News
31, Mar 2021
American University of Kuwait and Algonquin College – Kuwait Sign Articulation Agreement
AUK entered into an articulation agreement with Algonquin College - Kuwait to guarantee a seamless credit transfer process for students and provide a smooth transition from one related program to another. It supports consolidated future academic and course-related collaborations and grants students the opportunity to readily transfer their credits.
AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad elaborated on AUK’s aim for this agreement, “The education of students in Kuwait is and will continue to be a priority for AUK. We value the agreement with Algonquin College- Kuwait as we value providing students a unique opportunity to pursue an American-style liberal arts education for the betterment of our future.”
Dr. Awwad and Algonquin College president, Dr. David McHardy were both present at the signing of this mutual contract. Alongside them were the AUK college deans and vice president for students affairs; and Dr. Amani Hasan, acting academic dean at Algonquin College - Kuwait
Commenting on the new agreement, Algonquin College - Kuwait president, Dr. Dave McHardy said, “This agreement provides students with specific pathways from AC-Kuwait diplomas to AUK degrees and is an excellent example of private colleges and universities working collaboratively and systematically for the benefit of students in Kuwait. What this agreement means for students is that, if they graduate from high school with a Grade Point Average (GPA) that is too low to gain admission to AUK directly, they can register with AC-Kuwait, complete a diploma, and then transfer their credits to AUK and pursue a degree.”
This agreement commenced in the spring of 2021. To accommodate further collaborations, the contract will be evaluated and reviewed on a biennial basis.
About Algonquin College - Kuwait
Algonquin College – Kuwait (AC-Kuwait) is Kuwait’s first Canadian college. The College was authorized to operate in Kuwait by an Emiri Decree in 2010 and opened in September 2015. Its programs are recognized by the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education and Canada’s Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. As a branch campus of Canada’s Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, AC-Kuwait’s programs are of the highest quality and its credentials are recognized around the world. Algonquin College ensures that its programs are relevant and up-to-date by continuously interacting with businesses, industries and governments. For more information, please visit www.ac-kuwait.edu.kw.
AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad elaborated on AUK’s aim for this agreement, “The education of students in Kuwait is and will continue to be a priority for AUK. We value the agreement with Algonquin College- Kuwait as we value providing students a unique opportunity to pursue an American-style liberal arts education for the betterment of our future.”
Dr. Awwad and Algonquin College president, Dr. David McHardy were both present at the signing of this mutual contract. Alongside them were the AUK college deans and vice president for students affairs; and Dr. Amani Hasan, acting academic dean at Algonquin College - Kuwait
Commenting on the new agreement, Algonquin College - Kuwait president, Dr. Dave McHardy said, “This agreement provides students with specific pathways from AC-Kuwait diplomas to AUK degrees and is an excellent example of private colleges and universities working collaboratively and systematically for the benefit of students in Kuwait. What this agreement means for students is that, if they graduate from high school with a Grade Point Average (GPA) that is too low to gain admission to AUK directly, they can register with AC-Kuwait, complete a diploma, and then transfer their credits to AUK and pursue a degree.”
This agreement commenced in the spring of 2021. To accommodate further collaborations, the contract will be evaluated and reviewed on a biennial basis.
About Algonquin College - Kuwait
Algonquin College – Kuwait (AC-Kuwait) is Kuwait’s first Canadian college. The College was authorized to operate in Kuwait by an Emiri Decree in 2010 and opened in September 2015. Its programs are recognized by the Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education and Canada’s Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. As a branch campus of Canada’s Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, AC-Kuwait’s programs are of the highest quality and its credentials are recognized around the world. Algonquin College ensures that its programs are relevant and up-to-date by continuously interacting with businesses, industries and governments. For more information, please visit www.ac-kuwait.edu.kw.
AUK President Dr. Rawda Awwad and Algonquin College - Kuwait President Dr. Dave McHardy sign articulation agreement
AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad and Algonquin College - Kuwait President Dr. Dave McHardy alongside AC's acting academic dean and PR coordinator
23, Mar 2021
AUK Kicks Off Spring eLearning Semester
AUK commenced the spring 2021 online semester by welcoming new and returning students, staff, and faculty through multiple virtual meetings, engaging activities, and orientations. The University’s various services, departments, online networks and new platforms were all showcased and introduced to the campus community.
Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, Vice President for Student Affairs, initiated AUK’s orientation meeting by greeting all newcomers directly from AUK’s campus, saying, “I personally can’t wait to get to know every one of you and I will be reaching out to you throughout your time at AUK.” She also expressed her enthusiasm towards starting a fresh semester with the newly admitted students, “We are all very excited to begin a new year with you, even if virtually at this point. You are now part of the Wolfpack community. So welcome!” Upon showing the students a live view of the University’s campus, she concluded her speech by wishing everyone a great semester.
In order to get the students well-accustomed to their campus, footage of events previously held at AUK was displayed alongside departmental presentations that provided information about scholarship and financial aid, IT services, library, the Writing and Tutoring Center, and the Counseling Center.
Towards the end of the orientation, students were divided into several chat rooms where they introduced themselves and played ice-breaker games. This exchange of conversation granted students the opportunity to engage each other as diverse members of the same community.
The University’s Student Life Department, Division of Student Affairs, facilitated an array of online Zoom sessions throughout welcome week to support new students, creating a friendly and collaborative space for everyone to meet one another. There were numerous competitions, interactive games, raffle draws, and prizes given out during these events.
The Student Life Department continuously encouraged students to remain active by joining campus clubs and organizations. “Being involved in a club develops your leadership skills while creating an impact in the community around you and beyond,” stated Student Life director, Shirley Sullivan.
A safe online learning environment with continued virtual connections between students, staff, and faculty will be ensured and provided in AUK’s spring 2021 semester, creating an enriching and rewarding experience for everyone.
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Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, Vice President for Student Affairs, initiated AUK’s orientation meeting by greeting all newcomers directly from AUK’s campus, saying, “I personally can’t wait to get to know every one of you and I will be reaching out to you throughout your time at AUK.” She also expressed her enthusiasm towards starting a fresh semester with the newly admitted students, “We are all very excited to begin a new year with you, even if virtually at this point. You are now part of the Wolfpack community. So welcome!” Upon showing the students a live view of the University’s campus, she concluded her speech by wishing everyone a great semester.
In order to get the students well-accustomed to their campus, footage of events previously held at AUK was displayed alongside departmental presentations that provided information about scholarship and financial aid, IT services, library, the Writing and Tutoring Center, and the Counseling Center.
Towards the end of the orientation, students were divided into several chat rooms where they introduced themselves and played ice-breaker games. This exchange of conversation granted students the opportunity to engage each other as diverse members of the same community.
The University’s Student Life Department, Division of Student Affairs, facilitated an array of online Zoom sessions throughout welcome week to support new students, creating a friendly and collaborative space for everyone to meet one another. There were numerous competitions, interactive games, raffle draws, and prizes given out during these events.
The Student Life Department continuously encouraged students to remain active by joining campus clubs and organizations. “Being involved in a club develops your leadership skills while creating an impact in the community around you and beyond,” stated Student Life director, Shirley Sullivan.
A safe online learning environment with continued virtual connections between students, staff, and faculty will be ensured and provided in AUK’s spring 2021 semester, creating an enriching and rewarding experience for everyone.
Group photos of newly-admitted students engaging in open conversation with Student Life during orientation day.
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22, Feb 2021
AUK Hosts "Weathering the Storm" with Speaker Tiki Ayiku
The Office of Student Life at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted a talk from their L.E.A.D speaker series; the talk was held online through Zoom with speaker Tiki Ayiku. The discussion focused on the importance of leadership in life as well as the importance of self-care, and the care of those around you.
Tiki opened the event by talking about how leadership is a balance of challenge and support. Tiki covered how to lead a team through difficult times and how a leader should act and behave when thrown into a tough situation. The talk with a discussion on how to stay connected to your team as a leader and what tools to use to be successful in guiding your team during “troubled waters”. The objective of the event was to give students a deeper understanding of themselves and learn to become positive leaders.
Tiki Ayiku currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Professional Development at the largest Student Affairs association in the US (NASPA). She (along with her team) envision, plan, and execute 20+ conferences annually in the US, Middle East, and Latin America.
L.E.A.D at AUK is a leadership program for AUK students that takes place every semester for students to learn from professionals on how to be independent and positive leaders on and off campus. The talks are very successful and include many engaging activities and discussions.
Tiki opened the event by talking about how leadership is a balance of challenge and support. Tiki covered how to lead a team through difficult times and how a leader should act and behave when thrown into a tough situation. The talk with a discussion on how to stay connected to your team as a leader and what tools to use to be successful in guiding your team during “troubled waters”. The objective of the event was to give students a deeper understanding of themselves and learn to become positive leaders.
Tiki Ayiku currently serves as the Assistant Vice President for Professional Development at the largest Student Affairs association in the US (NASPA). She (along with her team) envision, plan, and execute 20+ conferences annually in the US, Middle East, and Latin America.
L.E.A.D at AUK is a leadership program for AUK students that takes place every semester for students to learn from professionals on how to be independent and positive leaders on and off campus. The talks are very successful and include many engaging activities and discussions.
Tiki Ayiku
22, Feb 2021
AUK Hosts L.E.A.D Talk with Dina Al-Waheab
The Office of Student Life, Division of Student Affairs at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted its 3rd L.E.A.D talk of the fall semester through Zoom with speaker Dina Al-Waheab entitled, Importance of Emotional Intelligence.
Dina started the talk by describing how emotional intelligence helps people better understand what motivates others and also helps people work more cooperatively with others. The talk progressed into a discussion on how emotional intelligence is also the ability to understand, use, and manage emotions in positive ways, to relieve stress, and communicate effectively. Emotional intelligence is also known to be a key component of leadership; the ability to be in tune with emotions helps to create a boundary of awareness, providing a powerful tool for leading a team.
Dina Al-Waheab is a business and organizational psychologist who graduated from Coventry University-UK with a master's degree in business and organizational psychology. She is a member of The Association of Business Psychology-UK. In addition, her research received an award for excellence from the association for the level of distinction, and the best research in the field of Business Psychology for Coventry University in the year 2018. Dina is the founder of DEEP Consultancy, which is considered the first Kuwaiti company that applies psychology to business; she is also the founder of the “SpeakUp Kuwait” program, which is the first public speaking program that combines psychology with public speaking in Kuwait. Her main interests are in leaders’ behaviors and the psychological effects it has on employees.
L.E.A.D at AUK is a leadership program for AUK students that takes place every semester for students to learn from professionals on how to be independent and positive leaders on and off campus. The talks are very successful and include many engaging activities and discussions.
Dina started the talk by describing how emotional intelligence helps people better understand what motivates others and also helps people work more cooperatively with others. The talk progressed into a discussion on how emotional intelligence is also the ability to understand, use, and manage emotions in positive ways, to relieve stress, and communicate effectively. Emotional intelligence is also known to be a key component of leadership; the ability to be in tune with emotions helps to create a boundary of awareness, providing a powerful tool for leading a team.
Dina Al-Waheab is a business and organizational psychologist who graduated from Coventry University-UK with a master's degree in business and organizational psychology. She is a member of The Association of Business Psychology-UK. In addition, her research received an award for excellence from the association for the level of distinction, and the best research in the field of Business Psychology for Coventry University in the year 2018. Dina is the founder of DEEP Consultancy, which is considered the first Kuwaiti company that applies psychology to business; she is also the founder of the “SpeakUp Kuwait” program, which is the first public speaking program that combines psychology with public speaking in Kuwait. Her main interests are in leaders’ behaviors and the psychological effects it has on employees.
L.E.A.D at AUK is a leadership program for AUK students that takes place every semester for students to learn from professionals on how to be independent and positive leaders on and off campus. The talks are very successful and include many engaging activities and discussions.
Dina Al-Waheab
10, Feb 2021
AUK Director of the Center for Gulf Studies Conducts Short Course at Sheikh Saud Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute
AUK director of the Center for Gulf Studies, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani offered a short course titled Kuwait Foreign Policy at the Sheikh Saud Nasser Al-Sabah Kuwait Diplomatic Institute. The course was at the invitation of His Excellency Ambassador Abdulaziz Al-Sharekh, director general of the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute.
The one-week distance-learning course involved eight lectures, a review, and an exam. Among the students in the class were 39 diplomat students—including 7 AUK alumni.
The following is an interview with Dr. Shareefa about her experience teaching the course:
1) What was the course objective?
The main course objective is for the participants to understand, analyze, and evaluate Kuwait’s international tools, strategies, and policies within the dynamic and interactive globalized environment over time.
2) What areas were covered in the course and how was it modified to fit the needs of Kuwait Diplomatic Institute?
Similar to the undergraduate upper-level course that I teach at AUK, several key areas were addressed in the course, including Kuwait’s security threats, trade, alliances, organizational memberships, and diplomatic strategies and tools. However, there were several adjustments made to the course for the diplomat-scholars, such as condensing the material to fit within a week, presenting the material through historical, pragmatic, and diplomatic lenses, and adjusting the material for a post-graduate level audience.
3) Were there particular criteria for the selection of the participants attending the course?
The participants are the diplomat trainees selected through an application, examination, and interview process by the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
4) How will the course affect the participants’ future and career?
This course is a single course among many that the diplomat trainees receive at the KDI. The training duration is several months long after which the diplomat trainees will be assigned to various offices within the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Within any of those offices, it is critical for all members of MoFA to be experts on Kuwait’s foreign policy. Each and every member of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs must be well-versed on their own country’s foreign policies.
5) How was your experience in conducting the course with KDI?
The diplomat trainees are some of our best and brightest post-graduate youths in Kuwait. They are passionate and pragmatic about Kuwait’s foreign policy, and would engage in high-level discussions during the course’s sessions. The experience of teaching the course and discussing concepts, approaches, and ideas was very exciting and I enjoyed the shared discourse throughout the course’s sessions.
The following AUK alumni partook in this course:
The one-week distance-learning course involved eight lectures, a review, and an exam. Among the students in the class were 39 diplomat students—including 7 AUK alumni.
The following is an interview with Dr. Shareefa about her experience teaching the course:
1) What was the course objective?
The main course objective is for the participants to understand, analyze, and evaluate Kuwait’s international tools, strategies, and policies within the dynamic and interactive globalized environment over time.
2) What areas were covered in the course and how was it modified to fit the needs of Kuwait Diplomatic Institute?
Similar to the undergraduate upper-level course that I teach at AUK, several key areas were addressed in the course, including Kuwait’s security threats, trade, alliances, organizational memberships, and diplomatic strategies and tools. However, there were several adjustments made to the course for the diplomat-scholars, such as condensing the material to fit within a week, presenting the material through historical, pragmatic, and diplomatic lenses, and adjusting the material for a post-graduate level audience.
3) Were there particular criteria for the selection of the participants attending the course?
The participants are the diplomat trainees selected through an application, examination, and interview process by the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
4) How will the course affect the participants’ future and career?
This course is a single course among many that the diplomat trainees receive at the KDI. The training duration is several months long after which the diplomat trainees will be assigned to various offices within the Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Within any of those offices, it is critical for all members of MoFA to be experts on Kuwait’s foreign policy. Each and every member of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs must be well-versed on their own country’s foreign policies.
5) How was your experience in conducting the course with KDI?
The diplomat trainees are some of our best and brightest post-graduate youths in Kuwait. They are passionate and pragmatic about Kuwait’s foreign policy, and would engage in high-level discussions during the course’s sessions. The experience of teaching the course and discussing concepts, approaches, and ideas was very exciting and I enjoyed the shared discourse throughout the course’s sessions.
The following AUK alumni partook in this course:
| ALUMNI | DEGREE | GRADUATION YEAR |
| Mawada Al-Mansour | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2018 |
| Fatma Al Mezyad | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2019 |
| Ali Al-Khuraibet | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2019 |
| Khalid Al-Sabah | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2019 |
| Razan AlDehani | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2019 |
| Omar Al-Luqman | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2019 |
| Reem Al-Sharhan | Bachelor of Arts in International Relations | Class of 2018 |
Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani with His Excellency Ambassador Abdulaziz Al-Sharekh, Director-General of the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute at the Kuwait Diplomatic Institute
26, Jan 2021
AUK Arabic Debate Club Participates in Kuwait University’s Annual Competition
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) Arabic Debate Club participated in an annual competition organized by Kuwait University in parallel with an external competition which was organized in Qatar. AUK was among 10 universities and colleges which have participated in the debate championship. The University’s debate team had the following students representing AUK: Mohammed Saad (president of the AUK debate club), Hussain Dashti, Sara Edris (member), Dana Buresli (member), Abdullah AL Shammari (member), Abdulrahman Kandari (member), Mohammad AL Khashti (member), and Ahmad Al Shawaf (member).
The competition took place online and the AUK team managed to compete in the semi-finals. The team’s faculty advisor, Dr. Abdulrahman Farhan, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, commended the students’ efforts in the competition, stating, “I am so proud of the achievements of the AUK Debate Club. This team has shown an amazing job as they had made it to the finale in a very short time since Kuwait University’s announcement of the competition.”
The competition took place online and the AUK team managed to compete in the semi-finals. The team’s faculty advisor, Dr. Abdulrahman Farhan, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, commended the students’ efforts in the competition, stating, “I am so proud of the achievements of the AUK Debate Club. This team has shown an amazing job as they had made it to the finale in a very short time since Kuwait University’s announcement of the competition.”
14, Jan 2021
Dr. Mohammad El-Abd Placed Among Top 2% of Researchers by Stanford University
Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), Dr. Mohammed El-Abd has been included in the top 2% of global researchers by Stanford University and Elsevier BV. The following interview discusses details of his research and his achievement:
- What does it mean to be recognized and included in the top 2% of researchers in 2020?
I am deeply honored and humbled for this recognition. I am very grateful to be able to conduct research that is well-recognized by my peers. I know that this is not the end of the journey and this recognition serves as a motivation for me to keep pushing forward through successful collaborations with my colleagues and students. - How was your research categorized and ranked?
The current ranking is based on a new composite measure known as the c-index. The composite index considers six citation metrics (total citations; h-index; co-authorship-adjusted Schreiber hm-index; number of citations to papers as single author; number of citations to papers as single or first author; and number of citations to papers as single, first, or last author). - Is the ranking an annual recognition? Does it require multiple entries?
This is only the second version published for this ranking. The first was in 2019. The ranking also has two recognitions for career-long and single-year impact. - Can you give us more information about the field of research that was included for this ranking?
My main field of research is metaheuristic algorithms. Metaheuristics are a class of nature-inspired algorithms that could be applied to solve engineering optimization problems.
This is extremely important as almost all engineering problems involve the tuning of some design parameters in order to optimize certain objectives, (e.g. minimize cost, minimize power, maximize throughput… etc.). When compared to classical mathematical methods, metaheuristic algorithms have the ability to reach near-optimal solutions (best setting of these design parameters) in less time without having specific knowledge about the underlying problem structure. - How was the research impactful?
Up until recently, my research focused on improving the performance of some metaheuristic algorithms or develop cooperative frameworks in order to improve their performance. These were mainly tested on artificial benchmark libraries. However, some of my proposals including the Improved Global-best Harmony Search Algorithm and the Global-best Brain Storm Optimization Algorithms have been used by other researchers in real-world applications.
During the past two years, I focused on expanding my research network by having more collaborations with AUK and international colleagues. One dimension was to apply these algorithms in real-world applications which included smart city optimization, identifying parameters of photovoltaic cells, feature selection, traffic signal control and job scheduling. The second dimension involved implementing these algorithms on hardware platforms (e.g. FPGAs) to be deployed for real-life scenarios.
Furthermore, I became active in organizing research events in order to promote collaboration, exchange ideas, and identify promising future research directions. I am the founding chair of the IEEE Symposium on Cooperative Metaheuristics (SCM ), which is annually organized under the IEEE Symposium Series on Computational Intelligence (SSCI). I am also co-organizing a special session on scheduling problems in smart cities under the 2021 IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (CEC ). - How do you think your research can benefit Kuwait and future generations?
I look forward to continue my research on traffic signal control to be applied in Kuwait. Optimizing the signal traffic cycles can lead to reducing vehicle delays, improving the traffic network flow, and reducing energy consumption. I also hope I continue my research on smart city optimization, which started with colleagues from Japan, and apply it in Kuwait for energy optimization. - How did COVID-19 affect your research?
An important research direction that was developed during the COVID-19 era is related to engineering education. Although, I have worked in this field for around five years now publishing research about effective teaching of the Microprocessors and Interfacing course as well as capstone supervision, a new emerging research direction is related to online education. We had a successful capstone project last year that implemented a virtual laboratory for electric machines to be used by AUK students. The work was successfully published in the flagship IEEE Conference on Engineering Education (EDUCON). I aim to extend this project into a fully-fledged system as this would provide a great learning tool for future generations for both on-site and online education. - Anything you would like to add about your research and/or accomplishment?
I love to acknowledge the support of my wife and family. Express my appreciation to all my research collaborators in and outside AUK. I must also highlight the many hardworking undergraduate students I supervised in their capstone projects, for which many good publications came to light. Many thanks for AUK and its administration over the years for their continuous support of research.
Dr. Mohammad El-Abd, Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS)
13, Jan 2021
AUK Professors Participate in 3rd Annual Global Migration Film Festival
Four professors from the American University of Kuwait (AUK) participated in the 3rd Annual Global Migration Film Festival in Kuwait. An event run by the United Nations Migration Agency – IOM the festival screened the film Woman’s Country that related issues of migration and was followed by a panel discussion centered on the fundamental themes of the film. Attended by members of the AUK community and the public, the University’s four professors—Dr. Juan Fredrico Velez, associate professor of communication; Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani, assistant professor of political science; Dr. Claire Giddings, assistant professor of graphic design; and Dr. William Andersen, associate professor of studio arts and graphic design—explored various points of the film with other members of the panel.
Some of the topics covered in the discussion included the filmmakers’ other films which followed the same topic of migration, the various audiences they targeted, and a discussion of other films and documentaries that depict the challenges of migration.
Describing the film’s motif, Dr. Claire Giddings said, “I am very impressed with the diverse selection and poignant, timely themes of the GMFF 2020 films. Woman’s Country is an especially engaging view of the emotional and social upheaval displaced families try to navigate, and the pivotal and often unsung role women have in rebuilding a sense of security and community. The narrative of the film is fragmented with footage of astronauts and banal views of objects and locations. The interruptions mirror the disjointed reality the women in the film face as they remember the home they left and try to make a new start in another country.”
Following the closing of the festival, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani expressed her gratitude for being a part of this festival, “The IOM’s GMFF 2020 generously invited and hosted a diverse panel of local scholars to watch the film Women’s Country and discuss the implications of both the film and its content with the larger community. The interdisciplinary conversations offered connections between a transnational issue, refugees, and our everyday lives through an artistic medium, underscoring the importance of expression, empathy, and the need to continuously advocate for the advancement of people’s rights around the world. I would like to thank the IOM for the opportunity to take part in this significant discussion.”
The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) features films and documentaries that capture the promise and challenges of migration, and the unique contributions that migrants make to their new communities. The goal of the festival is to pave the way for greater discussion around one of the greatest phenomena of our time. The Global Migration Film Festival aims to change negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants. The campaign also strives to strengthen the social contract between host countries and communities, and refugees and migrants.
About Global Migration Film Festival
IOM Kuwait
The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) is an initiative that was launched globally by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2016, and since then it is being held annually, from the 28th of November until the 18th of December. Each year before the launch of the festival, IOM invites professional and emerging filmmakers to submit films that capture the promises as well as challenges of migration, and to showcase the unique contributions that they bring to their society, in accordance to the theme of the year.
About International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The IOM office in Kuwait was established in 1991, and in 2017 the State of Kuwait joined IOM as an observer state.
Since its establishment, the office has worked in close partnership with the Government of Kuwait on strengthening the capacity of relevant national counter-parts and ministries tasked with the protection of victims of trafficking and the prosecution of traffickers, also including staff of the government-run shelter for female migrant workers, who are potential victims of trafficking and exploitation. IOM has organized several awareness raising campaigns on the topic of human trafficking and the rights of domestic workers. IOM continues to offer technical expertise in associated programmatic areas, including training workshops on the protection of temporary contractual labour and potential victims of trafficking for government and civil society representatives.
Some of the topics covered in the discussion included the filmmakers’ other films which followed the same topic of migration, the various audiences they targeted, and a discussion of other films and documentaries that depict the challenges of migration.
Describing the film’s motif, Dr. Claire Giddings said, “I am very impressed with the diverse selection and poignant, timely themes of the GMFF 2020 films. Woman’s Country is an especially engaging view of the emotional and social upheaval displaced families try to navigate, and the pivotal and often unsung role women have in rebuilding a sense of security and community. The narrative of the film is fragmented with footage of astronauts and banal views of objects and locations. The interruptions mirror the disjointed reality the women in the film face as they remember the home they left and try to make a new start in another country.”
Following the closing of the festival, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani expressed her gratitude for being a part of this festival, “The IOM’s GMFF 2020 generously invited and hosted a diverse panel of local scholars to watch the film Women’s Country and discuss the implications of both the film and its content with the larger community. The interdisciplinary conversations offered connections between a transnational issue, refugees, and our everyday lives through an artistic medium, underscoring the importance of expression, empathy, and the need to continuously advocate for the advancement of people’s rights around the world. I would like to thank the IOM for the opportunity to take part in this significant discussion.”
The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) features films and documentaries that capture the promise and challenges of migration, and the unique contributions that migrants make to their new communities. The goal of the festival is to pave the way for greater discussion around one of the greatest phenomena of our time. The Global Migration Film Festival aims to change negative perceptions and attitudes towards refugees and migrants. The campaign also strives to strengthen the social contract between host countries and communities, and refugees and migrants.
About Global Migration Film Festival
IOM Kuwait
The Global Migration Film Festival (GMFF) is an initiative that was launched globally by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2016, and since then it is being held annually, from the 28th of November until the 18th of December. Each year before the launch of the festival, IOM invites professional and emerging filmmakers to submit films that capture the promises as well as challenges of migration, and to showcase the unique contributions that they bring to their society, in accordance to the theme of the year.
About International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The IOM office in Kuwait was established in 1991, and in 2017 the State of Kuwait joined IOM as an observer state.
Since its establishment, the office has worked in close partnership with the Government of Kuwait on strengthening the capacity of relevant national counter-parts and ministries tasked with the protection of victims of trafficking and the prosecution of traffickers, also including staff of the government-run shelter for female migrant workers, who are potential victims of trafficking and exploitation. IOM has organized several awareness raising campaigns on the topic of human trafficking and the rights of domestic workers. IOM continues to offer technical expertise in associated programmatic areas, including training workshops on the protection of temporary contractual labour and potential victims of trafficking for government and civil society representatives.
Screenshot of the panel discussion with the festival's attendees
06, Jan 2021
AUK Drive Digital Solutions to Help Graduating Students Prepare for Their Next Step
American University of Kuwait in partnership with KFAS Academy, a fully owned subsidiary of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), announced it will be incorporating KFAS Academy’s Fresh Graduate Program as an offering for final-year students at a minimum fee to complete as part of their graduation.
Aimed at providing a digital, self-paced, journey-based online learning experience, the Fresh Graduate Program has been developed to focus on tackling the challenges faced by the youth after their graduation and moving into the workforce.
Students will have the opportunity to access a fully immersive online experience in developing their CVs, job searching techniques, keys skills required by the private sector and much more, all at their own time and pace.
AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad explained the value of this course on University students, “We require an approach to post-secondary education and lifelong learning that is authentic to the values that we espouse, practical in terms of its application and sustainable. Our partnership with KFAS academy is an important example of what is possible “together” in continuing to ensure our students’ competitiveness and employability, especially today than at any other time before in more recent history.”
Dr. Ziad Najem, CEO of KFAS Academy said: “The Fresh Graduate program is one of our Professional development flagship programs and we have seen huge success with it this year. The decision for AUK to include this as part of a student’s learning journey is a real testament to their values for their students to succeed and essential for us to drive our objective of creating impactful online learning experiences”.
About KFAS Academy
KFAS Academy is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing online, self-paced, high-quality university, and professional development courses. Its primary focus is to empower excellence through quality learning in Kuwait and in the region, by providing a holistic, personalized, and adaptive self-learning experience. KFAS Academy aims to become the pioneer of unconventional online education by reinventing self-learning. Understanding that everyone’s learning journey is different, The Academy has identified the obstacles hindering that journey, and is tackling them head on, providing its learners with a unique and engaging e-learning experience.
Established in 2017, the Academy is wholly owned by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).
Aimed at providing a digital, self-paced, journey-based online learning experience, the Fresh Graduate Program has been developed to focus on tackling the challenges faced by the youth after their graduation and moving into the workforce.
Students will have the opportunity to access a fully immersive online experience in developing their CVs, job searching techniques, keys skills required by the private sector and much more, all at their own time and pace.
AUK president, Dr. Rawda Awwad explained the value of this course on University students, “We require an approach to post-secondary education and lifelong learning that is authentic to the values that we espouse, practical in terms of its application and sustainable. Our partnership with KFAS academy is an important example of what is possible “together” in continuing to ensure our students’ competitiveness and employability, especially today than at any other time before in more recent history.”
Dr. Ziad Najem, CEO of KFAS Academy said: “The Fresh Graduate program is one of our Professional development flagship programs and we have seen huge success with it this year. The decision for AUK to include this as part of a student’s learning journey is a real testament to their values for their students to succeed and essential for us to drive our objective of creating impactful online learning experiences”.
About KFAS Academy
KFAS Academy is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing online, self-paced, high-quality university, and professional development courses. Its primary focus is to empower excellence through quality learning in Kuwait and in the region, by providing a holistic, personalized, and adaptive self-learning experience. KFAS Academy aims to become the pioneer of unconventional online education by reinventing self-learning. Understanding that everyone’s learning journey is different, The Academy has identified the obstacles hindering that journey, and is tackling them head on, providing its learners with a unique and engaging e-learning experience.
Established in 2017, the Academy is wholly owned by Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).
13, Dec 2020
AUK Receives 5th Institutional Accreditation by PUC
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) has been granted an institutional accreditation for the 5th time by The Private Universities Council (PUC) and is valid for the next four years. This accreditation is essential as it holds the University to a high standard of education and leadership in which future students will take into consideration when applying.
Commenting on this accreditation Dr. Rawda Awwad said, “AUK will continue to pursue best practices, and ways and means by which we can grow and evolve. Continued development is fundamental to our institutional strategy and we remain committed to opportunities for assessment, self-reflection and improvement.”
AUK is also the recipient of multiple international accreditations including:
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The Intensive English Program is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA).
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The College of Business & Economics is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business(AACSB).
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The College of Arts and Sciences is accredited by the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE).
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The B.E. in Computer Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology).
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The B.E. in Electrical Engineering is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology).
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The B.E. in Computer Science is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology).
