SDG 4: Quality Education
4.3.3 Vocational Training Events (Lifelong Learning)
As part of their education at AUM and within the general education requirements, all AUM students take at least one or many courses dedicated for promoting good health and well-being.
During the partial and full lockdown in Kuwait that came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, AUM launched a website dedicated to youth in Kuwait titled “AUM Youth”, which aimed to encourage young people to stay fit, healthy, and sharp. The website included educational and athletic courses and competitions. The educational courses offered to high school students in Kuwait through the website include coding, robotics, web design, English tutoring, and Math tutoring.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) launched its "Online Coaching and Training” platform, which contains about 100 workout videos and aims to encourage students to exercise and improve their physical fitness.
The workouts were prepared by AUM coaches and include different types of exercises and movements. The coaches have also developed training schedules and workout plans for all fitness levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Students can also book an appointment for a one-to-one fitness consultation via Zoom with expert coaches and trainers from AUM.
The interest of the American University of the Middle East in sports and athletics stems from its desire to build an intellectually and physically healthy generation that possesses skills and talents in various fields. It also comes from the importance of athletics and the role it plays in refining an individual's behavior, and reinforcing cooperation, teamwork, and the spirit of citizenship.
AUM Cultural Program accompanying the Forum Award
The American University of the Middle East cordially invites you to attend the AUM Cultural Program accompanying the Forum Award, which will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 and 8, at the AUM Cultural Center.
To attend, please register at the following link:
The Al-Qabas Master Class summer program was launched in cooperation with the American University of the Middle East ✨ , which includes courses and lectures in the media field 🎤 given by specialists and academics in the field of media in Kuwait 📺
The Robotics Center at the American University of the Middle East is kicking off 2021 by organizing an online workshop under the title “Introduction to Robots Building and Programming.”
The workshop will be held online over a period of two weeks, from the 17th to the 31st of January, and is ideally targeted to students of the College of Engineering and Technology.
During the workshop, AUM students will learn about sensors and actuators for robotics, electronic connections and interface, software programming, and logic design for robotics systems. A certificate of completion will be awarded to everyone that completes the workshop.
The Robotics Research Center is located within the Research and Innovation Center at AUM and aims to broaden students’ knowledge and hone their technical skills in the area of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. The Center offers a wide range of research and educational programs with an interdisciplinary nature; targeting both fundamental and advanced robotic systems.
Book your seat in the workshop by sending an email to coet_roboticsclub@aum.edu.kw before January 28, 2021.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM), Kuwait, activated its online learning initiative in response to the global pandemic as part of its continuous efforts to avoid academic delay and ensure that students’ progress toward graduation is not interrupted. The impact of COVID-19 has affected all industries, and higher education was no exception. Thankfully, a digital ecosystem was already in place at AUM, which made the University at the forefront of adapting to the current challenges by initiating the E-Ready Initiative.
About 10,000 Students Completed their Semester Online
We are proud that around 10,000 AUM students decided to complete their Spring 2020 semester online. This was an optional route made available to students during Kuwait’s COVID-19 lockdown. The new learning opportunity was very well received, and the overall feedback was very encouraging, thanks to the technology and the adaptability by both students and faculty.
At AUM, we believe that moving into E-learning is more than adapting face-to-face learning online. It is about maintaining the collaborative learning experience and the sense of community that existed on the university campus while benefiting from additional opportunities that face-to-face learning does not offer. More importantly, it is about ensuring a social presence in the online classrooms. This is done by creating a community of learners, and ensuring that there is an interaction happening in the classrooms and students are engaged in the diversified learning activities such as lecture discussions, PowerPoint presentations, videos, form discussions, etc.
“I enrolled in the e-learning because I wanted to be productive with my time during this period and did not want to interrupt my academic journey, especially that it was unknown when we will be able to go back to campus again.” said the Electrical Engineering student, Ghadeer Bo Abbas. “The experience was seamless, the methods of communication with the professors were very smooth, and we are learning a lot because of this new experience.” she added.
The Mechanical Engineering Student, Ahmed al Al-Baloushi, pointed out that the experience was smooth and excellent, calling on students not to hesitate to register online because this will provide them with new knowledge and capabilities that will benefit them now and in the future.
A Digital Eco-System for Learning, Development, and Supporting Students
In light of the above, several initiatives were put in place to ensure that migrating into Online Learning is smooth, convenient, and effective.
The online platform that is accessible through Moodle provides real-time sharing of audio, video, slides, whiteboard, chat, and screen. Students are attending their courses via online streaming and engaging with their professors and with each other. By utilizing various up-to-date technological methods and integrations, the distance learning that is being currently implemented provides a collaborative learning experience.
Marketing Student, Yasmin Al-Azmi, considered that the best thing about studying online is that students can focus and perform their duties while experiencing a new way of learning away from the traditional methods. “If you have the opportunity to take your courses online, you should not waste it,” Al-Alzmi told her colleagues.
Webinars were conducted by the IT Department so that faculty members are well-trained to make the best use of the system. Besides, various communication tools were utilized so that students have the hands-on knowledge needed to engage in online cases, such as FAQs, video tutorials, emails, and social media communications. As faculty members transitioned to distance learning, they acquired new ways of using technology in teaching. By utilizing enriching tools and techniques, and integrating various means of digital learning that increase interaction between faculty and students irrespective of the distance, the collaborative learning experience gained new dimensions.
Tawteen Career Center at AUM also migrated its services Online. The center is helping students and alumni get ready for a post-covid work environment through mockup interviews, virtual workshops, and CV and e-portfolio development. The AUM E-portfolio is an electronic platform where students and alumni can build an interactive CV and a profile that showcase their academic and practical achievements.
“Building my E-portfolio allowed me to share the best stories and learning experiences with others. It is very straightforward since it only has three steps: building my resume, creating my e-portfolio, and final sharing it in a secure way with others,” said the Accounting student Sabiha Al Gharaballi.
The Tutoring Center at the University, which provides free academic support, started offering its services online. The main goals of the Center are to empower students to become active and independent learners, and to reduce barriers to students’ academic success by responding to their unique learning needs. Moreover, student advising was not interrupted during this period and is being offered online through the Academic Advancement Center (AAC). In addition, the Writing Lab was also helping students remotely. The main purpose of the Writing Lab is to support all AUM students at any stage of their writing process; for any assignment, deliverables, poster presentations, essays, Capstone Projects, and any other research papers they might have.
Through the University’s partnership with Soft Skills, students are being offered exclusive access to more than 6,000 self-paced e-courses, which provides them with the opportunity to upgrade their skills and enrich their CV. On the other hand, the e-resources of AUM’s high-tech library continue to be accessible from off-campus.
Furthermore, AUM has established a Virtual learning studio that is equipped with the Learning Glass technology, an innovative approach to lecture capture that has proven to be of great support to traditional classes, hybrid and online courses.
Accessibility and Telepresence Robots
On the inclusiveness front, Students were satisfied with the setting that allowed them to use their computers, laptops or mobiles to log in to a single interface where they can attend live lectures, interact with faculty, submit assignments, check grades and feedback, attend online tutoring sessions if needed, submit course evaluation surveys, contact faculty, and chat with student affairs. In addition, AUM obtained educational telepresence robots that allow a commanding remote presence, to be used when commuting to campus goes back to normal. One of the objectives of these robots is allowing students or faculty who are unable to reach the campus for specific approved reasons, to be on campus remotely. “The Double 3's head features two 13MP cameras with a wide field of view, as well as a unified pan, tilt, and zoom system. Its click-to-drive interface allows you to choose locations and the robot can travel there automatically.”
With continuous improvement and innovation imprinted in the university’s DNA, AUM believes that there are a lot of positive outcomes that higher educational institutions can take with them after the pandemic phase is over. This is an opportunity to reinvent experiential learning and find new ways to integrate disruptive technologies in teaching. We believe an institution’s ability to continuously reinvent itself by adapting to the constantly changing world will define its future success.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) held an online workshop for its alumni titled “Public Speaking: A lifetime Guide” on August 3, 2020.
Organized by the Alumni Relations Office within Tawteen Career Center, the workshop was delivered via Zoom to help AUM alumni enhance their public speaking skills. This online event comes as a part of a series of initiatives to reinforce within its students and alumni the habit of continuous professional development, even after graduation and during a pandemic.
Public speaking is an essential skill that many people do not develop due to fear and lack of practice. Mastering such a skill is very rewarding at the personal and professional level. The workshop focused on teaching the attendees beginner, intermediate, and advanced public speaking skills and aimed at providing them with the tools and knowledge to take their skills to the next level. The attendees learned how to become more assertive when delivering a speech/presentation and how to properly use their tone of voice, facial expression, posture, and fluency. In addition, the alumni participated in interactive sessions that helped them put what they learned into practice.
AUM will continue to organize capacity building activities and other types of initiatives to strengthen the ties with its alumni and equip them with the tools needed to expand their skill set in order to succeed in their professional and personal life.
The Alumni Relations office within Tawteen Career Center at AUM organized a virtual LinkedIn workshop presented by Lynn Cherry – Regional Account Director at LinkedIn.
The main objective of the workshop was to help alumni bring their career stories to life and highlight their main strengths, whether they are just starting out, seeking to advance, or making a career change. The session also covered key insights on how to create a top-notch LinkedIn profile that makes alumni stand out to recruiters and hiring managers, which will increase their prospects of finding better job opportunities.
AUM Alumni interacted greatly during the virtual workshop, which had specific learning objectives to help them enhance their professional image and achieve their career goals.
Various workshops and events were conducted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of AUM’s efforts to sustain a long-lasting relationship with its alumni and instill in them the habit of life-long learning.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) held a “Presentation Skills Workshop” organized by “Tawteen Career Development and Recruitment” center focused on teaching students how to be influential speakers.
The workshop is a third in a series of training sessions organized by Tawteen, the first aimed to develop students' personal skills, and the second to prepare them for a successful job interview. The workshop aims to teach students how to face their fear of public speaking.
In order to be good speakers, students were encouraged to embrace simplicity, clarity and build their self-confidence to keep the audience’s attention. Body language is also important in public speeches as it keeps the audience interested in a speaker, feel comfortable and to interact with them.
Students were given three exercises in which they learned how to create and edit slides for an appealing presentation, lead a presentation based of the “Prep method” and provide the audience with the main points of the speech, and translate the objectives and the examples that support the speech. They also practiced speech techniques.
AUM aims, through these workshops, to help students build their self-confidence and acquaint them with the needed personal skills in preparing for their prospective careers. Students at AUM get the chance not only to attain a higher level of education, they receive an immersive learning experience that tackles different aspects and topics so they can stand out with their achievements.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) held a “Time Management Skills Workshop” organized by the Career Development and Recruitment Center on Monday, November 12, 2018.
The Workshop aims to help students manage their time effectively and schedule tasks according to their priorities, which in return will reflect positively on their daily academic and professional performance.
The workshop included a presentation on the basics and constraints of time management, its constraints, and how to develop an agenda to set priorities and identify responsibilities.
During the session, students were introduced to Pareto Principles that could be applied in all fields, Stephen Covey’s Quadrants of significance and the seven habits of highly effective people, multiple resources theory by Professor Christopher Wickens, and Parkinson’s Law based on the adage that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion".
Students also conducted a number of tests and exercises to test their capabilities in organizing their time effectively and developing successful strategies to improve productivity.
On this occasion, Assistant Manager at the Career Development and Recruitment Center, Lolwa Albohamad, stressed the university's continuous endeavor to equip students with the required skills in the work fields, pointing out that the center cooperates with companies and institutions to identify the needs of the labor market and sets up a schedule of workshops to address them accordingly.
“The Center is preparing a series of workshops on leadership, stress management, self-confidence and motivation, and other skill development sessions that take into consideration themes suggested by students”, she said.
“The American University of the Middle East is keen on diversifying and intensifying training courses to improve our students’ knowledge and help them take distinctive job positions that suit both their personal needs and the needs of the labor market”, she added.
The American University of the Middle East (AUM) held an “Interviewing Skills Workshop” organized by “Tawteen Career Development and Recruitment” center focused on preparing students for their first job interview.
The workshop aims to help students improve their inter-personal skills, teach them how to leave a good impression during an interview, and train them on how to outshine the competition.
“Preparation is the key to succeed during an interview”, organizers said. “The interviewee should know his/her skills, strength and weakness and set clear goals for his/her career”, they added.
Students were given two exercises in which they learned how to prepare for an interview. They were also introduced to basic principles on how they can evaluate someone’s performance during an interview. Students showed interaction and enthusiasm during the workshop saying it gave them much needed insight on how to showcase their skills during a job interview.
Within a series of workshops lined up for the new academic year, Tawteen is also preparing to hold a Public Speaking and Presentation Skills workshop that aims to help students build their self-confidence and increase their chances in the recruitment process.
The center seeks to equip students with the needed skills and training in order for them to show intellectual and emotional maturity in addition to their competence.
Tawteen Career Development and Recruitment center’s other main activities focus on connecting AUM students to the job market through employer information sessions where students are introduced to the job requirements and the responsibilities they will have to carry when they transition into the job market.
In addition, Tawteen holds an annual Career Fair on AUM campus which draws dozens of local and international companies looking to hire highly qualified business and engineering graduates. In the last three years, 99 companies took part in the fair and offered AUM graduates jobs in different sectors.
AUM, and through the efforts and activities of Tawteen Career Development and Recruitment center, is making sure it delivers on its mission in serving the Kuwaiti society and offering students diverse academic and career development opportunities that cover cultural, social, health and sports activities, and help engage students in a fulfilling social and professional life.
On April 1st and 2nd AUM Art Club members took part in the Nuqat exclusive calligraffiti workshop. El Seed -who took a month long journey to paint “Lost Walls” which resulted in publishing a book and pictures to expose the beauty of the world of calligraffiti- hosted the workshop. The Art Club members were lucky enough to participate in the workshop with the presence of El Seed guiding them all the way to Kuwait City and tagging walls with the art of calligraffiti along with providing them with a few pointers on how to perfect the art.
AUM’ers are currently enrolled in AUB @AUBkuwait internship program to learn more about working in retail banking. 💵
These internships are provided by Tawteen Career Center to both students and graduates to enhance and polish their skills 💼
The AUM E-portfolio is an electronic platform where students and alumni can build an interactive CV and a profile that showcase their academic and practical achievements
The mentors at the AUM Tawteen Career Center provide alumni with career guidance by identifying each alumnus individual Values, Interests, Personality, and Skills (VIPS).
The program helps Alumni get on the career track they want to pursue by offering them one to one Career interview sessions and advise them on CV writing, interview techniques, mock interviews, job search strategies, etc. As alumni progress deeper into their career upgrade, mentors will help them explore their career interests, goals and values, as well as offer them methods to overcome obstacles in their future careers.
Online Workshops for Students
Boubyan Bank
Boubyan Bank held a virtual webinar on May 2021 to educate students and graduates about banking career options depending on the major.
Zain
Zain’s online workshop was held on May 2021. The workshop was an overview of the competitive telecommunications industries in Kuwait, the latest technological achievements and their impact on the knowledge and career development of their employees.
Habchi &Chalhoub
Habchi & Chalhoub’s Group provided a detailed presentation for the students explaining about the retail industry and the internship program they can be a part of. They also spoke about the career opportunities for graduates and how to apply.
Alghanim Industries
Yousef Al Fulaij a senior manager explained briefly about Alghanim history, Industries, its business Lines, and how did the business grow fast over the years. Talal from the HR team gave the graduates an idea of what they can expect after graduation.
Burgan Bank
Several Burgan Bank employees took part in the virtual webinar that discussed the different paths students can pursue after graduation.
Honeywell
A brief introduction about Honeywell, covering the main four areas of the business that are aerospace, building technologies, performance materials and technologies, and safety and productivity solutions. Also, the advantage of working for an international and multicultural organization and how to fit into it.
ABK
Introducing the bank’s history and its mechanism of evaluating, building, and highlighting relevant transferable skills. The essential tips for writing a professional cover letter, also questions that will be asked in the interview by ABK for interested candidates.
Gulf Bank
A virtual webinar held by Gulf Bank to help students cover the various aspects of career exploration and the employment process done by the bank. They shed the light upon setting certain goals in order to have a clear career path to walk through, and most improtantly to always consult an advisor.
KFH
An introduction about success history of KFH and the qualifications and skills required to be part of the KFH family. They focused on the development of their employees through the required training. Also, they highlighted the importance of being job-ready before graduation.
