English Version - ALHOSN University

ALHOS N
Global Knowledge with Local Vision
Issue 1 November 2006
programs: Bachelor of Urban Planning,
Bachelor of Education (English, Arabic and
Islamic Studies), in addition to, the MBA
Program with six different concentrations.
Wadha Al Qubaisi
Contributors:
Dr. Amin Haj Ali
Dr. Adel Khelifi
Dr. Adnan Husnéin
Ghassan Dahduli
From the beginning, ALHOSN University’s
slogan was “Global Knowledge with Local
Vision”. It was a national project aimed
at improving the higher education in the
UAE.
3
> Urban Planning:
Planning for the
Community
4
> Officials’ Visits
During the Academic
Year 2005 -2006
6
> Continuing
Education Center:
Community Service
with High Standards
The Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research granted ALHOSN
University the official license as a higher
education institution on October 19th,
2003. In August 2005, The Ministry of
Higher Education and Scientific Research
accredited the first academic cohort
programs, which included: Bachelor
in Industrial Engineering, Software
Engineering, Business Administration and
Management Information systems. Shortly
afterwards, they accredited the additional
7
> IT Department
Deploys New
Software Solutions
for Faculty and
Students
<Agreements >
2
> Professor Sabouni
Appointed Vice
Chancellor of
ALHOSN University
<Official Visits >
1
> ALHOSN
University: An Idea
Becomes True
Minister of Education,
Nova Scotia, Canada
visits ALHOSN Pg 4
Today, ALHOSN University’s staff is
comprised of a unique elite group of
prominent global experts who have a
remarkable scientific and academic history
from various prestigious universities
around the world.
From day one, September 17th, 2005 until
now, ALHOSN University is honored to be
the key scientific establishment to host
around 500 students, who have chosen
different degree programs but will soon be
many of the essential contributors to the
future of the UAE development.
ALHOSN University is an impregnable
fortress and a local University with national
constituents.
ALHOSN University
participates in GETEX
Dubai 2006 Pg8
To s u b s c r i b e o r i n q u i r e , p l e a s e c o n t a c t t h e M a r k e t i n g & P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s
Department: Phone: +971 2 407 0700 Fax: +971 2 407 0782
connect@alhosnu.ae
IN THIS ISSUE
A
bu Dhabi Holding investors have
a vision to invest and develop the
educational sector, in addition to
other vital fields. They truly believe in the
idea of the national development scheme
and how it must be achieved successfully,
which led eventually to the establishment
of ALHOSN University.
www.alhosnu.ae
Graphic Design:
With loyal, sincere and faithful efforts,
ALHOSN University joined the long list of
pioneering Educational Institutions in the
UAE and it will play a major role in the
development and modernization of the
national educational system.
ALHOSN University will be added to the
splendid contributions from its departed
leader, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan,
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, President of the UAE who pursued
his late father’s accomplishments and His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed
Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi
and Deputy Supreme Commander of the
UAE Armed Forces.
<Events >
Husam Olabi
Joanne Emslie
Dr. Mohammed Mosa
Reem Al Bayouk
> Events
Newsletter©
ALHOSN University : An Idea Becomes True
Editorial Team:
8
Semi-anual Newsletter
issued by the Marketing
& Public Relations
Department
Professor Sabouni Appointed Vice Chancellor of
ALHOSN University
a number of
M.Sc in Structural Engineering from the
George Washington University (1981) and
a B.Sc in Civil Engineering from Damascus
University (1976).
Over more than 30 years of his professional
career Professor Sabouni has worked
in academic teaching, research, and
consultation in the USA, Canada, Syria
and the UAE.
Professor Sabouni obtained his PhD from
Cornell University New York, USA (1986),
Programs for the
21st century
S
ince its conception, ALHOSN
University
introduced
exciting
programs in a variety of disciplines
that are in great demand nationally,
regionally and internationally. Some of
these programs, such as Bachelor of Urban
Planning and Industrial Engineering, were
offered for the first time in this region.
In its first year, the university introduced the
following undergraduate programs within
the faculties of Engineering & Sciences
and Business:
Professor Sabouni is the founding
President of the American Concrete
Institute, UAE Chapter. He has more
than fifty publications, and received
Professor Sabouni’s association with
ALHOSN University started as a member
of the Founding Committee, then Vice
Chairman of the Steering Committee.
Later, he was selected as member and
Secretary General of the Board of Trustees.
He contributed to the coordination of the
academic program development by a team
of Canadian professors and scholars, and
to the accreditation of these programs
from the Ministry of Higher Education and
Scientific Research in the UAE.
•Bachelor of Science in Industrial
Engineering
•Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning
•Bachelor of Science in Software
Engineering
•Bachelor in Business Administration
•Bachelor in Management Information
Systems
•Masters in Education
•Diploma in Education (Post Bachelor
Level)
As the second year started, more programs
were introduced which added excitement
to the mission of the university.
•Bachelor of English
•Bachelor of Business Administration in
Accounting
•Bachelor of Architecture
•Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
•Bachelor of Interior Design
•Bachelor of Education (Elementary
Education in Arabic Language & Islamic
Studies)
•Bachelor of Education (Elementary
Education in Teaching English)
Looking towards the future, the university
has recently submitted the following
programs for accreditation which it hopes
will be offered in the Fall of 2007:
The new programs included a graduate
program
which
attracted
many
professionals. The “star” program was
a well balanced Masters in Business
Administration (MBA) that caters to the
local needs with a global perspective.
Recently, two post graduate programs
were accredited by the Ministry of Higher
Education and Scientific Research. The
programs are:
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
A
LHOSN University Board of Trustees
(BOT) has selected Professor
Abdul-Rahim Sabouni as the Vice
Chancellor of Al HOSN University. His
Excellency Musallam Bin Saeed Al Qubaisi,
Chair of the BOT has appointed Professor
Sabouni in his new post of Vice Chancellor
which is the CEO of ALHOSN University
starting of the Academic Year 2006-2007.
Professor Sabouni has occupied several
key academic and professional posts
including the Chair of the “Unit for the
Faculty Recruitment and Development”
in the UAE University and the “Building
Design Expert”, plus the “Advisor of
Technical Affairs and Projects” in Abu
Dhabi Municipality. He served as Adjunct
Professor in Ryerson University in Toronto,
Canada, and the University of Western
Ontario in London Ontario, Canada.
important academic and
professional awards recognized locally
and internationally, including the “George
Winter” Award from the US. He has
participated in and chaired international
engineering
conferences.
Professor
Sabouni is also founding president of
the American concrete institute - UAE
chapter ACI - UAE, and the Director of
the International Federation of High Rise
Structures in the UAE, IFHS - UAE.
connect@alhosnu.ae
2
Urban Planning : Planning for the Community
Urban Planning is one of the unique undergraduate programs that ALHOSN
University offers exclusively in the UAE
issues affecting where people live, work,
and play; where they shop and have their
health cared for; how they get from place
to place; and what peoples’ communities
and neighboring communities look like.
Sensitive to what often are conflicting
objectives, planners apply appropriate
analytic and administrative techniques to
evaluate and resolve opposing demands,
to offer alternative uses of resources, an to
develop positive, constructive suggestions
for improvement.
Profile:
Dr. Adnan Husnein
Department of Urban Planning
Faculty of Engineering &
Sciences
Applied
•Assistant Professor and Program
Coordinator
•Ph.D., Urban Design and Planning,
University of Washington, 2006.
•Teaching This Semester: An Introductory
Course to Urban Planning
•Current Research: Contribution to a
Chapter on Planning Middle Eastern Cities
Official’s Visits During the Academic Year 2005-2006
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
T
he greatest hope for our cities
and regions is to recruit the best
people into the hard, complex and
challenging task of helping to create a
better future environment. Many qualities
go into making a good planner, but perhaps
the most important ones are: a capacity to
analyze difficult problems and to come up
with imaginative ways of meeting them;
a commitment to positive social and
environmental change, a broad perspective
that allows for problem analysis from a
variety of points of view; and a desire to
work with others often in a political setting.
“I say to those young minds out there, if
you feel you have these qualities or could
develop them, then you should visit our
program website or meet with the planning
faculty to get a better understanding of what
a planner does, for whom he or she works,
and how one can prepare for a career in
planning. ALHOSN is the first school in the
UAE to offer an undergraduate degree in
planning.” Dr. Adnan Husnéin, Assistant
Professor and Program Coordinator, Urban
Planning Department
In a nutshell, urban planning is a
systematic, creative approach used to
address and resolve social, physical, and
economic problems of neighborhoods,
cities, suburbs, metropolitan areas and
larger regions.
Urban planners address diverse public
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3
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4
T
he English Language Center (ELC) at ALHOSN University
has recently been approved to deliver Internet-based
tests on behalf of Educational Testing Service (ETS) of
the USA.
This approval follows a legal agreement between ETS and
ALHOSN University. The agreement was one of the requirements
for ALHOSN University to become a Certified Test Administration
Site (CTAS) for TOEFL iBT and other ETS tests such as GRE,
SAT and TOEIC.
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
English Language Center
Signs Agreement with English
Testing Center (ETS)
ALHOSN University Signs
Agreement with National
Bank of Abu Dhabi
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5
A
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
LHOSN University signed an agreement with the National
Bank of Abu Dhabi. They agreed on joint initiatives
regarding practical and educational experiences as well
as participating in community service and developing local cadres
to work in banking fields. Furthermore, they agreed to respond to
the needs of the MBA students and to ensure they assist them
with the training and career opportunities which would be suitable
to them.
Continuing
Education Center
Signs Agreement
with Cisco Systems
T
he Continuing Education Center
(CEC) at ALHOSN University
signed an agreement with Cisco
Systems, Inc., the worldwide leader in
networking for the Internet, to launch a
Local Cisco Networking Academy. The
Academy program prepares students for
networking and IT-related careers in the
public and private sectors, as well as for
higher education in engineering, computer
science and related fields.
The Local Academy at the CEC will offer
CCNA courses for students to prepare
them for industry-recognized certification
and IT careers. ALHOSN University CEC
plans to partner with local businesses
seeking IT professionals who have handson skills with the latest technology to place
graduates.
connect@alhosnu.ae
6
Continuing Education Center,
Community Service with High Standards
I
t began as an idea envisioned by
the steering committee of ALHOSN
University. To create a non academic
adult training center that will provide
community service with high standards.
The primary mission of the Continuing
Education Center (CEC) at ALHOSN
University is to provide innovative, quality,
flexible programs and services responsive
to the learning needs of the University
community and external communities.
CEC offers the following Programs:
General English
TOEFL
TOEIC
Business Writing
ICDL
A+
CCNA
Graphics
Executive Administration
CEC offers the following certifications:
Psychometric testing
TOEFL
TOEIC
ICDL
CCNA 1
ALHOSN University’s CEC has agreed
to create the “MIND Academy” which
will establish partnership for training
and education purposes, plus promote,
encourage and foster creative MIND
programs leading to a certification/
diploma.
The types of courses are the following
certification programs:
o
o
“de Bono Thinking “
SWOM
This partnership will cover the Middle East
North Africa region for “de Bono Thinking”
and the world for SWAM.
A
LHOSN University is hosting a
series of workshops in conjunction
with the Cambridge University Press. Gary
Anderson, an International Teacher Trainer,
Cambridge University Press, is organizing
the workshops. These workshops are aimed
at English teachers in the primary schools in
the UAE. The workshops spotlight affective
and effective teaching and learning for
mixed ability classes. Mr. Anderson has
given similar talks and workshops in 34
countries. This is his 3rd time in the UAE for
Cambridge ELT.
This joint collaboration has provided ESL
teachers with yet another opportunity
for professional development. Three
workshops were conducted, each lasting
for an hour. They attracted an audience
of over 60 teachers coming from different
schools in Abu Dhabi. The workshops
discussed issues related to assessment,
testing and syllabus design. The speakers
were Craig McWilliam, Melanie Williams,
and Professor Michael McCarthy. Preregistered attendees were issued
certificates of attendance. Present also
for the event were Professor Hassan
Mustapha, Head of ALHOSN University’s
English Department, Peter Holly, Manager
of Cambridge University Press Arabian
Gulf, and other staff members from
ALHOSN University.
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
ALHOSN University and Cambridge University Press Run
Series of English Workshops
T
he IT department of ALHOSN
University was able to fully configure
two open source software which are
Moodle and Vtiger.
Moodle is an open source e-learning
platform (also known as a Course
Management System (CMS) or Virtual
Learning Environment (VLE)).
It is designed to help faculty members to
create online courses with opportunities for
rich interaction. It includes many features
which are expected from an e-learning
platform: forums; content managing
(resources); quizzes with different kinds of
questions; blogs; wikis; database activities;
surveys; chat; glossaries; peer assessment;
multi-language support (over 60 languages
are supported for the interface.
Vtiger CRM is an open source Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) business
solution built over LAMP/WAMP (Linux/
Windows, Apache, MySQL, and PHP)
technologies and other open source
projects.
The successful deployment of these two
solutions has made the IT infrastructure at
ALHOSN University more flexible and has
encompassed a variety of solutions which
range from simple application that has been
developed internally to huge Open Source
Systems that support many users online.
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
“
Testimonial
“
www.alhosnu.ae
IT Department
Deploys New
Software Solutions
for Faculty and
Students
connect@alhosnu.ae
7
ALHOSN University Participates in GETEX Dubai 2006
A
LHOSN University has participated
in the Gulf Education and Training
Exhibition (GETEX) 2006 which
was held in the Dubai International
Exhibition Center. It was inaugurated by
His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak
Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education &
Scientific Research. ALHOSN University
had one of the outstanding stands in the
exhibition. Students from the university
were participating in the stand and giving
information about the different programs
offered at the university.
connect@alhosnu.ae
8
Professor at ALHOSN University gets Patent for Invention to
identify Vapor Emission
It is also worth mentioning that Dr. Haj Ali
got his PhD in Electronics and Computer
studies from Wayne State, (USA) and he
worked in the technological and informative
departments of several companies in the
US including the Scientific Laboratories of
Daimler Chrysler International, USA.
Ramadan Iftar 2006
This invention aims to identify the vapor
emissions from all kinds of vehicles. With
this machine, vehicle designers are able
to identify the harmful hydrocarbon gases
launched from the vehicles’ exhausts and
are able to reduce it.
This invention is considered to be a
scientific advancement to the already
progressive scientific studies and research
which are protecting the environment from
the toxic exhaust pollution.
Ramadan Iftar gathering was organized by the university at the Sheraton Khalidiya in Abu Dhabi. All faculty
members and administrative staff shared great moments during the evening.
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
www.alhosnu.ae
D
r. Amin Adel Haj Ali, assistant
professor in Software Engineering
Department at ALHOSN University,
with the help of technicians from
Daimler Chrysler International, has
received a US Patent for his invention to
identify vapor emission. The patent number
is 07043963.
ALHOSN
University
Organizes
Appreciation Party
A
n
appreciation
party was
organized at ALHOSN University,
and many of the outstanding
students
and
distinguished
staff
members were honored for their excellent
achievements during the first year.
The outstanding female students:
Suzan Elshaikh, Sawsan Elshaikh, Mariam
Al Romaithi, Mariam Al Hameli, Nadine
Kanj, Ebtisam Al Marzouqi, Mariam Al
Hosani, Fawzeya Obaid, Sameera Al
Sayari, Amal al khouri, Latifa Al Kaabi,
Ghadeer Kindi, Huda kindi, Mona Al Naqbi,
Mona Al Waheebi, Alaa Saleh, Asma
Asghar, Fatima Mustansir, Hadeel Foaad,
Noor Al Mansoori, Daima Al Hameli,
Aisha Siddeeq, Amnah Ghanem, Noor Al
Mansoori, Ibtisam Al Hammadi
connect@alhosnu.ae
9
The outstanding staff:
Dr. Mohamed Lachemi, Dr. Moncef Nehdi,
Dr. Amin Haj-Ali, Faisal Ismail, Maha
Hamdi, Felisa Liu
The outstanding male students:
Hussain Madhi, Omar Awni, Ahmed
Qayed, Ahmad Yafawi, Naser Al Romaithi,
Ahmed Mekheemer, Weiam Saleh, Ala’
Hajar, Darwish Lari, Abdul Kareem Saeed,
Hani Al Shaikh, Mahmoud Mojahed, Bahaa
Hajar, Bassam Khalife, Nazmi Al Dabbagh,
Mohammed Abu Ali, Yaman Al Zaid,
Mohamed Jafri
ALHOSN Students Elects for their Representatives
T
he Students Affairs Department
organized elections for students
to enable them to choose their
representatives in the university. ALHOSN
students elected 8 students to represent
the male student society and 7 students to
represent the female student society. The
students societies will work on students’
activities, events and interests.
The Female Students Society members
are:
Amani Elabed
Iman Daoud
Hasna Talal
Dana Akel
Anhar Yehya Ali
Hiba Adnan
Sara Al Mehairi
Darwish Lari
Iman Daoud
Abdul Kareem Saeed
Amani Elabed
Issue 1 ALHOSN Newsletter November 2006
Yaman Al Zaid
Hasna Talal
www.alhosnu.ae
The Male Students Society members are:
Mohamed Al Khumaisi
Abdul Kareem Saeed
Darwish Lari
Mohammed Salman
Baha’ Hajar
Yaman Al Zaid
Ali Al Rifai
Mohamed Al Mansoori
Global Knowledge with Local Vision
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+971 2 407 0782 :‫ﻓﺎﻛﺲ‬
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www.alhosnu.ae
ALHOSN Newsletter
Semi-annual Newsletter issued by the
Marketing and Public Relations Department
To subscribe or inquire , please contact the
Marketing & Public Relations Department:
Phone: +971 2 407 0700
Fax: +971 2 407 0782
E-mail: connect@alhosnu.ae
www.alhosnu.ae