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Professor of Electrical Engineering at AUK, Dr. Detlef Hummes, organized tours for the students in his Power Systems Analysis course to visit a live Siemens 380 kV Substation and the National Control Center (NCC). The purpose of the tours was to give the students an opportunity to better understand some of the topics that were covered in the classroom and place them in real-life settings.
During their tour of the substation, the students visited different sites, including the central control room, of the power plant where they attended live demonstrations and presentations conducted by members of the Siemens team. The guides explained how Kuwait's energy supply is controlled during the summer and winter periods, and introduced them to the machines used to regulate the supply. The highlight of the tour came when the students saw, for the first time, a 400 kV circuit breaker and shunt reactor— devices used to control the power supply and the power factor of the electrical net.
According to Dr. Hummes, the trip was an essential experience for the students as it provided them with an opportunity to explore the technology and witness the inner mechanism of devices they have studied. "Such experiences help shape the students' understanding of how their field of study contributes to technological advancement on many levels," he said.
Images from the field trip
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 22nd December 2016
Under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Minister of Al-Diwan Al-Amiri Affairs, the American University of Kuwait held an award ceremony for the first cycle of the Al-Multaqa Short Story Competition on the 5th of December, 2016.
His Excellency the Minister attended the ceremony and praised the efforts of Al-Multaqa's mission to promote the art of short story writing in Arabic stating, "I commend Kuwait for initiating the first cycle of this prize, and hope that it establishes a presence in the Arabic literary and cultural scene by honoring authors for their creative efforts. I also hope that this initiative will attract more young writers in the future."
Taleb Al-Rifae, Founder of the Al-Multaqa Prize, also gave a speech in which he expressed his gratitude to those who have sponsored and supported the mission of the Prize. Al-Rifae also announced the signing of an agreement between the Arab World Institute (Paris, France) and the Prize whereby, in addition to having the winning collection translated to English as part of the Prize awards the Arab World Institute will commit to translating the collection to French for further publication.
Chair of the jury, Ahmed Al-Madeeni announced Palestinian author Mazen Maarouf, as the winner of the first cycle for his submission, Nukat Lelmusalaheen. In his victory speech Maarouf said, "I am overwhelmed with happiness; I did not expect to win. I was thrilled with the announcement of the establishment of the Prize because it provided the genre of short story-writing with rejuvenation and brought it back to life."
Maarouf received a trophy, a certificate and $20,000, in addition to having his winning collection translated into two languages. The other four finalists were honored on stage with a small trophy and a certificate of recognition for their participation, along with $5000 each.
The ceremony was part of a two-day event that also included panel discussions from authors of Arabic short stories that was held on Tuesday 6th of December, 2016 with acclaimed authors, editors and publishers in attendance.
The first session featured the 5 shortlisted writers Anis Arrafai, Ziad Khaddash, Lutf Al-Sarari, Mazen Maarouf, and Mohamed Rafie, and was moderated by Saudi Arabian literary critic Hassan Al-Naemi.
The second session featured Elias Farkouh, Said ElKafrawy, Salwa Bakr, and Jubair Al-Mulaihan, and was moderated by literary critic Dr. Louay Hamzah.
The third and final session featured ElSaid Boutadjine, Bushra Khalfan, Laila Al-Othman, and Mohammed Khudhair, and was moderated by Kuwaiti literary critic Fahad Al-Hendal.
Submissions for the second cycle of the Al-Multaqa Short Story Prize will be accepted starting January, 2017.
About Al-Multaqa
The Al-Multaqa Arabic Short Story Prize was launched last year in partnership with the Cultural Circle by the writer Taleb Rifai and AUK as the first competition dedicated to the Arabic short story. During its first cycle, a total of 189 short stories were submitted for consideration to a jury committee that consisted of President of the Committee, Ahmad Elmadini, and members: Ezzat Elkamhawi, Dr. Fadia Faqir, Dr. Ali Al Enezi and the Narrator Salima Salih. The jury committee is expected to select and announce the overall winner of the Prize, whose winning short story will be translated into English and published.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 20th December 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The Center of Continuing Education (CCE) at AUK announced the graduation of its first group of professionals from the Mini-MBA Program. The program was launched in November 2016 in partnership with BEYOND Consulting and Training, a company based in Lebanon that offers professional development services in the MENA region. The objective of the program was to train professionals on a wide spectrum of competencies that grant them competitive advantages within the business market.
The Mini-MBA Program is designed to provide professionals with the essential theories, practices and techniques needed to succeed in their professional roles. Over a 5-day course, the program provides an experiential overview of five key areas in business operations, strategic planning, finance functions, marketing strategies, leadership roles and human capital.
Buthaina AlKhubaizi, Director of CCE, explained that the CCE/BEYOND Executive Mini-MBA Program does not only provide a comprehensive understanding of each of the five key business competencies, but also identifies their interdependencies. AlKhubaizi explained that the idea of offering a Mini-MBA Program was inspired by the success of the Emerging Leaders Certificate Program, which CCE has been running for three successful years. "Through both programs, CCE tries to offer opportunities for business managers and emerging leaders to reflect and recalibrate, allowing them to disrupt old patterns and discover new approaches to management and leadership," she said.
The CCE Executive Mini-MBA Program is designed for professionals who wish to gain the business skills offered in traditional MBA programs without the time and costs incurred by pursuing an MBA degree. The program employs techniques and methodologies that are typically covered in MBA programs, while utilizing David Kolb Experiential Cycle learning model (heavy emphasis on practice, simulations, role-plays, case studies and videotaping exercises drawn from the real work environment, and job realities and situations.)
The Mini-MBA Program was conducted by instructors who are experts on the different business domains including, organizational strategic planning, leadership styles and behaviors, accounting and finance, marketing strategies, and human resources management.
Upon their completion of the Mini-MBA Program, the participants received professional certificates from CCE at a graduation ceremony held on the center's premises in November. Following the ceremony, AlKhubaizi announced the launch of CCE's Emerging Leaders Certificate Program 2017, which is expected to start mid-February 2017. The Emerging Leaders program was developed in early 2014 to offer an introductory model on leadership and cover subjects such as Communication in the Workplace, Building and Leading High Performance Teams, Conflict Resolution, Exceptional Customer Care, Creative Problem Solving, Motivational Leadership, Achieving Successful Results, Human Intelligences and Well-being and Carving the Leader Within.
About CCE
CCE was established in 2004 and, in addition to offering language courses in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, offers an array of courses and workshops aimed to assist in the personal and professional development of individuals and groups within the public and private sectors. Course offerings are specifically tailored to meet the needs of their clients, whether they are independent groups or corporations.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 20th December 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The College of Business and Economics at AUK organized the first Hydroponic Exhibition and Workshop in November 2016. The event, which was a collaboration between AUK, the Kuwait Environmental Protection Society (KEPS), and two hydroponic industry leaders—Smart Hydro Co. and Al-Shaheen Nurseries Co., was held at AUK. The objective of the event was to introduce students and faculty to alternative, environmentally-friendly, efficient and sustainable food production systems.
The Hydroponic Exhibition and Workshop featured displays of a number of different hydroponic systems, presentations, and workshops that focused on how to construct and operate hydroponic systems at home.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ali Aljamal, Assistant Professor of Economics and the organizer of the workshop, explained the impact that cost-effective and environment-friendly hydroponic systems could have on Kuwait's future and how they could enable Kuwait to develop a sustainable food production system that is in line with Kuwait Vision 2035.
Smart Hydro Co. and Al-Shaheen Nurseries Co. displayed locally-developed hydroponic systems, equipment, and food production supplies that can be used to maintain and operate hydroponic systems. This exhibition presented the attending faculty and students with technology that can be used to contribute to the sustainability of Kuwait's water, food and energy economy.
A discussion was also held with experts and industry leaders, faculty, students and activists on how to advance understanding of the technical, economic and business aspects of this newly-emerging industry. At the discussion, Engineer Fawaz Alqeryan, Head of the Agriculture Unit of the Kuwait Environmental Protection Society (KEPS), explained that hydroponic systems are environmentally-friendly, given that they depend on far less water and sensible use of chemicals as plant feed compared to conventional agricultural practices.
Dean of the College of Business and Economics, Dr. Jin Wang, commended the event as a contribution to the advancement of Kuwait's agenda towards a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. "The College of Business and Economics at AUK is proud to be a participant contributing to the fulfillment of the ambitious and inspiring Kuwait Vision 2035 by promoting education, training, and research," he said.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 20th December 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
In collaboration with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), the American University of Kuwait (AUK), organized the Renewable Energy Symposium and Exhibition at the AUK premises. The event was co-sponsored by the AUK College of Business and Economics, and the College of Arts and Sciences.
Welcome remarks were given by AUK Assistant Professor of Economics, Dr. Ali Aljamal who highlighted the role of energy in our lives and debunked a popular theory that the world will suffer a shortage of energy once oil runs out. According to the laws of physics, this is simply not the case as energy is constantly being used and reused in different forms; as Dr. Ali explained, "Science tells us that our mother earth is constantly inundated with enormous amounts of energy, to the extent that we receive in one hour enough energy to sustain economic activities for a whole year."
AUK President, Professor Dr. Nizar Hamzeh followed with a speech, in which he stressed the importance of making a comprehensive change in our lifestyle, and the necessity of adopting renewable energy. "The world is inevitably shifting towards a renewable global energy system. It is believed that this transition is happening sooner than we think. Making this shift requires profound collaborative efforts between governments, educational institutes, and industries," said Hamzeh.
The symposium brought together experts from the industrial and academic sectors to discuss the prospects of renewable energy in Kuwait. Dr. Samira A. S. Omar, KISR's Director General, supported the mission of the symposium in her speech; she said "We support this activity by our presence in the symposium, and by exchanging the ideas and information that we develop." Dr. Omar also urged interested AUK students to join KISR's research activities, and encouraged them to consider working with KISR's renewable energy research and development team to enhance the development in renewable energy field.
The symposium featured discussions within three main tracks; the first track examined the technical, management, and economic challenges facing Kuwait to adopt renewable energy, and existing efforts to transfer Kuwait into a country using alternative energy. The second track tackled the vision of the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), regarding producing and using renewable energy; while the third track highlighted the role of educational programs in the fields of economic and business markets, in providing an innovative environment for projects, and drafting a research plan to support Kuwait's 2035 sustainable economic development.
KISR's speakers included: Dr. Salem Alhajraf, Executive Director of the Energy and Building Research Center (EBRC), Dr. Osamah Alsayegh, Director of Science and Technology Division, Energy and Building Research Center, and Dr. Ayman Al-Qattan, Program Manager, Renewable Energy Program. Other speakers included Dr. Suad Radwan, Manager of the KNPC Research and Technology Department, and Dr. Mark Speece, an AUK Professor of Marketing.
At the sidelines of the symposium, an exhibition was held to showcase samples of renewable energy devices. Exhibitors included the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR); the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), Research and Technology Department; Siemens Kuwait, Kafaat Group, and the AUK IEEESB Sustainable Engineering Technical Team.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 20th November 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
The Board of Trustees of the American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) has renewed AUK's International Program accreditation for AUK's College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) for its second consecutive five-year term; the first was in 2011.
Over the past academic year, CAS had conducted a comprehensive self-study to ensure best practices are maintained to achieve the liberal arts learning objectives. The AALE accreditation indicates that AUK is dedicated to sharing best practices for high student achievement of liberal arts learning objectives; promoting the importance of teaching and instructional practices suitable for liberal education; and developing innovative ways to foster life-long learning that prepares students for productive engagement with the world.
The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Rawda Awwad, thanked all those who have contributed to the AALE Self-Study, and in particular members of the AALE Steering Committee, chaired by Dr. Nicholas Scull, Assistant Dean for General Education and Student Academic Support. Dean Awwad also thanked the student council of AY 2015-2016 and the student body "whose perspective was invaluable."
She added, "The critical involvement and support of the university community in these processes, underscore all of our program accreditation initiatives- collaboration strengthens the college and institution, and places the "student" at the center of any conversation."
"The accreditation and re-accreditation processes highlight the importance of student learning and program development, which is, and will continue to be, a priority for CAS," concluded Dean Awwad.
About AALE
American higher education accreditation is a voluntary peer-review process designed to ensure the educational quality of a program or institution. Accreditation provides public recognition that a program or institution has met accepted standards devised by experienced specialists in an area of education. The American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) is constituted to serve as a specialized accrediting body utilizing a peer-review process to evaluate the educational quality of liberal arts programming and to advance excellence in liberal arts learning worldwide. At the core of the review process is the AALE Program Standards of Excellence in Liberal Education.
Dr. Rawda Awwad, Dean of the Collage of Arts and Sciences, AUK
The Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences and Engineering (RISE) at the American University of Kuwait (AUK), in collaboration with the Australian Embassy in Kuwait, held a lecture entitled "Women In Male-Dominated Industries: Gender and Engineering. "The lecture was conducted by Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Gender Ambassador at the Inter-American Development Bank and Founder and Chair of Youth Without Borders. The lecture focused on gender issues in the field of engineering and the importance of diversity and mutual respect.
Dr. Amir Zeid, Director of RISE, in his introduction to the lecture, said that the subject of the lecture comes at a time when the world is struggling with interminable issues. He explained that diversity and gender concerns in the field of engineering are prominent issues that are faced in many countries around the world, but in Kuwait, however, almost 60% of engineering students are female, while the percentage in western countries is much lower.
In her personal introduction, Yassmin described to the attendees how she became interested in the field of engineering because of her passion for "Formula 1" cars. She explained that while growing up, she imagined herself as a race-car driver. When she saw she did not meet the necessary requirements to become a driver, she shifted her attention towards the designs of the cars instead; this prompted her to pursue a career in mechanical engineer.
At the University of Queensland, where Yassmin studied, she said there were 300 male students and only 7 female students who were studying mechanical engineering. This, along with her work experience later, made her aware of an unconscious bias that exists; one that was influenced by one's culture and environment. She explained that regardless of where a person was brought up, they must try to shatter the glass ceilings set by society and pursue their goals in life, no matter how against the norm they may seem.
The lecturer also covered key points regarding gender issues that women face as engineers. Yassmin explained that one of the obstacles faced by women in the field of engineering is that male engineers are generally deemed competent until proven otherwise, while female engineers are deemed incompetent until proven otherwise.
The speaker concluded by stating that diversity in the workplace is important, and introducing new patterns of thinking enhances the work environment and yields better results. "We may not be able to change the entire world, but we can change the world around us," she added.
The AUK Center for Research in Informatics, Sciences, and Engineering (RISE) serves as AUK's primary source for research and development activities, a bridge to industry, and an important venue for community outreach. RISE adapts an integrative model by forging connections between academic disciplines, local & international innovators, academia & industry, as well as technology & society.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 23rd November 2016
Photography by the Office of Public Affairs (C) 2016
Dr Hesham Al-Awadi, Professor of History and International Relations at the American University of Kuwait, shares tips on how to achieve success in life in his new book. Published in Arabic by the Madarek Publishing House, "Kayf?" serves as a guide for surviving today’s world. The book covers over seventy personal and interpersonal communication skills that can be applied at the university, the workplace and in life, and addresses key questions, such as "How to generate new ideas?", "How to determine personal talent?", "How to love math?", "How to give presentations?", and "How to deal with difficult people?"
"Most self-development books tend to focus on a set of skills in a certain area, but no one book in Arabic comprehensively encompasses the basic skills one needs in the aspects of thinking, communication and performing," explained Al-Awadi, who views "Kayf?" as being an important source for students, or any passionate learner, who aspire to succeed and prosper twenty-first century.
Dr. Hesham Al-Awadi is a Professor of International Relations and History at the American University of Kuwait. Before joining AUK, he was lecturer in Modern Middle East Politics at the University of Exeter and Visiting Professor at George Washington University. Al-Awadi has a number of research publications and books. His research interests include gulf affairs, Islamism, and self-development.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 21st November 2016
Fulbright scholar Magda El-Sherbini has recently joined the AUK community where she plans to conduct research at the library to study the impact that the new cataloging standard (RDA) can have on improving access to multi-lingual, multi-script materials, particularly involving Arabic language materials.
In conjunction with this research, she would like to offer a series of workshops and presentations on certain technical services/trends.
Magda El-Sherbini is a professor and Head of Collection Description and Access at the Ohio State University Libraries and adjunct professor at the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science in the United States. She has over 30 years of library experience, especially in cataloging and access services. Her book "RDA: strategies for implementation" which was published by the American Library Association (ALA) is now going into its second edition. She also published dozens of scholarly articles devoted to the technical aspects of librarianship.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 20th November 2016
Members of the AUK community bid farewell to the undergraduate major checklist in an event held by the Academic Advising Center (AAC) on 11th and 12th October, 2016. With the encouragement of AAC staff and student workers, students and faculty wrote bittersweet farewell messages on the last hardcopy checklists and pegged them on a clothesline for display.
Going paperless has been AAC's dream for years, and incorporating DegreeWorks into the advising process efficiently saves paper resources. After months of intensive training, scribing, testing, troubleshooting, and re-testing, DegreeWorks finally came to life at AUK, with the involvement of several departments. Best described as a comprehensive web-based academic advising, transfer articulation and degree audit solution, DegreeWorks promises to streamline the advising experience, and help students graduate on time.
AAC's next mission will be to train all potential users on how to make full use of the different features the program has to offer. These include student planning tools, what-if and look-ahead analyses, advising notes and user-friendly GPA calculators.
Group and individual faculty training are already underway, and students have started signing up for upcoming training sessions at AAC.
Released by the Office of Public Affairs on the 3rd November 2016
