UNIVERSITIES
Attracting students, collaboration with the private sector, and global partnerships are just some of the key initiatives of top universities in Kuwait.
What have been some key events over the past year for AUK?
Prof. Nizar Hamzeh The key events that have characterized the past year are program accreditation, faculty recruitment, and expanding campus facilities. Overall, the past year would not have been successful without the support of the entire AUK Community. The past year was also characterized by concerted efforts in faculty recruitment, due to the increasing of number of students in certain programs and also in anticipation of the opening of new programs such as systems engineering and human resources. The aim is to recruit high-caliber faculty that combines both excellence in teaching and research. With regards to campus facilities, the construction of a new student center and an additional academic building that will house the College of Engineering is underway.
What areas of improvement do you see in the local education sector?
Prof. Moudi A. Al-Humoud Kuwait and all the other Arab countries need to invest more in education to move forward. Furthermore, there is a need for a new education reform. Even though the number of graduates has significantly increased, we still have to improve the quality of their knowledge and skills. Thus, a reform must be put into action in a serious manner rather than cosmetically and superficially. I have tried to implement these reforms for two years, and while some were successful, some were not. We have to consider the quality of the education we provide and give our students the hope that they can compete in the labor market. In addition, we have to focus on the necessity of skilled laborers and not only knowledge laborers. There are real challenges facing our education system in Kuwait. Priority should be given to reform our education system.
How can the education sector partner with the private sector to enhance the curriculum?
NH We continue to collaborate with the private sector on at least three levels. One level encompasses creating business incubators on campus that would provide training, workshops, and services to students. A second level is through internship and practical training programs that connect our curriculum and students to the business sector. A third level involves the business sector in supporting student activities and competitions whether national or internationally. Investing in students by business sector not only is a civic responsibility, but also as a national one. A fourth level is through providing consultancy by our faculty to the business sector, if requested by the latter.
MAAH Some steps can be taken to bridge the gap between industry requirements and employability, including focusing on the quality of the education, openness to a new education system, and revisiting the higher education system in order to observe its compatibility with the market. In Kuwait, we are flourishing in the financial and service industries and, thus, the education sector should aim to prepare the students for these sectors both locally and regionally.
How do you work on building up your partnership network with universities from around the world?
NH All private institutions in Kuwait are required to have a foreign partner. Our formal partner has been Dartmouth College. In addition to Dartmouth College we have signed MoUs for collaboration with George Washington University in Washington, DC; Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia; Sciences Po in Paris; the University of Göttingen in Germany; and the American University in Cairo.
MAAH We have degree accreditation programs with The Open University. The curriculum enables our students to study what their friends in the UK study, and have the same examiner in the UK evaluating our students' results, with identical standards. Currently, we are in the midst of signing our fourth agreement on degree sharing and deepening our collaboration with The Open University. We started with 400 students and today have 34,000 students and 32,000 graduates. This system also allows us to bring an international institution to the region. Such an education requires one to be open to new cultures and systems and also have a high-level competency in English, which can be quite challenging.
UNIVERSITIES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Guest Speaker
Dato’ Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister , Malaysia
TBY talks to Dato' Sri Haji Mohammad Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, on the growing contribution that Islamic countries are making to the global economy and how Islamic financing can offer new opportunities to industry and academia.
read articleInterview
HE Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudan, Minister, Commerce and Industry (MoCI)
TBY talks to HE Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudan, Minister of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), on tools and strategies for diversifying the economy, the role of international players in supporting a wider range of sectors, and the rapidly developing food industry.
read articleInterview
HE Yousef Al-Ebraheem, Advisor , Al-Diwan Al-Amiri
TBY talks to HE Yousef Al-Ebraheem, Economic Advisor to the Al-Diwan Al-Amiri, on the need for a rejuvenation of Kuwait's infrastructure to support an economy that has come a long way and the role education will play in delivering the expertise required by the society.
read articleInterview
Dr. Khaled A. Mahdi, Secretary-General , Supreme Council for Planning & Development (GSSCPD)
TBY talks to Dr. Khaled A. Mahdi, Secretary General of the Supreme Council for Planning & Development (GSSCPD), on the breakdown of Kuwait's long-term economic plan, the KPIs that will benchmark its success, and what Vision 2035 means for the nature of the economy.
read articleInterview
Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, Director General, Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA)
TBY talks to Sheikh Dr. Meshaal Jaber Al Ahmed Al Sabah, Director General of the Kuwait Direct Investment Promotion Authority (KDIPA), on launching an investment promotion conference, attracting the right partners for PPP, and expectations for the year ahead.
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HE Dr. Mohammad M. Al-Zuhair, Executive Chairman, Kuwait National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise Development
TBY talks to HE Dr. Mohammad M. Al-Zuhair, Executive Chairman of the Kuwait National Fund for Small and Medium Enterprise Development, on empowering young Kuwaitis, IT and entrepreneurialism, and the growth of fintech.
read articleFocus: Still all in the family?
Merchant families in Kuwait
Family-owned businesses play a major role in the Kuwaiti economy. However, with many approaching the third generation of management, they are starting to come across unique problems that may pose issues for the greater economy.
read articleInterview
HE Sheikh Abdullah Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Director, Environmental Public Authority (EPA)
TBY talks to HE Sheikh Abdullah Ahmad Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Director of Environmental Public Authority (EPA), on how oil companies can contribute to Kuwait's vision on sustainability and the various projects that are coming to fruition.
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Dr. Samira S. Omar Asem, Director General, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)
TBY talks to Dr. Samira S. Omar Asem, Director General of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), on commercializing the green innovations coming from R&D initiatives, the role of collaboration across multiple sectors, and projects that we should expect to see more of in the future.
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Khaled Abdulrazzaq Al Khaled, Vice-Chairman and CEO, Boursa Kuwait Company
TBY talks to Khaled Abdulrazzaq Al Khaled, Vice-Chairman and CEO of Boursa Kuwait Company, on the takeover of the Kuwait Stock Exchange and the role the bourse plays in both the privatization of government entities and as a source of capital for family businesses.
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HE Essam Abdul Mohsen Al-Marzouq, Minister, Oil & Minister of Electricity and Water
TBY talks to HE Essam Abdul Mohsen Al-Marzouq, Minister of Oil & Minister of Electricity and Water, on cooperation with other ministries, the private sector's role in energy, and upcoming regulations.
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Ghalib Shlash Safouq, Assistant Undersecretary for the Construction Projects Sector, Ministry of Public Works
TBY talks to Ghalib Shlash Safouq, Assistant Undersecretary for the Construction Projects Sector at the Ministry of Public Works, on Kuwaiti companies, the country's healthcare facilities, and the role of international companies.
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Khaled K. Al Mashaan, Vice-Chairman & CEO, ALARGAN International Real Estate Company
TBY talks to Khaled K. Al Mashaan, Vice-Chairman & CEO of ALARGAN International Real Estate Company, on drivers of growth, operating throughout the region, and real estate prices in Kuwait.
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Tawfiq Ahmed Bin Sultan, Chairman, Middle East Telecommunications Company (METCO)
TBY talks to Tawfiq Ahmed Bin Sultan, Chairman of the Middle East Telecommunications Company (METCO), on e-government potential, the future of the economy, and the state of technology uptake in Kuwait.
read articleInterview
Sheikh Yousef Abdullah Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Director General, Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA)
TBY talks to Sheikh Yousef Abdullah Sabah Al-Nasser Al-Sabah, Director General of Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA), on his operational plans for the near future and turning Kuwait into a regional logistics hub.
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HE Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudan, Acting Minister, State for Youth Affairs
TBY talks to HE Khaled Nasser Abdullah Al-Roudan, Acting Minister of State for Youth Affairs, on e-platforms and blended learning programs, developing ICT skills, and preparing young people for tomorrow.
read articleInterview
Eng. Ali Hussein Al Youha, Secretary-General, National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters
TBY talks to Eng. Ali Hussein Al Youha, Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters, on the activities of the Council and works to preserve and enhance Kuwait's cultural heritage.
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