AUS Media Clippings Newspaper Clippings of American University of Sharjah 08 January, 2015
Office of Public Affairs Media and Printing Department5
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Insights into Arab dialogues A new book offers empirical insight into how Arabs communicate with one another and with foreigners. The book, edited by an American University of Sharjah (AUS) professor, also offers advice, mainly aimed at western expatriates, on avoiding cultural taboos. Published on: Section: Page:
27/12/2014 Main 4
Name:
The National
Focus
Focus
Women Step Up With the rise of talented, successful and ambitious Arab women in various industries – especially in science-related fields – AW sought the academe’s thoughts on how to further encourage the youth to join the league of achievers. Here’s an exclusive interview with Dr. Fatin Samara, Assistant Professor of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah where she gives valuable insights about the buzzing issue. First of all, based on your research and understanding as an educational institution, what do you consider are the less traditional fields for females, and how huge is the male domination in these fields? There are many fields which have been traditionally labelled as ‘male’ sectors. This is due to many factors, such as social taboos, requirements for travel, and the physical energy needed for specific jobs which are considered inappropriate for females. Rapid economic development in the GCC has led to the growth of existing industries, in addition to the creation of new ones, which has resulted in the creation of more job opportunities in the market. These new job opportunities should be open to both genders. Though great progress has been made in terms of equality for women, there are many work areas that are still maledominated. This is due to cultural ideas that are common in our societies, and which can also be seen in the educational sector.
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Sciences (2%) and Information technology (2%). Similar trends can be seen in Kuwait and Qatar. Why do you think it is important for women to step up, and lead in maledominated industries? And, why does it seem to be a regional trend? This is a logical requirement as GCC economies move towards knowledge-based economies. Notable progress has been made in granting education to women, as female enrolments make up the majority of figures for GCC higher education institutions. The challenge now is to guide females towards ‘male-dominated’ fields, and possibly choosing these areas as fields of study. And things are changing in that direction. For instance, in 2012, the UAE government passed a legislation making it mandatory for every company/government agency in the UAE to have female board members. It is impossible to ignore the significant role that GCC women play in their economies, as the numbers of female entrepreneurs continue to rise. In 2012, a total of 10,700 women businesses were registered in the GCC where 9,827 were based in the UAE and 873 in other GCC countries. Women are continuously encouraged by higher education, industry and government alike to play a part in other sectors in the economy as well.
Having said that, we do see an increase in female enrolment in the field of engineering as well as biology, chemistry and environmental sciences.
Women are now being encouraged to enter different fields in greater numbers as they have a great role to play in the progress and advancement of a country. Women are now entitled to enlist in the UAE army service. UAE Interact, a news and information source supported by the UAE National Media Council, notes that the country currently has four women holding ministerial positions in the Federal Cabinet. According to the same source, women also make up 17% of the UAE’s Federal National Council.
Studies have shown that in higher education enrolment figures, women usually enlist in fields such as nursing, education, arts and social sciences, rather than technical or scientific subjects. According to the National Statistical Agencies of Kuwait, UAE, and Qatar, educational trends show that in the UAE, total percentages of female enrolment in higher education are split as follows: Arts and Sciences (19%), Education (3%), Business and Economics (11%), Law (3%), Engineering (7%), Medical and Health
How does education play a part in encouraging women to enter less traditional fields? Education plays an important role in highlighting the options and opportunities available for employment after graduation. Educational institutions, such as AUS, play a large part in encouraging women to participate in less traditional fields. Aside from pursuing a specialised degree of their interest, AUS students are required to take courses in social
sciences, humanities, sciences and free electives from other fields to fulfill their general education requirements. This, in turn, plays an important role in helping women develop an independent way of evaluating their strengths and allows them to thrive in the field of their choice, whether scientific or not. Also, being taught by women faculty members in fields such as biology, chemistry, engineering, etc., acts as a catalyst to spur their interest in these subjects. Lectures can be held in schools prior to having female students enrolling in universities and colleges, explaining to female students the many majors that are available to them and the important contributions they can provide to their societies when they pursue careers in more technical fields. Higher education institutions can also work towards providing grants to female students who enroll in ‘male-dominant’ majors of study as a form of encouragement. However, educational institutions cannot make significant changes alone. It has to be a collective effort by different bodies. For instance, studies have shown that in the GCC, women tend to prefer employment within the public sector due to the security of tenure in government jobs, as well as benefits of shorter working hours, better pay, and longer maternity leaves, which are essential requirements for females to allow for a work-life balance. Therefore, it is important to encourage the marketplace to adopt a more female-friendly working environment in order to encourage more women to work within ‘male-dominated’ fields. Also, governments need to work on providing laws that encourage companies to employ higher rates of female employees. Because of the growing requirement for education in the fields of sciences and engineering, how does AUS support this demand? What programs do you provide to your female students to be further inspired in achieving their goals? Why are these programs important in shaping their career in male-dominated fields? AUS has one of the strongest engineering schools in the UAE, offering degrees in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering Our latest census in May 2014 showed that we had 574 females enrolled in our undergraduate engineering programs
and 77 females enrolled in our graduate engineering programs. With regards to the sciences, our university offers bachelor programs in biology, chemistry, environmental sciences and mathematics. All of our majors are open to both genders and we actively encourage females to enroll in all our programs. AUS also provides a training program for women to discover their inner potential and enhance their leadership skills. The program encourages female students to take the lead and provides them with an opportunity to participate in worldwide programs that focus on women’s development and attend workshops and training related to women in leadership. The university also organises conferences for women including a conference on gender and women’s studies in the Arab region and the Arab International Women’s Forum which examined the role of women and youth as drivers of change in emerging economies. How do you see the future like, especially with the rising number of women in media and government institutions in the region? We definitely foresee a greater number of females employed within more technical sectors. According to a fairly recent World Economic Forum 2025 scenario report on the UAE, researchers predict a greater influx of women in the workforce – both private and public sectors. Such is the case because the average percentage of women working in the public sector is 66%, which is 21% higher than the global average, reports UAE Interact. We are treading the right path and believe that the future augurs well with regards to women’s presence in the workplace. Last question: In AUS, what efforts would you further take in the future to help sustain this trend? We are committed to providing an encouraging and motivating environment for our students, especially women and will continue to do so. As an institution mandated to have an ‘organic’ link to its surroundings, we are cognizant of the needs of industry, the marketplace and society and continually work towards catering to such demands. These include offering incentives and support at the graduate level to pursue higher education in a number of fields available at the university.
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Abaya-inspired art wins Christo and Jeanne-Claude prize The winners of the 2015 Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award took inspiration for their winning artwork from the abaya. The design - by Salwa Al Khudairi and Nada Al Mulla, architecture students at the American University of Sharjah - is a wall that curves in many directions. Titled Keswa, an old Arabic word meaning cloth or covering, the steel wall represents a shelter in a public place. Entrants were asked to take inspiration from the work of the artists Christo and Jeanne- Claude, best known for wrapping up and covering prominent buildings and structures such as the Reichstag in Berlin and the Pont-Neuf bridge in Paris. Published on: Section: Page:
28/12/2014 Arts & Life 3
Name:
The National
Student project on creative use of public space wins acclaim Two architecture undergraduate students have won recognition from the Christo and Jeanne- Claude Award for a project that caught attention for its creative and innovative aspects. The students received around $10,000 (Dh36,725) as part of the prize, the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award announced in Abu Dhabi. The winning work will be unveiled at the New York University Abu Dhabi campus in March 2015 during the Abu Dhabi Festival, and will later tour a number of locations throughout the UAE. Salwa A1 Khudairi and Nada A1 Mulla, who are both studying Architecture at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), developed the winning project titled Keswa, which means covering. Published on: Section: Page:
28/12/2014 Main 8
Name:
Gulf News
Another Diff comes to a comes to a close That's a wrap, folks. The curtains came down on the 11th edition of the Dubai International Film Festival (Diff) on Wednesday night with the screening of the star-studded Disney flick, Into the Woods, at an exclusive closing ceremony. I'm really proud of what I have achieved at these four years at university. I'm really happy that I made my university and all my colleagues and all my professors happy, as well. It's really a memorable moment," she told tabloid! the morning after her big win. She had just visited her department at AUS, where her professors had already hung a clipping of her photo from Gulf News. Published on: Page:
19/12/2014 6
Name:
Gulf News Tabloid
UAE students gather at UOWD for Youth Earth Summit As many as 160 university and high school students and their mentors from across the UAE gathered at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, UOWD, recently for the inaugural Youth Earth Summit, the first research-based envirocompetition of its type to be held in the UAE.Organised by UOWD's Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, the summit saw 32 student teams present their research on how population growth is challenging the Earth's resources and propose new alternatives to reduce its impact to a panel of expert judges from government and non-government organisations, including Wadi Wurayah National Park, Dubai Municipality's Dubai Zoo, A1 Ain Zoo, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, UAE University, Abu Dhabi Environment Agency, the American University of Sharjah, Towheed Iranian School, EWS-WWF, Masdar Institute and Sharjah's Environment and Protected Areas Authority. Published on: Section: Page:
23/12/2014 Main 5
Name:
The Gulf Time
Practising their faith in peace For Roman Catholics in the UAE, this time of year is a chance to celebrate the freedom and understanding granted them by the country's rulers that allows them to practise their faith in peace. For many Christians, the UAE is an example of how a country can be officially, and predominately, Islamic but open to so many people of other religions. Rola Habr, a Lebanese researcher at the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs at the American University of Sharjah, said: "We were born and raised here and we feel influenced by the people who are around us and how they practise their own religion. Because we have not been raised in a Christian country, this makes us think, compare and contrast both religions." The 32-year-old studied in the UAE and took Islamic education classes at school, which were not compulsory because she is Christian, but she decided to attend in grades 11 and 12 because it was a chance to learn about the religion of her adopted home. Published on: Section: Page:
28/12/2014 Main 2
Name:
The National
Book tackling cultural communication with the Arabs A book tackling cultural communication with the Arabs was published, comprising of 18 chapters. The book was supervised by Dr. Rana Radawi, an Associate Professor at the American University of Sharjah Published on: Section: Page:
23/12/2014 Local 39
Name:
Al Bayan
Sharjah Forum on Innovation As part of the practical steps to reinforce national strategy for innovation, Sharjah Forum was held under the title "Toward Comprehensive Innovation System". Among the participants were: PricewaterhouseCoopers - PWC, American University of Sharjah, Dubai Export Development Corporation, DEWA, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Dana Gas, Master Card, Abu Dhabi Technology Development Committee and Mubadala Published on: Section: Page:
24/12/2014 buss 2
Name:
Al Khaleej
Sharjah Leaders Program launches in 2nd edition The American University of Sharjah (AUS) launched the second edition of the Sharjah Leaders Program Published on: Section: Page:
21/12/2014 Local 7
Name:
Al Watan UAE
Sharjah Leaders Program launches in 2nd editionThe American University of Sharjah (AUS) launched the second edition of the Sharjah Leaders Program Published on: Section: Page:
21/12/2014 Local 24
Name:
Al Ittihad
Urban Committee Offers Opportunities for Talented Designers Dubai Design District, in collaboration with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority, “Ayyam Al-Tasmeem�, launched the Urban Committee. The committee constitutes a new opportunity for talented designers, architectures to expose their works in public places around the emirate. Amina Al-Rustamani, CEO, TECOM investments said that this project mirrors the provision of Dubai Design District which combines creativity and excellence. The jury that assesses the designs include experts in the field of architecture and fashion industry such as Faisal Tabara Assistant Professor of Architecture at the American University of Sharjah. Published on: Section: Page:
28/12/2014 local2 13
Name:
Al Khaleej
Integrating Sustainability ay Universities Next February Rasha Ali al-Madfa’i, director of Environmental Sustainable Schools Department at the Environmental Awareness Management, continues to deploy efforts in an attempt to strengthen sustainability among students of schools and universities in order to achieve a sustainable environment. She explained that the Environment Agency in Abu Dhabi sough to launch a new smart electronic application that helped students of sustainable schools and universities to learn about applying environmental tasks, belonging to environmental audit guide, by guiding them towards the correct steps. Published on: Section: Page:
31/12/2014 Local 5
Name:
Alroeya
NYU Abu Dhabi student named 2015 Falcon Scholar New York University Abu Dhabi senior Arfa Rehman is the sole recipient of the 2015 Falcon Scholarship, which will fund her post-graduate study at the University of Oxford for two years beginning next fall.The Falcon Scholarships are administered by the Rhodes Trust and are awarded each year to one or two exceptional students preparing to complete an undergraduate degree from a college or university in the United Arab Emirates. Finalists included candidates from the Petroleum Institute, the University of Wollongong in Dubai, Khalifa University of Science, Technology & Research, and the American University of Sharjah. Published on: Section: Page:
18/12/2014 LOCAL 2 7
Name:
Al Khaleej
The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award Announce 2015 Winning Submission In collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF), New York University Abu Dhabi Institute (NYUADI) announced the winners of The Christo and Jeanne-Claude Award 2015. The purpose of the Award is to provide young artists with a platform from which to launch their career in the arts, and to give them an experience of working on a live project for public consumption, with the support of industry professionals. ADMAF Founder H.E. Hoda Al Khamis-Kanoo said: “In just three years since its launch, The Christo & Jeanne-Claude Award has not only generated a fascinating body of work that responds on a multitude of levels to the UAE environment, but it has also allowed extraordinary young talent to walk the path of a professional artist. I am delighted to sit on the Award committee, which has chosen Keswa by Salwa Al Khudairi and Nada Al Mulla. The American University of Sharjah, like New York University Abu Dhabi, possesses an outstanding reputation for nurturing the artistic ability and intellectual potential of young people. I commend these institutions and the artists alike for their spirit of ambition, innovation and creativity.� Published on: Section: Size:
23/12/2014 local1 38
Name:
Al Khaleej
UAE youth gather at UOWD for Youth Earth Summit on impact of population growth on environment 160 university and high school students and their mentors from across the UAE gathered at the University of Wollongong in Dubai, UOWD, recently for the inaugural Youth Earth Summit, the first research-based envirocompetition of its type to be held in the UAE.Organised by UOWD’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences, the summit saw 32 student teams present their research on how population growth is challenging the Earth’s resources and propose new alternatives to reduce its impact to a panel of expert judges from government and non-government organisations, including Wadi Wurayah National Park, Dubai Municipality’s Dubai Zoo, Al Ain Zoo, Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, UAE University, Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD) , the American University of Sharjah, Towheed Iranian School, EWS-WWF, Masdar Institute and Sharjah’s Environment and Protected Areas Authority.Attendees were also joined by guest of honour Dr. Majid al Qassimi, one of only four Emirati Doctors of Veterinary Science in the UAE and founder of Middle East and North Africa Tech Blog, The MENA Scientist. UOWD student delegates had carried out a term-long research project to prepare for the event. Haider Rizvi, Ramy Omran, Manka Dutta and Shravika Behl were awarded the Best Paper title for university students at the conference and were praised by the judges for their presentation skills, depth of research and focus on innovation in their discussion surrounding water shortage. Published on: Section: Page:
23/12/2014 local 14
Name:
Al Khaleej
MoE seeks to establish an alumni association The Ministry of Education seeks to establish an alumni association gathering higher education graduates. The project is held in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education, the UAEU, Zayed University , Abu Dhabi University, HCT, AUST, AUD, and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Published on: Section: Page:
28/12/2014 Local 9
Name:
Al Emarat Al Youm - Dubai