. Ahmad Alsaber
  

Second place winning team. From left: Osamah Alharbi, Mubarak Alhajiri, and Dr. Ahmad Alsaber
   

College of Business and Economics (CBE) conference faculty participants. From left: Dr. Mariam AlSabah, Dr. Naeemah Alkhurafi, Dr. Sarah AlShamali, and Dr. Ahmad Alsaber

AUK held its graduation commencement for the class of 2022 on Monday, 28th November conferring the degrees on 510 graduates—185 of which were from the College of Arts and Sciences, 131 from the College of Business and Economics, and 194 from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Amongst the 2022 cohort, 8 graduates were awarded highest honors (summa cum laude), 25 awarded high honors (magna cum laude), and 40 awarded honors (cum laude).

Held at The Arena in 360 Mall, the graduation ceremony was attended by Sheikha Dana Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, founder and chair of AUK's Board of Trustees, members of the AUK board of trustees, diplomats, dignitaries, and the parents of this year's graduates. 

Following the national anthem and the Holy Quran recitation, AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad gave a speech where she explained the benefits that a liberal arts education has had on the graduates, “Our students today embraced AUK’s liberal arts values in every respect.  No matter what major they will graduate with today, every single one of them will be able to respond to the global challenges that require individuals to be original, resourceful, imaginative, inspirational, and innovative. Our students embody these qualities and will pursue their futures gracefully and, above all, with a sense of humility and care.”

This year’s keynote speaker, Dr. Saeeda Jaffar, Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager of VISA for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and member of AUK’s board of trustees was selected by Forbes as the top 50 most powerful businesswomen in the Middle East. In her keynote address, Dr. Saeeda Jaffar inspired the graduates to pursue continuous learning to seize all opportunities in an ever-changing world, “Replace fear with curiosity and keep asking questions. Keep on learning. I can’t stress how important this is. We live in a knowledge-based economy and it’s changing faster than anything we’ve ever seen before. The opportunities ahead are incredible. There is AI, intergalactic exploration, sustainability, web3, you name it. Every field is changing. Be bold and grab the opportunities that are out there. It can be a scary thought, to do something different, do something new. And that’s okay. It is about dealing with it and giving yourself the ability to say ‘you know what? I don’t have to have all the answers right now. I have to be okay with that. I will be bold, and I will get it done.’”

Following the keynote address, AUK’s dean of student affairs, Ms. Hala Al-Abdulrazzaq announced the class valedictorian, Ahmad Aldulaie who earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Engineering with a 3.96 GPA. He supplemented his studies at AUK with programming courses that helped him win “Best Project Award” at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences spring 2022 capstone exhibition. During his speech, Ahmad addressed his peers and reflected upon their effort and dedication, “While our experiences during university years may differ, we are all able to stand here and celebrate our victory today because we had a goal in mind that we wanted to achieve no matter the odds which was to complete our bachelor’s degree, to become leaders in our respective fields, to have a significant impact on our society. Therefore, I remind you and myself that today does not mark an end, it marks the beginning of our next adventure, where we utilize the tools and skills that AUK equipped us with to achieve our goals and dreams.” 

The event then proceeded to the part of the ceremony most anticipated by the students—the distribution of their earned degrees. Upon the recommendations of the deans – Dr. Ali Charara, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Ralph Palliam, Dean of the College of Business and Economics; and Dr. Amir Zeid, Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, President Awwad conferred upon the graduates their respective degrees. The graduates were then awarded their diplomas by President Awwad and respective college deans.

In keeping with the academic tradition, the graduates were requested to shift their tassels from right to left, thereby marking their official graduation from AUK. As the ceremony drew to its conclusion, the graduating class celebrated the occasion and took photos with their parents.
 

 
Click on the Image to view the Photo Gallery

AUK Human Resources Department (HR) launched multiple initiatives that promoted wellness and healthy daily habits among staff members. The campaign, titled, “Together We Grow Healthier,” provided employees with recreational opportunities to improve their physical and mental health. 

With the goal of promoting healthy eating habits, various exercises, and community activities, the HR Department has thus far launched three workshops, one of which being “Wellness Through Mindfulness” which provided staff exercises and practices that can be done at their desks to refresh their day. 

The second activity was a cheese-tasting workshop that was exclusive to campus directors and served as an opportunity to develop AUK’s workplace culture. The third activity was a collaboration with the Office of Student Life where the HR Department launched a bootcamp to encourage physical activity. 

Supplementing these efforts, HR also distributed healthy snacks wrapped in biodegradable material to all campus staff members. 

HR director, Paul Bassil, expressed his enthusiasm towards launching initiatives that promote healthy habits, “All our employees have embarked on this journey alongside us with determination and ambition. AUK has a distinguished work culture, and through these initiatives, our community maintains its shared set of workplace values, standards, and beliefs.” 

More workshops and events will be taking place throughout the academic year that aim to increase workplace morale and reinforce AUK’s tight-knit community.

 
 

Wellness Through Mindfulness workshop attendees
  

Bootcamp workshop attendee
  

Cheese-tasting workshop attendees

AUK library held a meet and greet event for faculty members, inviting them to socialize with the library team and become familiarized with the library’s resources that support their teaching, scholarship, and research needs.

Members of the University leadership and faculty toured a variety of interactive displays showcasing all the available services. Attendees familiarized themselves with the reference and instruction support for class learning, research, and literacy skills; the growing physical and digital collections and databases available to users as well as acquisition, interlibrary loan, and open access textbook services. 

Also discussed were the recommendations from across the library’s collections to inspire catalog discovery; the AUK Repository and digital archive of community publications, student work, and special projects; and the Oral History & Documentation Project—the first of its kind in Kuwait, currently recording life histories of notable people born before the 1960s.

The meet and greet served as an opportunity for faculty to inquire about material and request suggestions of compelling content to incorporate into their course curricula. 

The AUK library has significantly grown and developed since its inception. The library team plays a vital role in aiding faculty with rare or hard-to-find material for articles and conference papers.

 

General photos from the library meet and greet event
 
 

Assistant professor of management, Dr. Nabeel Sawalha in AUK’s College of Business and Economics (CBE) organized a seminar for business capstone students. Presenting at the seminar were speakers Dr. Nada Alhasawai, a faculty member at Kuwait University in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Mr. Mohammed Almoathen, a professor of psychology and an organizational trainer; and Mr. Ahmed Fadhul, a social psychologist and consultant.  
 
Discussed at the seminar was a new concept known as VMG (Value - Mind - Goal), founded and introduced by Dr. Alhasawai, Mr. Almoathen, and Mr. Fadhul. The concept of “Value” refers to the personal highest value that creates passion and purpose of life, allowing people to fulfill their desires. It is guided by personal inspiration that brings about goal clarity.   
 
They also discussed the concept of “Mind,” which is an expression about the conscious (5%) and subconscious (95%) mental processes, activities, and the storage of thoughts. The subconscious mind influences feelings, behaviors, and actions. Regardless of this influence, the subconscious can be altered and changed through activating the conscious mind. 
 
The final concept of “Goal” highlights the lifelong goals that should be driven by a person’s vision that comes from the imagination of a bright future. When these goals are linked to a person’s highest value, they will be attained through crafting an imagined and inspired roadmap. This becomes the key to transforming personal goals into grounded reality.  
 
Dr. Alhasawai, Mr. Almoathen, and Mr. Fadhul concluded with the positive impact this framework has through enhancing the way people think in social and organizational settings.  
 
 
 

General photo of attendees

AUK hosted the first talk of the Faculty Speaker Series for the academic year 2022-2023 entitled, “The Impact of the Simulations’ Prediction Power on the Nanotechnology Revolution” presented by visiting assistant professor of physics and mathematics, Dr. Ali Al-Zu’bi, from the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Attendees included AUK faculty and students, including academicians and guests.  
 
Dr. Al-Zu’bi shared his views on the speed at which technology is advancing. He explained that in order to make use of the ability to build nanomaterials atom by atom, theoretical modeling and simulations are essential, helping scientists to investigate many materials that do not exist naturally. 
 
“Without theoretical modeling and simulations, it is nearly impossible to guess the stability of the structure of a nanomaterial with certain wanted properties. Nowadays, scientists decide what material we want to have with which properties. They create a theoretical model, simulate it, then inform the laboratories how to build it. Therefore, technological improvement is speeding up in an extraordinary way,” he stated.  
 
Dr. Al-Zu’bi also talked about the diverse application of nanomaterials; they are used in spintronics devices, smartphones, thin flexible screens, building materials, pollution filters, artificial muscles, medicine, and drug delivery. 
 
The event concluded with open discussion and Q&A session with the audience.  
 
The Faculty Speaker Series is a platform that enables faculty members to showcase their research and scholarly accomplishments. The event also allows AUK to make a difference in the community both in Kuwait and beyond by spreading knowledge and awareness about various topics while offering an opportunity to the general public to take part in the AUK experience.  


  

Dr. Ali Al-Zu’bi during his presentation
  

General photo of the audience
  

Group photo of the attendees with Dr. Ali Al-Zu’bi

Technology is growing exponentially and advancing at an unprecedented rate. This warrants a generation of young innovators ready to keep up with the increasing pace of technological advancement; a generation that has been cultivated at the American University of Kuwait (AUK). 
 
AUK students develop their capacity to apply technical and non-technical knowledge and skills in engineering, computer science, and information systems through the exceptional education the University offers.  
 
Not only are the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) programs accredited by ABET, but the numbers also speak for themselves. Publishing nearly 96 scholarly articles, issuing 16 registered books, presenting in 277 conferences, and registering 8 patents and designs in the last 5 years, the CEAS faculty achievements reflect the high standard of education that AUK students receive.  
 
Yousef AlHamad is one such student, having secured third place in the 10th Kuwait Collegiate Programming Contest (KCPC), he discussed how AUK has developed his understanding of the technologies he’s most passionate about which include computer hardware and software, game development, and coding. “AUK has aided me through its extracurricular activities and clubs, such as the KCPC event. There are also the electives that offer students other forms of programming and system architecture design,” he said.  
 
The NASA Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest hackathon introduced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), is also another event that AUK students participated in. Reflecting on his experience and achievement of his team winning first place, Mustafa Ali Karkour said, “In 48 hours, AUK has held an amazing event to inspire space enthusiasts like us. My team and I competed in the NASA Space Apps Challenge and won 1st place at AUK! During the event, we touched on different challenges to explore the beauty of space before settling on the ‘On the Way to the Sun’ challenge. The challenge made us realize the difficulties NASA's astronauts/spacecraft face and how curiosity-driven they are. I had a great team with a diverse set of skills and with their contributions, we made it happen!” 
 
The effects of the University’s progressive education remain with its students even after they graduate. Alumnus Ali Dashti ‘10 majored in information systems and won first place in the Microsoft competition, Imagine Cup 2009 in Dubai, which was the first title for AUK and Kuwait on a regional level. He reaffirmed that AUK, to him, is “more than an educational organization” and that the student life activities and events were an added value to his life and personal skills.  
 
On the other hand, alumnus Nasser Bader Al-Ostath ’13 majored in computer engineering and obtained the CEH v9 certificate (Certified Ethical Hacker). He applied his advanced skills in hypnosis and conversational hypnosis to the field of social engineering, which is an essential field of security. 
 
It is worth mentioning that the percentage of females in CEAS exceeds international rates. Alumna Yara AlQuorashy ’19 reflects AUK’s continuous advocacy for the inclusion of female engineers. AlQuorashy majored in computer engineering and minored in computer science. She competed in several programming competitions and earned various awards and certifications. Upon graduating, she went on to complete an internship at an international organization that focuses on “integrating innovative technological solutions to drive impact across the different divisions of the organization.” 
 
AUK is dedicated to providing the necessary education that encourages the growth and knowledge of the next generation of pioneers and technologists.  
 

 

NASA Space Apps Challenge participants
  

KCPC participants
  

NASA Space Apps Challenge first-place winners