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AUK signed a Memorandum of Understanding with International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP) in an effort to increase international opportunities for its students. This agreement allows AUK students to study abroad at over 150 Kuwait Ministry of Higher Education-approved universities worldwide—including 90 universities in the United States and 36 in Europe. By joining this consortium, the University is expanding the number of study abroad opportunities available to its students, and creating an opportunity for students from around the world to come and study in Kuwait. Initial funding for this program has been provided by the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait through a grant from the U.S. Department of State.

The exchange program allows eligible students to study at any available host university during their sophomore spring semester or junior year. Students who study at one of the approved institutions will have a unique opportunity to explore a new place and culture while earning credit towards their degree. Those who study during the spring semester at a U.S. university can choose to extend their experience abroad with a summer internship. President and CEO of ISEP Dr. John S. Lucas stated, “ISEP is pleased to welcome the American University of Kuwait to our growing community of institutions dedicated to providing academic and cross-cultural learning experiences for all students. AUK’s strong programs in Arabic, social and behavioral sciences, international studies and graphic design will attract students from a number of countries, and we anticipate AUK students will be equally interested in the wide variety of fields of study available through our robust portfolio.”

In addition to providing individual students with life-changing study abroad opportunities, this program will benefit everyone on campus. Students from over 50 countries will be able to come for an exchange semester at AUK. The program will help promote cultural exchange between AUK and other universities around the globe.

ISEP Director of Member Relations, Pablo Ulloa-Perez visited the AUK campus and met with the University Provost, Rawda Awwad; Vice President for Admissions and Public Affairs, Amal Al-Binali; Executive Director of Finance and Administration, Lalitha Varadarajan; Dean of Student Affairs, Hanan Muzaffar; and Assistant to the President for Institutional Planning and Effectiveness, Tadd Kruse. The meeting took place ahead of information sessions that Ulloa-Perez hosted on how to apply to the exchange program and further details about the experience.

ISEP greatly expands the scope of study abroad opportunities available to AUK students. The University also has partnerships with George Washington University in Washington DC, The American University in Cairo in Egypt, SciencesPo in France, and Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Commenting on the significance of AUK’s expanding international opportunities for students, study abroad coordinator and Assistant to the President for Institutional Planning and Effectiveness Tadd Kruse says, “Study abroad is a life-changing opportunity for academic learning and personal growth, and by partnering with ISEP AUK stays true to its liberal arts identity by creating unique learning opportunities for students across four continents.”

About ISEP
ISEP was founded in 1979 to facilitate student exchanges throughout the world. The program has sent over 56,000 students abroad since its founding. Students are directly enrolled in courses at their host university to broaden their academic understanding by taking courses where information is presented through a different perspective than in their home country. ISEP strives to provide a full immersion experience to all students participating in its programs. In addition to learning abroad, ISEP programs help students develop cultural competency skills that are necessary for today’s global workforce.
 

(From Left) Dr. Rawda Awwad, Provost; Tadd Kruse, Assistant to the President for Institutional Planning and Effectiveness; Amal Al-Binali, Vice President for Admission and Public Affairs; Lalitha Varadarajan, Executive Director of Finance and Administration; Dr. Hanan Muzaffar, Dean of Student Affairs; Pablo Ulloa-Perez, ISEP Director of Member Relations

AUK announced that it had received international accreditation for two more degree programs, thereby reaching a total of 6 international program accreditations for its programs.  The AUK Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Computer Science program has been granted accreditation from the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission, while the AUK Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical Engineering has received accreditation from the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.

Dr. Ali Charara, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at AUK, recognized the thorough efforts of the Chair and members of the AUK ABET steering committees whose hard work led to this achievement, “This important achievement concludes the intense efforts of curriculum development, assessment, and evaluation in order to meet ABET standards. ABET accreditation ensures that the education offered in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science program at AUK meets international standards,” expressed Dean Charara.  

Sought worldwide, ABET’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected because it adds critical value to academic programs and its graduates in the technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance.  Developed by technical professionals from ABET’s member societies, ABET criteria focus on what students experience and learn.  The accreditation process involves a rigorous review of the institution’s program curricula, faculty, facilities, and institutional support performed by a highly skilled accreditation team from ABET.

ABET is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). It currently accredits almost 3,900 programs at nearly 780 colleges and universities in 31 countries.

More information about ABET, its member societies, and the accreditation criteria used to evaluate programs can be found at www.abet.org.

The American University of Kuwait (AUK) currently offers 14 distinct degree programs in various academic disciplines. AUK is accredited institutionally by the Private Universities Council (PUC) in Kuwait.   Its business programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP); its social sciences, arts and humanities programs are accredited by The American Academy for Liberal Education's (AALE); and its Intensive English program is accredited by the Commission for Intensive English Program Accreditation (CEA); its Computer Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET; and now, its Computer Science program has been accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET, and the Electrical Engineering program has been accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.  For more information about the accredited programs at AUK, click here.
 

The Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK) concluded Kuwait’s first local edition of the NASA Space Apps Challenge in collaboration with its strategic partner, Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO). Attended by a wide audience from all walks of life, the closing ceremony of NASA Space Apps announced the two winning teams from Kuwait who qualified to join the international round of the competition.

The NASA Space Apps challenge is the world’s largest hackathon introduced by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The international competition occurred over the span of 48 hours in 200 cities around the world. The Kuwait competition took place at Marina Hotel, Salmiya and brought together 70 people from around Kuwait—ranging from high school students to professors—to solve problems related to Earth and space. Each team had 48 hours to create an app, game, or website that addressed one of the problems posted on NASA’s website. The challenges teams tackled included creating a website to track displaced people and show the best locations on Earth for them to go, a videogame to educate people about nebulae in space, and creating a small rover to help scientists collect information about Mars.

There were 12 teams consisting of 4-7 participants. Participants made their teams on the first night of the event and were encouraged to include members with a variety of talents and backgrounds. Team leaders (Commanders) chose the challenges for teams to address and helped delegate tasks so that the teams worked efficiently. The teams quickly grew close as they worked together through challenges and celebrated successes. The atmosphere throughout the event was focused, but fun, with team members jumping up and shouting when a program worked. All teams felt an immense sense of accomplishment about the amount they were able to accomplish during the weekend.

Reflecting on his experience, Islam Rezk, an AUK student and first-time hackathon participant said, “The team was welcoming, but I was worried about the number of things I would have to do in a small amount of time. After the challenge finished I realized that it was a learning race, not a coding race. I helped in coding a game or a simulation using a program that I never heard of, using a language I never knew anything about. The experience taught me to never back out of anything because you may be capable of more than you thought.”

AUK alumna and staff member Sally Saleh was also a first-time participant. Speaking about the weekend she said, “I had a wonderful experience. As a novice participant, I was blessed to have had such a professional and well-organized event be my very first hackathon. It was a delight working in a talented team from different backgrounds and age groups, while being surrounded by friends, mentors, and experts. The atmosphere of learning and collaboration was very enlightening—I personally got to read and learn a lot more about our universe than I would have on my own. It was a weekend of challenges, learning, having fun with friends, and making new ones!”

Subject matter experts Dr. Peter Petrov, Consultant of Space Research at KISR; Dr. Fahad Alawadi, Associate Professor of physics at PAAET; and Dr. Bassem Alfeeli, Director of Innovation and Enterprise at KFAS, were available throughout the event to help participants with questions related to space exploration and environmental issues to help them focus their projects.

The closing ceremony commenced with opening remarks by Dr. Amir Zeid, Director of RISE Center, in which he highlighted the importance of establishing links with international technology events of high relevance and benefit to the local community. “The idea of hackathons (programing marathons) is not new to Kuwait.  It is increasingly becoming an effective developmental platform to generate young innovations and new business ideas of local and international significance. In the previous years, RISE-AUK hosted international hackathons aiming to solve marine problems. This year, we are expanding to Earth, outer space and beyond,” said Dr. Zeid. “We are pleased to have today a very diverse group of participants from multiple disciplines, ages, and professional levels. Participants range from high school students all the way to managers and professors from different companies and universities. We hope to continue this tradition of contributing to the world through utilizing innovative local brains and talents. We treasure KIPCO’s strategic partnership on this year’s event, and we hope to continue working with them on more youth empowerment initiatives in the future,” he added.

Teams did not just think about creating projects that would win the competition. Instead, they also thought about the social and ethical impacts that their projects might have. Commenting on this, AUK Provost and Acting President Dr. Rawda Awwad said in her closing remarks, “The fact that moral culpability and accountability in the act of research and creation is part of this conversation is testimony to the fact that we as an institution have been successful in harnessing talent, inquisitiveness and creation within an unspoken but absolutely given moral consciousness that is ‘not for sale’.  We know who we are, we know what to do, and we know how to do it when it comes to education and praxis.”
   
Four judges convened to select first and second place teams, who will move on to compete globally against other winners. The judges, Mr. Mazen Hawwa, KIPCO Senior Vice President of Finance and Operations; Mr. Yacoub Yousef Al-Bash, Team Leader of Information Technology Services at Kuwait Oil Company (KOC); Dr. Hussein Mouftah, Canada Research Chair and Distinguished University Professor at the University of Ottawa; and Dr. Bassem Alfeeli, Director of Innovation and Enterprise at KFAS, represented a variety of expertise and provided a balanced perspective. Each team had 5 minutes to explain and demonstrate their projects to the judges.

The presentations were attended by His Excellency, the American Ambassador to Kuwait Mr. Lawrence Silverman; KIPCO Corporate Social Responsibility Director Ms. Abeer Al Omar; Director General, Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin; Acting President of AUK Dr. Rawda H. Awwad; and AUK Vice President for Admissions & Public Affairs Ms. Amal Al-Binali.

The winning team, Tempest, led by Omar Khalil, created a game that allows people to manipulate time and decision-making to solve challenges related to changes in Earth’s environment. The second place team, FireWatch, was led by Ali Kelkawi. They created an app to help people report wildfires around the world to authorities and to the general public. These two teams have one more week to create 30-second videos to send to the international round of judging. In addition to having the opportunity to compete at the international level, each member of the first place team received an Apple Watch, and each member of the second place team received a Nintendo Switch.
    
About RISE
The AUK Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) serves as AUK's primary source for multidisciplinary research and development (R&D) activities. The Center employs a holistic approach to R&D by integrating academic disciplines, and forging connections between local & international innovators, academia & industry, and technology & society.

About KIPCO
Kuwait Projects Company (KIPCO) is an investment holding company with operations that extend across the Middle East and North African region, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian Sea. With holdings in sectors such as financial services, media, manufacturing and real estate, KIPCO Group comprises over 60 companies and employs over 12,000 people in 24 countries. Founded in 1975, KIPCO has since become one of the MENA region’s most successful companies.


    
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The American University of Kuwait (AUK) and Dartmouth College will begin a student exchange program starting in the summer of 2019. This program will allow two AUK students to study at Dartmouth over the summer, and two Dartmouth students to study at AUK in the fall. Through the exchange program, AUK students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in campus life at Dartmouth and to engage both academically and socially with the community.

AUK students who participate in the program will take a full-time course of study for the Dartmouth summer term running from mid-June to mid-August. They will benefit from the wide variety of courses available as well as Dartmouth’s vibrant, fun, and diverse campus community. Students will also be able to participate in the many outdoor activities that the area has to offer, ranging from hiking to kayaking to studying on Dartmouth’s Green.
 
Reflecting on this new program, AUK Provost Dr. Rawda Awwad said, “University life is about opportunities. As such, exploration and discovery outside of the scope of our immediate environment are key to an education that considers itself global. The exchange enables cross-border engagement that is positive and potentially life-changing.  That is what universities ought to do: and, therefore, this is what we do.”

Dale F. Eickelman, the Relationship Coordinator of the AUK-Dartmouth Program since its founding in 2003 added, “This for-credit academic exchange adds depth and breadth to the close ties between our two universities. Our long-standing ties streamline administrative issues, leaving participants in the exchange to concentrate on studies and potentially transformative cultural exchange.”

Dartmouth and AUK have worked closely together since 2003, when the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding that facilitated a series of advisory, consultative, and cooperative projects. The initial agreement was recently renewed for the fourth time in 2018 to extend through 2023. The two universities also have a student internship program, which began in 2005.

 AUK also has study abroad partnerships with George Washington University, the American University in Cairo, SciencesPo, and is a new member of the International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP).

About Dartmouth
Founded in 1769, Dartmouth is a member of the Ivy League and consistently ranks among the world’s greatest academic institutions. Dartmouth has forged a singular identity for combining its deep commitment to outstanding undergraduate liberal arts and graduate education with distinguished research and scholarship in the Arts & Sciences and its three leading professional graduate schools—the Geisel School of Medicine, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business.
 

The Center for Gulf Studies hosted a public discussion presented by Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farhan, Assistant Professor of Near and Middle Eastern Studies at AUK. The lecture, entitled, Studying Humanities in the Gulf, intended to help break the fear barrier that many students face when pursuing higher education in the humanities.
 
Professor Abdulrahman—who is also an AUK alumnus—began by talking about his experience as a student. He majored in finance, but minored in Arabic literature and visual performing art. After graduation, he had offers from graduate schools that could have led him to many different career paths, but he decided to pursue his passion and go to SOAS in London to pursue an MA and PhD in Near and Middle Eastern Studies. He noted that one of his AUK professor’s encouragement about his talents in the field are what gave him the confidence to pursue a career in Arabic literature.

Professor Abdulrahman argued that people today (particularly those in the GCC region) have become too focused on memorizing and copying, rather than using their own creative potential or brainpower to solve problems; as he pointed out, “How can you be human without having an interest in the humanities?” As a result, the GCC region has fallen behind in the production of knowledge.

After the talk, members of the audience discussed their experiences with the liberal arts (most as AUK students, alumni, or faculty) and talked about ways to get people from the GCC region to start producing knowledge again. One student spoke about his experience with an AUK professor who brought many different academic disciplines into an environmental studies class to help make it relevant for all students by including business, engineering, and humanitarian issues in the field. One audience member, who was from outside the AUK community, emphasized the importance of creating more research and development sponsorships in the humanities and business. Professors mentioned the importance of exciting students about the humanities and encouraging them to pursue their passions.

Reflecting on the discussion, Dr. Shareefa Al-Adwani, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Gulf Studies, said, “The speaker tonight, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Farhan, emphasized that the production of knowledge, through critical thinking and creativity, often begins with a liberal arts education. A liberal arts education is one that is both diverse and cohesive, fostering and enriching scholarship throughout one’s lifetime. The Center for Gulf Studies, in its support of the cultivation of research on the Gulf, encourages both international and indigenous research by scholars at all stages of their academic journeys.”

The talk provided a necessary reminder about the importance of the humanities in helping society move forward.
 

The Counseling Center at AUK collaborated with the ASAP Initiative to host a lecture by Dr. Lori Davis, a Clinical Instructor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and a Professional Associate at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. The ASAP Initiative was founded in October 2017 by Sheikha Majda, co-founder of the Kuwaiti beauty brand ASAP. The initiative aims to normalize mental health issues in Kuwait by raising awareness and encouraging people to open up to others about their struggles. The lecture was held in the AUK auditorium and was attended by AUK students and members of the public.

The event began with opening remarks by Sheikha Majda. After explaining the history and goals of the Initiative, she introduced Dr. Davis who created a video to educate the audience about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and then described the different ways in which the disorder can manifest in people—from a subtle, short-term effect, to an overwhelming, debilitating condition. The event provided an open and safe atmosphere to learn about a condition that affects the community and gave audience members a chance to ask questions about symptoms, treatment, and how to get involved with fighting the stigma.

Reflecting on the collaboration, Director of the Counseling Center, Jason Sullivan commented, “ASAP Initiative and Dr. Davis were excited to come out and share the opportunity. They were very excited about the Art and Music Therapy program because it has similar goals to the initiative—creating an alternative way for people to receive therapy while helping normalize mental health. We are probably going to coordinate with them in the future to do more work, because I really think it’s a great initiative.”

About ASAP Initiative
The ASAP Initiative was launched in October 2017. It is spearheaded by Sheikha Majda, co-founder of ASAP, a Kuwaiti beauty brand. The initiative aims to end the stigma against mental health in Kuwait by sharing the benefits of opening up to others and being honest about your struggles.
 
About Dr. Lori Davis
Dr. Lori Davis is a Clinical Instructor of Psychology in Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and a Professional Associate at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. She specializes in PTSD and anxiety disorders and has published over 20 articles on the topics.
 

Jason Sullivan, Director of the Counseling Center
 

Dr. Lori Davis during her lecture
 

Members of the audience at the lecture

The Department of Art and Graphic Design at AUK-in collaboration with the British Council, hosted a lecture presented by Jonas Grimas, an award-winning Swedish film and television director. The lecture, entitled, Less is More - The Art of Directing, was open to members of the AUK community and the public. The talk gave the audience insight into the director’s role in creating a film.

Grimas talked about the misconceptions that many people have about a director’s responsibilities. Many believe that a good director is what makes a movie great, but Grimas demonstrated how the whole production team plays an essential role in creating a high-quality movie. He inspired aspiring filmmakers by telling them that trust is the most important aspect in a production team. According to Grimas, trust is the quality that allows a team to perform miracles, not the level of expertise or fame of a single member of the group.
 
After the lecture, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions ranging from advice on making their first films, to getting more insight into the filmmaking process. Grimas encouraged audience members to find a team of people they trust and to keep working on their films, no matter how small.

Reflecting on the event, Professor William Andersen, Chair of the Art and Graphic Design Department commented, “Collaborating with the British Council Kuwait and the London Film School to bring in the famous London-based filmmaker Jonas Grimas for a talk at AUK was a win-win for all involved. While many of our students have an interest in filmmaking, our department currently only covers the basics of film production. Guest lecturers like Mr. Grimas that are willing to share their personal and professional experiences, skills, and knowledge have the potential to open up whole new worlds for our students' futures. We are grateful for the partnership with the British Council and look forward to further cultural collaboration.”
 

 

Jonas Grimas, award-winning film and television director
 

 

Grimas during his lecture

Marketing major Dima Ahmad was the first exchange student from AUK to spend a full academic year at AUC. During her time in Egypt, Dima had the chance to take courses that offered a more hands-on approach to marketing. In addition to her studies, she was also able to take part in organizing international academic conferences, musical concerts, and competitions. She was challenged not only academically, but also personally when it comes to setting a standard for herself. “Being set in a challenging environment with students that do not settle for the norm, encouraged me to continuously wake up every day with a goal to learn something new and improve myself,” stated Dima.
 
One of the main reasons that students travel abroad is to experience a new culture—and it was no different for Dima. Throughout her time as an exchange student she met other students from many different countries and backgrounds, which only enriched the experience for her.
 
By the end of the exchange program, Dima found herself to be more confident expressing her views, and now easily adapts to unfamiliar atmospheres. “I have lots of friends from countries all over the world and especially Egypt, which helped me throughout my journey. We are still in contact and I am forever grateful for them for shining a happier and brighter light on my academic experience!” Dima claims.

About AUC
Founded in 1919, AUC is a leading regional English-language University and a hub for intellectual, social and cultural life. With a community of students and faculty members representing more than 60 countries, AUC is a crossroads for the world's cultures and a vibrant forum for reasoned argument, spirited debate and understanding across cultures. AUC offers 36 undergraduate, 44 master's and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world.
  

AUK student Dima Ahmad at the American University in Cairo