News
14, May 2019
RISE Center at AUK Hosts Second TEDxAUK Conference
The Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) at the American University of Kuwait was proud to host the second TEDxAUK Conference at the Salwa Sabah Al-Ahmad Theatre & Hall. TEDx, an independently organized event, is a curated live experience, bringing speakers, artists and audience members together with the purpose of sharing perspective and deep discussions around ideas that matter.
The theme for this year’s event was Voyages—sharing the lessons learned from pursuing one’s passion through journeys of survival, perseverance, and embracing life’s challenges. TEDxAUK brought together a diverse group of speakers from Kuwait and around the world.
Director of RISE Center and TEDxAUK Curator, Dr. Amir Zeid described the overall vibe at the event, "The inspiring atmosphere from the voyagers' talks was contagious. Listening to our speakers share their ideas on determination, failure, story-telling, community-building and rebuilding, compassion, creativity, and connection left us all inspired to go on our own voyages. The journey does not end tonight, new voyages that started in the past with pearls will still continue into the future with the stars. This year’s TEDxAUK event was for all voyagers who will change the world and we cannot wait to see what they will do." The event had double the number of attendees from the previous year and strives to further grow its community in the future.
TEDxAUK 2019 talks discussed experiences with the purpose of sharing perspective, sparking deep discussions, and inspiring positive networks and impactful actions around ideas that matter.
Omar Noor, retired professional triathlete and survivor walked the audience through his journey to becoming Egypt’s first Olympic triathlete, and then embarking on a 3,000 nautical mile rowing adventure across the Atlantic Ocean which was featured in a documentary by world-renowned film director Marco Antonio Orsini.
Melody Mitchell, Air Force Officer and Founder of Lean In Kuwait redefined what being part of a tribe means to her; she outlined her journey through her studies and career that have led her to interact with multiple ‘tribes’, and how she decided to create her own tribe to welcome and empower women to join and feel accepted.
Jeff Noel, Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker disputed the idea of going the extra mile to accomplish something, and stated that a person should aim to go the extra inch everyday to eventually build a credible rapport.
Omar Khalil, AUK student, game developer and artist proved that no idea starts off as a great idea; all initial ideas must be developed and explored. Omar demonstrated this by using a game he developed specially for this conference as an analogy that allowed the audience to build different structures and filter their choices of shapes and colors to end up with a well-structured model.
Ali Khalil Husain, Founder of Husaak Adventures expressed his passion for exploration and finding meaningful connection with nature and other people to foster stability and tolerance.
Mike Raymond, Software Engineer and cave explorer recounted his adventures in caves and the perilous risks he took to explore unchartered territories.
Helen Woodward, Co-founder of Rebuilding Schools in Nepal touched on compassion as the driving force behind her motivation to give children a proper education in Nepal; this enabled her to step up and lead the initiative towards helping others.
Ahmed El-Ghandour, Founder and Producer of “Da7ee7” Science Show explained how his love for science led him to creating a successful Youtube channel.
Layan Al-Dabt, AUK alumna, Programs Coordinator at en.v and Co-founder of Hikayitna shared her experience of gathering a collection of stories from her hometown of Palestine to piece together a collective identity for the nation; she also stressed on the importance of storytelling as an ancient form of sharing a piece of one’s identity that is still relevant today.
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Serial Entrepreneur, Clinical Psychologist, and Founder of The Soor Center for Professional Therapy and Assessment discussed how his hero comic series ‘The 99’ has created controversy and enlightenment within youths and politicians.
The day consisted of intellectual talks broken up into three sessions with a short break in between each session where attendees were invited to join in activities such as art and calligraphy which was brought by ACICO Group, and a musical performance by Omrani’nd The Crew. Attendees also received bags filled with TEDxAUK memorabilia including t-shirts created by Tenetee Apparel.
This year’s TEDxAUK conference was sponsored by KIPCO, United Real Estate Company (URC), Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), Burgan Bank, Eleven Events Management & Production Co, and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company.
For further updates and announcements on the event, please follow the account @tedxauk on Instagram.
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The theme for this year’s event was Voyages—sharing the lessons learned from pursuing one’s passion through journeys of survival, perseverance, and embracing life’s challenges. TEDxAUK brought together a diverse group of speakers from Kuwait and around the world.
Director of RISE Center and TEDxAUK Curator, Dr. Amir Zeid described the overall vibe at the event, "The inspiring atmosphere from the voyagers' talks was contagious. Listening to our speakers share their ideas on determination, failure, story-telling, community-building and rebuilding, compassion, creativity, and connection left us all inspired to go on our own voyages. The journey does not end tonight, new voyages that started in the past with pearls will still continue into the future with the stars. This year’s TEDxAUK event was for all voyagers who will change the world and we cannot wait to see what they will do." The event had double the number of attendees from the previous year and strives to further grow its community in the future.
TEDxAUK 2019 talks discussed experiences with the purpose of sharing perspective, sparking deep discussions, and inspiring positive networks and impactful actions around ideas that matter.
Omar Noor, retired professional triathlete and survivor walked the audience through his journey to becoming Egypt’s first Olympic triathlete, and then embarking on a 3,000 nautical mile rowing adventure across the Atlantic Ocean which was featured in a documentary by world-renowned film director Marco Antonio Orsini.
Melody Mitchell, Air Force Officer and Founder of Lean In Kuwait redefined what being part of a tribe means to her; she outlined her journey through her studies and career that have led her to interact with multiple ‘tribes’, and how she decided to create her own tribe to welcome and empower women to join and feel accepted.
Jeff Noel, Retired Disney Institute Keynote Speaker disputed the idea of going the extra mile to accomplish something, and stated that a person should aim to go the extra inch everyday to eventually build a credible rapport.
Omar Khalil, AUK student, game developer and artist proved that no idea starts off as a great idea; all initial ideas must be developed and explored. Omar demonstrated this by using a game he developed specially for this conference as an analogy that allowed the audience to build different structures and filter their choices of shapes and colors to end up with a well-structured model.
Ali Khalil Husain, Founder of Husaak Adventures expressed his passion for exploration and finding meaningful connection with nature and other people to foster stability and tolerance.
Mike Raymond, Software Engineer and cave explorer recounted his adventures in caves and the perilous risks he took to explore unchartered territories.
Helen Woodward, Co-founder of Rebuilding Schools in Nepal touched on compassion as the driving force behind her motivation to give children a proper education in Nepal; this enabled her to step up and lead the initiative towards helping others.
Ahmed El-Ghandour, Founder and Producer of “Da7ee7” Science Show explained how his love for science led him to creating a successful Youtube channel.
Layan Al-Dabt, AUK alumna, Programs Coordinator at en.v and Co-founder of Hikayitna shared her experience of gathering a collection of stories from her hometown of Palestine to piece together a collective identity for the nation; she also stressed on the importance of storytelling as an ancient form of sharing a piece of one’s identity that is still relevant today.
Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa, Serial Entrepreneur, Clinical Psychologist, and Founder of The Soor Center for Professional Therapy and Assessment discussed how his hero comic series ‘The 99’ has created controversy and enlightenment within youths and politicians.
The day consisted of intellectual talks broken up into three sessions with a short break in between each session where attendees were invited to join in activities such as art and calligraphy which was brought by ACICO Group, and a musical performance by Omrani’nd The Crew. Attendees also received bags filled with TEDxAUK memorabilia including t-shirts created by Tenetee Apparel.
This year’s TEDxAUK conference was sponsored by KIPCO, United Real Estate Company (URC), Gulf Insurance Group (GIG), Burgan Bank, Eleven Events Management & Production Co, and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company.
For further updates and announcements on the event, please follow the account @tedxauk on Instagram.
Click on the Image to view the Photo Gallery
09, May 2019
AUK Hosts Recognition Event for Student Employees
AUK hosted its first Student Employee Recognition Dinner on campus.
Organized by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, the event brought together student employees and their supervisors for a social gathering in appreciation of the work done by student employees across various campus departments, and to thank their supervisors for playing a role in their development. 140 students benefitted from the Student Employment Program for the 2018-2019 Academic Year, guided by a total of 60 supervisors from AUK staff and faculty.
Attended by the Presidents’ Cabinet, student employees, and their supervisors, the fun-filled evening was held in the open-air recreational area and began with a welcome speech by AUK’s Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, followed by a dinner buffet set up by the AUK Diner.
“As we near the end of the year, we hope that the Student Employment Program provided you with an opportunity for development and growth, and enabled you to enhance your leadership skills, while further connecting you with AUK staff and faculty. We appreciate the hard work you put into that, and hope that the skills you gained at AUK will carry with you as you seek your future careers after graduation,” said Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, Dean of Student Affairs at AUK.
The Student Employment Program is run by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and coordinated across campus, in reflection of AUK’s commitment to working closely with AUK students and in leveraging their skillsets and preparing them for bright futures and successful careers.
Student employment is a part-time paid job on campus for enrolled AUK students, which provides them with the opportunity to gain and improve employment skill sets, gain professional experience, learn the basic skills that are required to be successful in a professional market, and be more comfortable when dealing with various situations.
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Organized by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs, the event brought together student employees and their supervisors for a social gathering in appreciation of the work done by student employees across various campus departments, and to thank their supervisors for playing a role in their development. 140 students benefitted from the Student Employment Program for the 2018-2019 Academic Year, guided by a total of 60 supervisors from AUK staff and faculty.
Attended by the Presidents’ Cabinet, student employees, and their supervisors, the fun-filled evening was held in the open-air recreational area and began with a welcome speech by AUK’s Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, followed by a dinner buffet set up by the AUK Diner.
“As we near the end of the year, we hope that the Student Employment Program provided you with an opportunity for development and growth, and enabled you to enhance your leadership skills, while further connecting you with AUK staff and faculty. We appreciate the hard work you put into that, and hope that the skills you gained at AUK will carry with you as you seek your future careers after graduation,” said Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, Dean of Student Affairs at AUK.
The Student Employment Program is run by the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs and coordinated across campus, in reflection of AUK’s commitment to working closely with AUK students and in leveraging their skillsets and preparing them for bright futures and successful careers.
Student employment is a part-time paid job on campus for enrolled AUK students, which provides them with the opportunity to gain and improve employment skill sets, gain professional experience, learn the basic skills that are required to be successful in a professional market, and be more comfortable when dealing with various situations.
Student employees group photo
Group photo of members of the President’s Cabinet, and staff supervisors
Student employees and supervisors during the dinner
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06, May 2019
AUK Student First to Intern in Sadu House Design Program
AUK senior graphic design student, Liyan Al-Essa, was recognized during the opening reception event at Sadu House. Al-Essa was among the first to participate in the SADI Studio Program aimed at encouraging innovation in the field of textile arts which she completed in collaboration with AUK’s Design Internship Program.
AUK Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Design Internship Program Coordinator, Marcella Kulchitsky, mentioned that the internship course is an integral part of the design core coursework whereby every graphic design major applies for and spends a semester working onsite at a local design business towards the fulfillment of their course requirements. “Currently, we have over 70 businesses who regularly participate in mentoring our design students and providing them with real-life experiences in design work. Our collaboration with the Sadu House is not new, but the inclusion into the SADI program is, and we are proud to have our student Liyan Al Essa to be the first to participate! Her work over the semester was to research, design, and collaborate with the Sadu House in developing the visual identity and branding of the studio and its components including the logo, banners, signage system, and every touchpoint of the brand.”
On her part, Liyan reflected on her experience by noting that it was challenging but rewarding. The AUK Bachelor of Arts program in Graphic Design offers numerous internships to enable students to gain first-hand experience in multiple fields within art and graphic design work.
AUK Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Design Internship Program Coordinator, Marcella Kulchitsky, mentioned that the internship course is an integral part of the design core coursework whereby every graphic design major applies for and spends a semester working onsite at a local design business towards the fulfillment of their course requirements. “Currently, we have over 70 businesses who regularly participate in mentoring our design students and providing them with real-life experiences in design work. Our collaboration with the Sadu House is not new, but the inclusion into the SADI program is, and we are proud to have our student Liyan Al Essa to be the first to participate! Her work over the semester was to research, design, and collaborate with the Sadu House in developing the visual identity and branding of the studio and its components including the logo, banners, signage system, and every touchpoint of the brand.”
On her part, Liyan reflected on her experience by noting that it was challenging but rewarding. The AUK Bachelor of Arts program in Graphic Design offers numerous internships to enable students to gain first-hand experience in multiple fields within art and graphic design work.
AUK Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Design Internship Program Coordinator, Marcella Kulchitsky and AUK student Liyan Al-Essa
05, May 2019
AUK Students Capture Emotional Life of Classic Russian Drama The Seagull
The Music and Drama Department at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) presented its production of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, performed at the Black Box Theater on AUK’s campus.
The students worked diligently to delve into the world of the play—memorizing lines, building their characters, and imagining the realities of middle-class Russian country life at the turn of the century. Additionally, the cast and crew spent a lot of time on ensemble-building activities, based on the Stanislavski system of acting, such as sharing personal stories, running on the corniche, and eating meals together in an effort to build trust with each other.
The play was performed with the audience surrounding the actors which helped the audience feel as if they were “in the middle of the action.” English instructor, Alison Koushki, who uses drama to augment English language skills, said, “Dr. Yassi’s team of impassioned student actors brought Chekhov’s characters to vivid life in the audience’s very midst, close enough to see the tender malcontent, Konstantin’s (played by Fahad Al-Qadiri), genuine tears well up.”
The Music and Drama faculty of talented professionals work closely with students to prepare them for campus concerts and plays, and to academically challenge them in courses on the performing arts and their cultural contexts. The department fosters artistic proficiency, cultural appreciation, a sense of community, and a lifelong commitment to the arts.
The play was directed by Assistant Professor of Drama, Dr. Yassi Jahanmir, and featured a talented and collaborative ensemble of student actors: Rama Sabbagh, Fahad Al-Qadiri, Ali Albader, Ghazaleh Hosseini, Zahraa Abbas, Mohammed Abdulsalam, Alaa Al-Abdullah, Kawthar Alhamer, Jomana AlNahham, Syed Raza Ali, Faisal Alluhaidan, Hassan Hajiyah, and Abdulwahab AlQarooni. The play was assistant directed by Mariam Al-Sabah. The production’s costumes, set, lights, and sound were designed and built by students in the Drama Production Class: Alaa Al-Abdullah, Sough Al-Ahmad, Nora Al-Sabah, Fahad Al-Qadiri, Ali Albader, Kawthar AlHamer, Layali AlQarooni, Lujain AlShami, Hassan Hajiyah, and Ali Mulla Yousef.
Scenes from The Seagull performed by AUK students
02, May 2019
AUK Hosts 9th Annual High School Football Tournament
The Office of Admissions at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) organized its 9th annual High School Football Tournament (HSFT) where it hosted male and female teams from fifteen private high schools across Kuwait. This annual event aims at engaging high school students and promoting healthy competition. Participating teams met at the AUK campus’ football field to compete for the tournament titles.
Female teams included the Gulf English School (GES), American International School (AIS), Dasman Bilingual School (DBS), Al-Bayan Bilingual School (BBS), Ajial Bilingual School (ABS), Cambridge English School (CES) - Mangaf, Martyr Asrar Al-Qabandi Bilingual School (MAQBS) and American Academy for Girls (AAG). The team from AIS were the champions of this year’s event, while Bayan Bilingual School were runners up. Individual awardees for the girls teams were recognized for the skills they displayed on the field; these included Riyaf AL-Banwan for the Golden Boot, Rawan Bahman as the Best Goal Keeper, and Lulu Al-Ghanim as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Participating schools in the males’ tournament included GES, AIS, DBS, BBS, ABS, CES- Hawalli, CES-Mangaf, MAQBS, Lycee Francais De Koweit (LFK), Ghars Bilingual School (GHARS), Universal Civilization Academy School (UCA), American Creativity Academy (ACA), Danah Universal School of Kuwait (DUSK) and Oxford Academy. ABS won the tournament title, while AIS were recognized as the runners up. Individual awardees for the boys included Mohammed Al Foghum for the Golden Boot, Abdullah AL-Enezi as the Best Goal Keeper, and Adularahman Al-Ajmi as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Maher Dabbouseh, the Director of Admissions at AUK, was encouraged by the growth in popularity of the football tournament, “We would like to thank all the participating schools as this year’s tournament resulted in 14 male teams and 8 female teams totaling over 250 competing students. This year’s event was very successful, and the sportsmanship displayed was extraordinary.
Female teams included the Gulf English School (GES), American International School (AIS), Dasman Bilingual School (DBS), Al-Bayan Bilingual School (BBS), Ajial Bilingual School (ABS), Cambridge English School (CES) - Mangaf, Martyr Asrar Al-Qabandi Bilingual School (MAQBS) and American Academy for Girls (AAG). The team from AIS were the champions of this year’s event, while Bayan Bilingual School were runners up. Individual awardees for the girls teams were recognized for the skills they displayed on the field; these included Riyaf AL-Banwan for the Golden Boot, Rawan Bahman as the Best Goal Keeper, and Lulu Al-Ghanim as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Participating schools in the males’ tournament included GES, AIS, DBS, BBS, ABS, CES- Hawalli, CES-Mangaf, MAQBS, Lycee Francais De Koweit (LFK), Ghars Bilingual School (GHARS), Universal Civilization Academy School (UCA), American Creativity Academy (ACA), Danah Universal School of Kuwait (DUSK) and Oxford Academy. ABS won the tournament title, while AIS were recognized as the runners up. Individual awardees for the boys included Mohammed Al Foghum for the Golden Boot, Abdullah AL-Enezi as the Best Goal Keeper, and Adularahman Al-Ajmi as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).
Maher Dabbouseh, the Director of Admissions at AUK, was encouraged by the growth in popularity of the football tournament, “We would like to thank all the participating schools as this year’s tournament resulted in 14 male teams and 8 female teams totaling over 250 competing students. This year’s event was very successful, and the sportsmanship displayed was extraordinary.
General photo of a game during the tournament
Student Abdulrahman Al-Ajmi being honored as Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Student Abdullah Al-Enezi being honored as Best Goal Keeper
Girls team from AIS being honored as the champions of the tournament
27, Apr 2019
American University of Kuwait and LOYAC Establish Academic Award for Students
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) and LOYAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that covers 3 different programs that support opportunities for mutually beneficial educational collaboration for students.
The first program establishes a for-credit internship program whereby AUK students can intern at a program with LOYAC and receive academic credit. These internships will allow AUK students to earn academic credit and work experience under the supervision of their assigned faculty members and LOYAC. An integral part of the MOU is allocated for the second program, which is the Student Empowerment Program (SEP) which provides students with financial needs a university education. This program will support three SEP candidates—two supported by AUK and one supported by LOYAC and will cover university tuition and fees. The third program offers AUK students the opportunity to apply for Community Service Programs with LOYAC, as per the hours required by AUK on a case-by-case basis.
Ms. Fadia Al Marzooq, Managing Director and Vice Chairperson of LOYAC states, “We are proud to renew our agreement with AUK and we congratulate Dr. Rawda for her new tenure as university President. LOYAC is committed to empower the youth of Kuwait and we look forward to a successful partnership with AUK in providing further unique opportunities for the youth of our community.”
In turn, AUK President, Dr. Rawda Awwad explains how this partnership will further enhance students’ education at AUK, “We are delighted to be partnering with LOYAC on these programs; they will not only offer our students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom, but will also equip them with lifelong skills that will later foster a community of hardworking leaders.”
The MOU was signed by Dr. Rawda Awwad and Ms. Fadia Al Marzooq (LOYAC) and is set to be applied during the Fall 2019 academic year.
LOYAC is a nonprofit organization working towards the overall development of the youth. We design and develop many programs to facilitate the professional development and personal growth of the youth, ages 5 to 30. All our programs are either offered for free or are heavily subsidized by us. LOYAC is supported by organizations and businesses that believe in its mission. At LOYAC, we believe in engaging and fostering partnerships between the private sector, the civil society and the government.
The first program establishes a for-credit internship program whereby AUK students can intern at a program with LOYAC and receive academic credit. These internships will allow AUK students to earn academic credit and work experience under the supervision of their assigned faculty members and LOYAC. An integral part of the MOU is allocated for the second program, which is the Student Empowerment Program (SEP) which provides students with financial needs a university education. This program will support three SEP candidates—two supported by AUK and one supported by LOYAC and will cover university tuition and fees. The third program offers AUK students the opportunity to apply for Community Service Programs with LOYAC, as per the hours required by AUK on a case-by-case basis.
Ms. Fadia Al Marzooq, Managing Director and Vice Chairperson of LOYAC states, “We are proud to renew our agreement with AUK and we congratulate Dr. Rawda for her new tenure as university President. LOYAC is committed to empower the youth of Kuwait and we look forward to a successful partnership with AUK in providing further unique opportunities for the youth of our community.”
In turn, AUK President, Dr. Rawda Awwad explains how this partnership will further enhance students’ education at AUK, “We are delighted to be partnering with LOYAC on these programs; they will not only offer our students the opportunity to learn outside the classroom, but will also equip them with lifelong skills that will later foster a community of hardworking leaders.”
The MOU was signed by Dr. Rawda Awwad and Ms. Fadia Al Marzooq (LOYAC) and is set to be applied during the Fall 2019 academic year.
LOYAC is a nonprofit organization working towards the overall development of the youth. We design and develop many programs to facilitate the professional development and personal growth of the youth, ages 5 to 30. All our programs are either offered for free or are heavily subsidized by us. LOYAC is supported by organizations and businesses that believe in its mission. At LOYAC, we believe in engaging and fostering partnerships between the private sector, the civil society and the government.
(From left to right): Mona Zuaiter, LOYAC Programs & Corporate Relations Manager; Lara Dardarian, LOYAC Board Member; Amal Al-Binali, AUK Vice President for Admissions & Public Affairs; Fadia Al-Marzooq, LOYAC Managing Director & Vice Chairperson; Dr. Rawda Awwad, AUK President; Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, AUK Dean of Student Affairs; Dr. Ali Charara, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences; Mona Al-Kalouti, LOYAC Board Member.
27, Apr 2019
AUKMUN Collaborates with Arabic Debate Club, and National Team for Debate in International Open Debate Championship
The American University of Kuwait Model United Nations (AUKMUN) and the Arabic Debate Club collaborated with the National Team for Debate to successfully organize the very first Arabic debate championship at the American University of Kuwait (AUK). The event was titled International Open Debate Championship as the topics of debate relate to international concerns. The championship was open to the public and saw a total of 80 participants which included both judges and debaters.
The championship was under the academic supervision of AUK Assistant Professor of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farhan as the general academic advisor of the championship. AUKMUN President Ali K. Al-Qallaf acted as the general coordinator of the championship who worked alongside AUKMUN treasurer Fares Al-Shamry, the vice general coordinator. President of the Arabic Debate Club Rawan Boutaiban served as the management coordinator alongside Nasser Al-Mutairi who served as co-coordinator. From the National Debate Team, Eng. Danah Al-Khashan served as the technical coordinator, and Amal Maklad as the media coordinator.
During the opening ceremony, Professor Abdulrahman Al-Farhan mentioned that the main goal of the championship is to enhance the ability of listening to others. He emphasized that we debate in order to get a deeper understanding of different perspectives and build respect between each other regardless of what opinions may be presented. Further, Al-Qallaf added, "The main purpose of this championship is to raise the level of the debating cases from a local to an international level, and this is a new idea in the Arabic debating field."
The debate began with 16 different groups and those numbers were later reduced to eight groups following the qualification round. The final round consisted of the debate team “Takatuf” against team “SFRA”.
Team “Takatuf” won the championship and were presented with their award during the closing ceremony of the debate. Team “Takatuf” consisted of debaters Hamad Al-Khudhari, Abdulaziz Al-Saif, Bader Al-Muqata, and Salem Al-Mutairi. As for the best speakers awards, Rayan Al-Refaei won the first-place award, Abdulaziz Al-Enezi won the second-place award, and Mohammad Al-Obaidi won the third-place award.
The championship was under the academic supervision of AUK Assistant Professor of Near and Middle Eastern Studies, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farhan as the general academic advisor of the championship. AUKMUN President Ali K. Al-Qallaf acted as the general coordinator of the championship who worked alongside AUKMUN treasurer Fares Al-Shamry, the vice general coordinator. President of the Arabic Debate Club Rawan Boutaiban served as the management coordinator alongside Nasser Al-Mutairi who served as co-coordinator. From the National Debate Team, Eng. Danah Al-Khashan served as the technical coordinator, and Amal Maklad as the media coordinator.
During the opening ceremony, Professor Abdulrahman Al-Farhan mentioned that the main goal of the championship is to enhance the ability of listening to others. He emphasized that we debate in order to get a deeper understanding of different perspectives and build respect between each other regardless of what opinions may be presented. Further, Al-Qallaf added, "The main purpose of this championship is to raise the level of the debating cases from a local to an international level, and this is a new idea in the Arabic debating field."
The debate began with 16 different groups and those numbers were later reduced to eight groups following the qualification round. The final round consisted of the debate team “Takatuf” against team “SFRA”.
Team “Takatuf” won the championship and were presented with their award during the closing ceremony of the debate. Team “Takatuf” consisted of debaters Hamad Al-Khudhari, Abdulaziz Al-Saif, Bader Al-Muqata, and Salem Al-Mutairi. As for the best speakers awards, Rayan Al-Refaei won the first-place award, Abdulaziz Al-Enezi won the second-place award, and Mohammad Al-Obaidi won the third-place award.
Championship academic supervisor, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farhan during his speech
General coordinator of the championship, Ali Al-Qallaf during his speech
First-place winners of the championship receiving an award
Second-place winners of the championship receiving an award
Group photo of the championship attendees
23, Apr 2019
AUK Holds 15th Annual Career Fair
The American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its 15th annual Career Fair. Each year, an array of employers from leading companies across Kuwait visit the University campus to discuss future employment opportunities with AUK students and graduates. This initiative is part of the University's commitment to providing its students and alumni with opportunities to meet face-to-face with future employers and explore possible career options.
The Career Fair was organized by AUK's Office of Alumni Affairs & Career Development, under the Division of Student Affairs. Held in the AUK gymnasium, 24 local and multinational companies in Kuwait discussed their various full-time employment and internship opportunities with the AUK community.
This year’s event was sponsored by Al Ahleia Switchgear Company, and Kuwait Finance House as platinum sponsors; KAMCO Investment Company, Cinemagic, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Danish Dairy Company, and Alghanim Industries as gold sponsors; and Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co., and ACICO Group as silver sponsors.
AUK President, Dr. Rawda Awwad, inaugurated the Fair with a welcome speech and a tour of the participating organizations, where she explored their job offerings and required student qualifications.
In her opening speech, Dr. Awwad explained what distinguishes AUK’s education, “We are driven by a mission that places our students at the center of this institution while placing this institution at the center of this nation and region when it comes to national and regional development and change.”
She continued to praise the skills that AUK students have gained, and their ability to transform them into action that will sustain the growth of organizations as qualified future employees. She said, “Your potential employees see the value in taking individual initiative, collaboration, teamwork; they are capable of managing projects, they have experience in leading teams, they have shown instances of empathy and compassion: in other words, they are not motivated by ego-centrism and selfishness; they have become aware of the broader challenges that any society faces; and they have engaged in debates on how we as individuals and as communities can move forward. Our students have learned how to learn: as such, no matter what, they will be quick and nimble to adjust when change is inevitable.”
Dr. Rawda also recognized the importance of participating organizations at the career fair in mutually benefitting the development of both the students and the organizations, saying, “Give them an opportunity, and they will make the difference that all of us are seeking.”
The Career Fair was organized by AUK's Office of Alumni Affairs & Career Development, under the Division of Student Affairs. Held in the AUK gymnasium, 24 local and multinational companies in Kuwait discussed their various full-time employment and internship opportunities with the AUK community.
This year’s event was sponsored by Al Ahleia Switchgear Company, and Kuwait Finance House as platinum sponsors; KAMCO Investment Company, Cinemagic, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait, Kuwait Danish Dairy Company, and Alghanim Industries as gold sponsors; and Commercial Bank of Kuwait, Ali Abdulwahab Al Mutawa Commercial Co., and ACICO Group as silver sponsors.
AUK President, Dr. Rawda Awwad, inaugurated the Fair with a welcome speech and a tour of the participating organizations, where she explored their job offerings and required student qualifications.
In her opening speech, Dr. Awwad explained what distinguishes AUK’s education, “We are driven by a mission that places our students at the center of this institution while placing this institution at the center of this nation and region when it comes to national and regional development and change.”
She continued to praise the skills that AUK students have gained, and their ability to transform them into action that will sustain the growth of organizations as qualified future employees. She said, “Your potential employees see the value in taking individual initiative, collaboration, teamwork; they are capable of managing projects, they have experience in leading teams, they have shown instances of empathy and compassion: in other words, they are not motivated by ego-centrism and selfishness; they have become aware of the broader challenges that any society faces; and they have engaged in debates on how we as individuals and as communities can move forward. Our students have learned how to learn: as such, no matter what, they will be quick and nimble to adjust when change is inevitable.”
Dr. Rawda also recognized the importance of participating organizations at the career fair in mutually benefitting the development of both the students and the organizations, saying, “Give them an opportunity, and they will make the difference that all of us are seeking.”
Platinum sponsor, Kuwait Finance House
Platinum sponsor, Al Ahleia Switchgear Company
Gold sponsor, KAMCO
Gold Sponsor, Cinemagic
Gold Sponsor, Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait
Gold Sponsor, Kuwait Danish Dairy Company
Gold Sponsor, Al-Ghanim Industries
Silver Sponsor, Commercial Bank of Kuwait
Ali Abdulwahab Al-Mutawa Commercial Co.
General photo of the Career Fair
15, Apr 2019
AUK Hosts 4th Gulf Studies Symposium
The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) held its fourth biennial Gulf Studies Symposium (GSS) at the AUK campus. The GSS is a meeting of worldwide Gulf scholars and researchers to engage in interdisciplinary discussions on diverse socio-cultural, economic, and political issues related to the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula. Each symposium is based on a particular scholarly theme that is timely both to the region and to the field of Gulf studies.
This year, the theme of the three-day public symposium was "The Gulf and Arabian Peninsula: Production and Consumption Systems.” The discussion focused on the inputs, processes, and outcomes of production and consumption systems within and across the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula. Participants discussed various historical and contemporary sectors under these systems.
The first day of the symposium included two panels. The first panel, “Producing State Loyalties and Political Dissent,” examined the intersection of an array of power structures as a touchstone for the crystallization of identity and citizenship. The second panel, “Top-Down Digital Constraints,” explored the growing influence of social media and globalization in challenging regional institutions.
The second day of the symposium included three panels. “Markets, Entrepreneurship, and Aspirations” included discussions on governmental interaction with entrepreneurial activities and digital ecosystems in relation to fulfilling state aspirations. “Inputs and Outputs of Labor, Migration, and Assistance” examined the influence of migrant domestic labor on reforming regional labor and population hierarchies. The last panel of the day, “Production and Consumption of Images and Words,” explored how revisiting images, spaces, and words may enable reinterpretation of social customs and practices of a given country.
The final day of the symposium included three panels. The first panel, “Systems of Knowledge,” examined the impact of formal and informal educational habits. “Faith Economies and Policies” investigated the implications of the historical commodification of religious rights and institutions over time. The last panel of the symposium, “Transitioning Demographic Systems,” explored how past and current changing populations impact various social, commercial, and educational spheres in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
At the end of the symposium, panel participants were invited to vote on research grant awards for their fellow researchers. The winners of the 2019 Gulf Studies Symposium Research Grants were Dr. Farah Al-Nakib, Assistant Professor of History, California Polytechnic State University, who won first place for her paper on “Consuming Nostalgia: The “Golden Era” in Kuwait’s Memory Markets.” The first runner-up research grant awardee was given to Ms. Danya Al-Saleh, PhD candidate, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison for her paper on “Who will Man the Rigs When We Go?” The Feminization of Engineering in Qatar.” The second runner-up research awardee was Mr. Froilan Malit, Jr., Research Associate, Institute for Social and Economic Research, Zayed University, for his paper on “A Spectrum of Vulnerabilities: Exploring the Migration System, Tourism, and Domestic Work in the United Arab Emirates”.
This year’s symposium was sponsored by the following companies: Kuwait Projects Company – KIPCO, Burgan Bank, Gulf Insurance Group, Qurain Petroleum Industries, United Real Estate Company, and KAMCO.
This year, the theme of the three-day public symposium was "The Gulf and Arabian Peninsula: Production and Consumption Systems.” The discussion focused on the inputs, processes, and outcomes of production and consumption systems within and across the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula. Participants discussed various historical and contemporary sectors under these systems.
The first day of the symposium included two panels. The first panel, “Producing State Loyalties and Political Dissent,” examined the intersection of an array of power structures as a touchstone for the crystallization of identity and citizenship. The second panel, “Top-Down Digital Constraints,” explored the growing influence of social media and globalization in challenging regional institutions.
The second day of the symposium included three panels. “Markets, Entrepreneurship, and Aspirations” included discussions on governmental interaction with entrepreneurial activities and digital ecosystems in relation to fulfilling state aspirations. “Inputs and Outputs of Labor, Migration, and Assistance” examined the influence of migrant domestic labor on reforming regional labor and population hierarchies. The last panel of the day, “Production and Consumption of Images and Words,” explored how revisiting images, spaces, and words may enable reinterpretation of social customs and practices of a given country.
The final day of the symposium included three panels. The first panel, “Systems of Knowledge,” examined the impact of formal and informal educational habits. “Faith Economies and Policies” investigated the implications of the historical commodification of religious rights and institutions over time. The last panel of the symposium, “Transitioning Demographic Systems,” explored how past and current changing populations impact various social, commercial, and educational spheres in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE.
At the end of the symposium, panel participants were invited to vote on research grant awards for their fellow researchers. The winners of the 2019 Gulf Studies Symposium Research Grants were Dr. Farah Al-Nakib, Assistant Professor of History, California Polytechnic State University, who won first place for her paper on “Consuming Nostalgia: The “Golden Era” in Kuwait’s Memory Markets.” The first runner-up research grant awardee was given to Ms. Danya Al-Saleh, PhD candidate, Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin-Madison for her paper on “Who will Man the Rigs When We Go?” The Feminization of Engineering in Qatar.” The second runner-up research awardee was Mr. Froilan Malit, Jr., Research Associate, Institute for Social and Economic Research, Zayed University, for his paper on “A Spectrum of Vulnerabilities: Exploring the Migration System, Tourism, and Domestic Work in the United Arab Emirates”.
This year’s symposium was sponsored by the following companies: Kuwait Projects Company – KIPCO, Burgan Bank, Gulf Insurance Group, Qurain Petroleum Industries, United Real Estate Company, and KAMCO.
One of the panel discussions at the symposium
General photo of the attendees at the symposium
09, Apr 2019
CGS at AUK hosts Dr. Phillipe Fargues
The Center for Gulf Studies (CGS) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) hosted a lecture by Dr. Phillipe Fargues, a visiting Professor at the Kuwait Program at Sciences Po and a Senior Fellow at the European University Institute. The talk, entitled “Shaping Smart Cities? How Migration and Education Policies Meet in the Gulf States” examined the GCC’s responses to its demographic challenge as well as the sustainability of the resulting form of social segmentation. It was held in collaboration with CEFAS, Sciences Po, KFAS, the French Institute, and the French Embassy. The lecture attracted both the AUK community and the public, in addition to special guests such as Her Excellency French Ambassador Marie Masdupuy.
Dr. Fargues began his talk by explaining the GCC’s demographic predicament, whereby the GCC States are demographically small relative to their large resource potential. This led to economic dependency on imported labor, creating non-national majorities. This disproportion of nationals to non-nationals could be a future challenge, particularly relative to geographic neighbors, such as Iraq and Iran.
Further, he discussed Kuwait’s response of introducing the nationalization policy, which aimed to localize the public sector. He predicted that the policy’s ineffectiveness was due to not aligning local skills with employers’ needs. Alternatively, he proposed that a naturalization policy may be a possible sustainable solution.
The Gulf States are supplementing the localization approach through migration and education policies in an effort to construct post-oil knowledge-based economies. Such a fast and steady development of school education among nationals has enabled most citizens to receive higher education and have access to social mobility. On the other hand, he argued, migration policies have filtered those eligible to stay on economic criteria de facto linked to education and skills to stay within the state, thereby creating a population of settled non-citizens mostly belonging to educated middle and upper classes. In contrast, most low-income workers are comprised of non-nationals who are temporary residents. This has resulted in a distinct segmentation between those who stay, such as the nationals and educated high-income migrants, and others who do not, such as the low-income migrants.
If left unresolved, the speaker warned of the potential social and political tensions that could arise. Such tensions may exist between power structures and knowledge structures, whereby current regional constructs may become further challenged.
“The Center for Gulf studies welcomes collaborations with various local and international cultural and educational institutions,” commented the CGS Director, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani. “For Dr. Fargues’s talk, we worked with several of these institutions to ensure his talk would provide different and original ideas on the Gulf with which our community may engage and discuss.”
Philippe Fargues is a French demographer and a senior Fellow at the European University Institute (EUI-Florence). He was the founding Director of EUI’s Migration Policy Centre and held senior positions at the National Institute for Demographic Studies in Paris and the American University in Cairo and taught at Harvard and various universities in France, the Middle East, and Africa. His most recent publications include: Migration to the Gulf – Policies in Sending and Receiving Countries (with N. Shah, GRC-Cambridge, 2018), Skillful Survivals – Irregular Migration to the Gulf (with N. Shah, GRC-Cambridge, 2017), and Mass Migration and Uprisings in the Arab Countries: An Analytical Framework (International Development Policy, 2017).
Dr. Fargues began his talk by explaining the GCC’s demographic predicament, whereby the GCC States are demographically small relative to their large resource potential. This led to economic dependency on imported labor, creating non-national majorities. This disproportion of nationals to non-nationals could be a future challenge, particularly relative to geographic neighbors, such as Iraq and Iran.
Further, he discussed Kuwait’s response of introducing the nationalization policy, which aimed to localize the public sector. He predicted that the policy’s ineffectiveness was due to not aligning local skills with employers’ needs. Alternatively, he proposed that a naturalization policy may be a possible sustainable solution.
The Gulf States are supplementing the localization approach through migration and education policies in an effort to construct post-oil knowledge-based economies. Such a fast and steady development of school education among nationals has enabled most citizens to receive higher education and have access to social mobility. On the other hand, he argued, migration policies have filtered those eligible to stay on economic criteria de facto linked to education and skills to stay within the state, thereby creating a population of settled non-citizens mostly belonging to educated middle and upper classes. In contrast, most low-income workers are comprised of non-nationals who are temporary residents. This has resulted in a distinct segmentation between those who stay, such as the nationals and educated high-income migrants, and others who do not, such as the low-income migrants.
If left unresolved, the speaker warned of the potential social and political tensions that could arise. Such tensions may exist between power structures and knowledge structures, whereby current regional constructs may become further challenged.
“The Center for Gulf studies welcomes collaborations with various local and international cultural and educational institutions,” commented the CGS Director, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani. “For Dr. Fargues’s talk, we worked with several of these institutions to ensure his talk would provide different and original ideas on the Gulf with which our community may engage and discuss.”
Philippe Fargues is a French demographer and a senior Fellow at the European University Institute (EUI-Florence). He was the founding Director of EUI’s Migration Policy Centre and held senior positions at the National Institute for Demographic Studies in Paris and the American University in Cairo and taught at Harvard and various universities in France, the Middle East, and Africa. His most recent publications include: Migration to the Gulf – Policies in Sending and Receiving Countries (with N. Shah, GRC-Cambridge, 2018), Skillful Survivals – Irregular Migration to the Gulf (with N. Shah, GRC-Cambridge, 2017), and Mass Migration and Uprisings in the Arab Countries: An Analytical Framework (International Development Policy, 2017).
Dr. Phillipe Fargues during the lecture
