SDG 16.2.3
Identify and engage with local stakeholders
Participatory Bodies for Stakeholder Engagement
ASU is committed to fostering meaningful engagement with local stakeholders in order to enhance decision-making quality, improve service efficiency and effectiveness, and ultimately support the sustainability planning of its services.
To achieve this, ASU employs various methods, including surveys and the establishment of Programme Advisory Boards. The Programme Advisory Board serves as a structured and collaborative platform for academic programmes to engage with external advisors possessing diverse expertise and market knowledge. Their valuable insights contribute to the relevance and quality of the academic programmes. ASU has implemented a comprehensive policy for Programme Advisory Boards, recognizing their significance in delivering high-quality academic programmes. Each ASU programme has its own advisory board, and their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in the policy, with scheduled meetings held accordingly.
ASU’s approach to quality and standards management goes beyond traditional quality assurance methods by placing emphasis on organizational systems and process-oriented approaches. It takes into account the perspectives of both internal and external stakeholders and stresses the importance of objective data analysis for process improvement. To fulfill these objectives, ASU maintains a Measurement & Evaluation Unit under the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Center (QAAC). Among its tasks, the unit coordinates institutional effectiveness assessments and reporting cycles in alignment with international quality standards. Additionally, it consistently gathers feedback from various stakeholders such as faculty, students, alumni, employers of graduates, advisory boards, and staff.
Furthermore, ASU has a community engagement policy that facilitates interactions with the local community through a range of internal and external activities. This policy further supports ASU’s commitment to stakeholder engagement, aligning with the Participatory Bodies for Stakeholder Engagement indicator of SDG 16. By implementing these strategies, ASU aims to establish a participatory and inclusive environment that actively involves stakeholders in decision-making processes and promotes transparency, accountability, and sustainable development.
Career Development and Alumni Affairs Office
Objectives:
- To support and maintain the relationship between the university and its graduates. 2. Participate in holding and organizing the annual graduation ceremonies
- To establish a data unit that contains all the information about the graduates. (Telephone number, e-mail, address, and place of work).
- To establish a website linked to the website of the university that focuses on the news and affairs of the graduates.
- To offer the graduates jobs according to their needs and qualifications.
- To hold cultural, scientific and sport activities for the graduates.
- To issue periodicals related to the graduates in order to update them about their field of study.
- To establish an Alumni Club.
- To strengthen the relations with the employers and the workers who graduated from the university.
Career Guiding and Counselling
Career and guidance will help you effectively explore yourself and better understand the labor market. Career counselling is a means to help you learn skills and knowledge, which will help you achieve your career successfully.
Career counselling sessions are available to all students throughout the academic year. Provided services:
- Establish annual employment and training exhibitions
- Career Planning guide (Tamkeen)
- Employability Skills
- Interview skills
- CV writing
Career Service
The employer relations section collaborates with employers of different sectors to provide suitable candidates for career opportunities based on the needs.
Services:
- Guidance for graduates’ job seekers by organizing various workshops
- Announce training and internship programmes for the students and graduates
Below are the activities and the events that the university undergo with stakeholders to its students:
Higher Education and Career Fair 2022 (HECF)
The Applied Science University (ASU) participated in the Higher Education and Career Fair 2022 (HECF), which was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 25-26 March 2022, with the participation of a large number of Arab universities. ASU was represented by Mrs. Ruqaya Mohsen, Director of Marketing & PR, Mr. Noel Lavin, Director of Foundation and English Delivery Services and Acting Office Manager of International Partnerships, and Mr. Kumail Al Lawati, an academic staff member in the Department of Computer Science.
The University booth enjoyed a massive turnout by visitors interested in learning about the University, its programmes, the scholarships and discounts it offers to students, and how its offerings meet the demand of the job market locally and internationally, namely thanks to it academic partnership with British universities to offer distinguished academic programs.
The University representatives were present at the booth to give the visitors more details about the various programs offered by ASU and the financial aid and payment facilities at their disposal, in addition to the remarkable student experience they can expect at the stateof-the-art campus equipped with the latest technologies and facilities to provide a unique educational experience for the students.
The attendees who visited ASU’s pavilion also had the chance to learn about the University’s achievements at local, Arab and international levels, especially with regard to international rankings of universities, as ASU has been ranking consistently high among both Arab and International universities, which confirms its academic rigor and the quality of its educational offerings and standards.
In this context, Mrs. Ruqaya Mohsen, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, explained that the University is keen to participate in exhibitions inside and outside the Kingdom of Bahrain to inform the public about the programs and specializations it offers, and the participation in the Higher Education and Career Fair 2022 (HECF) confirms the University’s commitment to helping school students make informed decisions about their future studies and careers.
She also noted that the exhibition provided visitors with the chance to learn more about the University’s activities, events and community engagement contributions, stressing the fact that ASU is always keen to participate in local and international exhibitions to meet with potential students and stakeholders and explain to highlight the bright image and great progress of higher education in the Kingdom of Bahrain under its wise and inspired leadership. She concluded by stating that ASU has been consistently growing and evolving in the past few years to quickly become one the top private universities in Bahrain and the region and she can’t wait to see more students from Saudi Arabia and other countries join the University.
ASU signed a memorandum of understanding with “JAFCON Consultants for Productivity Improvement”
The University, represented by Professor Ghassan Aouad, President of the University, signed a memorandum of understanding with “JAFCON Consultants for Productivity Improvement” represented by Dr. Akbar Jaffari, CEO, to provide a training program for the University students to enhance their practical skills and help them get suitable jobs in the labor market.
The agreement aims to enroll ASU students and graduates in the “Eqtidar (Ability) Program for productivity improvement”, supported by TAMKEEN, to raise their skills and practical abilities in their fields of study in a way that enhances their chances of getting suitable jobs through a series of training programs and workshops focused on enhancing the practical abilities of the participants. In addition, the program opens up the channels of communication between the University students and the reputable consultancy firm so that they can benefit from its long-standing expertise in productivity and performance enhancement to enable them to excel at their future work after graduation.
On this agreement, the President of the University, Professor Ghassan Aouad, stressed that the University is very keen to provide career opportunities for its students and graduates and facilitate their integration into the labor market by introducing training programs that keep up with the evolving requirements and latest trends of the job market, pointing out that the increasing competitiveness over the available jobs has prompted the University to work even harder on equipping its students with the skills that will make them stand out and match them with the right job opportunities. Professor Ghassan also explained that, since its inception, the University has been keen to provide the Bahraini and Gulf labor market with distinguished graduates in various fields, by providing its students with suitable internships and practical training as part of the completion of their graduation requirements, which helps them to easily integrate the labor market and contributes to gaining sufficient experience to commence work successfully and confidently.
The President of the University pointed out that the goal of this agreement is to help students obtain a practical training during their academic studies as a key step towards obtaining the job that corresponds to their scientific qualifications after graduation, by giving them the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they gained during their studies in a practical real-life setting, and to learn more about the nature of the labor market and its needs, in addition to giving the student a first impression of the field he/she will be working in and the people he/she will be interacting with after graduating from the University.
The President concluded by emphasizing that the University considers the internships that it offers to its students as one of the most important components of building the student’s personality and academic and practical experience. Thus, it strives to give its students the opportunity to apply what they have learned on the ground, learn more about the issues of their respective sectors, and benefit from the theoretical concepts they gained during their studies to find practical solutions to real-life problems.
ASU, in partnership with the Labour Fund “Tamkeen”, organized a virtual seminar titled “Funding Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs in the Covid-19 Era”
Under the patronage of Prof. Waheeb Alkhaja, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Applied Science University, the University, in partnership with the Labor Fund “Tamkeen”, organized a virtual seminar titled “Funding Opportunities for Young Entrepreneurs in the Covid-19 Era”, in the presence of the President of the University, Prof. Ghassan Aouad, with the participation of a group of distinguished speakers and experts who spoke about the opportunities presented despite the Corona pandemic to start a profitable business.
The organization of this seminar is part of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s celebrations of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, especially that the Kingdom has made many initiatives to mitigate the consequences of job losses and business closures caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, to ensure the continuity of existing businesses, strengthen and empower young entrepreneurs and support small and medium enterprises and the most affected by the pandemic. Prof. Waheeb Alkhaja, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, in a speech inaugurating the activities of the seminar, expressed his great pride in the University’s hosting of this important event, hoping that it would benefit Bahraini youth, aspiring entrepreneurs and emerging sectors, praising the great role played by the Labour Fund “Tamkeen” organizing and coordinating the activities of the Kingdom’s celebrations of the Global Entrepreneurship Week, and stressing the University’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship and expanding the educational and knowledge base supporting the graduation of entrepreneurial students who contribute to the development of the national economy. For his part, Prof.
Ghassan Aouad, President of the University, emphasized that entrepreneurship has become an integral part of the University’s educational process and one of its main priorities in its strategic plan, especially after the opening of the Business Incubation Center, which provides all the support and services that students need to develop their ideas and turn them into successful projects, and thanked all the guests and attendees for accepting the invitation, noting the University’s keenness to train students in entrepreneurship and creativity through partnerships and cooperation agreements with institutions and companies that support innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Faiza Zitouni, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Development, moderated the dialogue between the guests and the speakers, including Dr. Khaled AlGhazawi, CEO of Ebdaa Bank in Bahrain, who made a presentation about the loans provided by the bank to support small projects, stressing that Ebdaa Bank encouraged young people, during the pandemic, to transform the challenges posed by this new reality into real opportunities for investment and creativity, while Mrs. Feryal Nass, Founder and President of the Bahrain Entrepreneurship Organization, spoke about the most important activities undertaken by the organization to spread the culture of entrepreneurship in the Kingdom and the region. Mr. Nawaf Al-Kooheji, CEO of “Tenmou”, the first business angels company in Bahrain, provided a set of tips and tricks to aspiring entrepreneurs and startup owners on how to raise funds that suit the needs of their companies without creating a burden of debts that affects their business. In the same context, Mr. Saleh Abbas, Senior Program Manager at Flat6Labs Bahrain, provided an introduction to his company’s programs and the services they provide to accelerate the growth of startups. As for Ms. Haneen Azzam, Director of the crowdfunding platform “Zoomal”, which is considered the first Arab crowdfunding platform, she noted the importance of this type of financing to create a new dynamic to fund innovative projects and support young entrepreneurs. And finally, Mrs. Hana Habib Al Tareif, the entrepreneur and owner of the “Tutor Me” platform, and Senior Executive officer of the Bahrain Economic Development Board, presented the role of the Board as the first contact point for international companies wishing to establish and manage their projects in Bahrain, and its role in attracting many large and emerging companies to bring direct investments in Bahrain.
Bahrain Exhibition for Training and Education Pre-employment 2020
The University participated in Bahrain Exhibition for Training and Education Pre-Employment 2020, which was held under the patronage of HE Jameel bin Mohammed Hamaidan, the Minister of Labour and Social Development at the Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention and Spa for 2 days (03rd -04th February). Many universities, vocational and educational institutions and training centers beside few consultation agencies participated in the exhibition.
The Exhibition was inaugurated by HE the Minister in the presence of Professor Ghassan Aouad, University President, Ms Ruqaya Mohsin -Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Mr Abdulla Al Khaja -Director of Administration and Finance and other VIP guests.
The exhibition attracted secondary school students along with their parents, University graduates, and jobseekers in addition to the training and recruitment agencies. During the exhibition an interactive presentation been delivered by Ms Ruqaya, demonstrating the University programmes, providing career advice and other essential information that student mainly inquire.
The primary purpose for the participation was to illustrate and deliver the best guidance to students by introducing them the specializations offered by the University for both existing and the hosted British programmes from London South Bank University
The Received President Ms. Nour Zenaty, Science & Innovation Network Adviser in the British Embassy
Prof.Ghassan Aouad, the University President, received Ms. Nour Zenaty, Science & Innovation Network Adviser in the British Embassy – Bahrain. During the meeting the President presented Ms. Nour with the proceedings of the International Conference on Innovation, Technology, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (ICITEE 2019) and discussed other issues related to research and innovation in the education sector. Prof.Yazeed Al Sbou, Dean of Research and Graduate Studies and Ms.Eman Alsadeq, Head of Governance & Strategic Planning attended the meeting.
The International Conference on Innovation, Technology, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (ICITEE)
The International Conference on Innovation, Technology, Enterprise and Entrepreneurship (ICITEE) 2019 was held at the Grove Hotel and Conference Center, under the patronage of HE the Minister of Education and Chairman of the Higher Education Council in Bahrain, Dr Majid bin Ali A1 Nuaimi. The conference was organized by the University in association with London South Bank University (LSBU) with great partnership support from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), the Association of Arab Universities (AArU) and sponsored by the media body’s Akhbar A1 Khaleeji; A1 Ayam; A1 Watan; A1 Bilad; The Daily Tribune; Daily News, BEnterpreneur Magazine in addition to the Palace Enterprise, The Grove Hotel and JD Ads & Events.
The conference was attended by distinguished guests, scholars, researchers and practitioners who came all the way to Kingdome of Bahrain from 16 different nations. This highly informative conference covered important subjects and themes related to innovation, technology and entrepreneurship including the future directions of Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, Virtual and Augmented Reality and Building Information Modelling (BIM) amongst many other important areas.
69 papers from 130 researchers from 16 countries (Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Nigeria, Kuwait, Kazakhstan and Lebanon) were included in the peer refereed proceedings, and around 29 papers produced by colleagues from ASU, some are jointly with other institutions.
Furthermore, 200 participants attended the opening ceremony, where the conference was chaired by an opening speech from Professor Ghassan Aouad, The University President and Professor Paul Ivey, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Chief Business Officer, London South Bank University, United Kingdom. Followed with a speech delivered by HE Dr Abdul Ghani Alshuwaikh, Secretary General of Higher Education Council, representing the patron of the conference, HE Dr Majid bin Ali A1 Nuaimi, the Minister of Education. This continued with a welcoming speech by the conference honorary chairs Professor Waheeb A1 Khaja, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Professor David Phoenix, Vice Chancellor of London South Bank University And the honorary guest HE Professor Ezzat Salama, the Secretary General of Association of Arab Universities. The conference also included the keynote speakers Professor David Phoenix who explained about future directions of research and Professor Paul Ivey who highlighted on the topic of entrepreneurship.
This was concluded with the Gala Dinner Speaker Professor Charles Egbu who emphasized on innovation. The second day of the conference was attended by HE Mr Sameer Nass, Chairman of the Board of Directors, where the best 4 papers of the conference was announced at the final ceremony and certificates been given to the members of the Scientific, Organising Committees and students who supported the conference.
This conference demonstrates our ability to attract researchers from across the globe and to run conferences of the highest quality. We should all be proud of what we have achieved in this truly international conference.
ASU Encourages Entrepreneurship
The university encourages entrepreneurship by launching the business incubation center:
Professor Waheeb Al Khaja, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees highlighted on the importance of University’s commitment in supporting entrepreneurship that will broaden the educational horizon and the knowledge that influences productivity through entrepreneurship which contributes in supporting the economy of Kingdom of Bahrain.
He also mentioned that the University is keen to provide their students with necessary entrepreneurship skills in order to develop their capabilities through various corporate agreements with establishments that support such innovations and entrepreneurship.
Therefore, the University launched a Business Incubation Center that combines both innovation and entrepreneurship from all its academic programmes. This comes with the aim to generate all opportunities that enhance the students’ entrepreneurship concept to make them job-makers rather than job seekers. The Center is a strategic mechanism to enhance the students’ entrepreneurial skills that creates new ventures and partnerships opportunities.
Professor Ghassan Aouad, the University President, mentioned that the incubation center at the university represent a workroom that prepares youth who has the motive to experience real entrepreneurship feeling especially in their early stages. He also stressed on the importance of such projects in supporting the national economy by providing new work opportunities that contributes in reducing unemployment rates.
Professor Aouad also stressed that the university is devoted to support the students’ entrepreneurial ideas, along with their graduation projects at the bachelor and master’s level. This also included the provided facilities to enable students to develop their ideas and improve their views towards entrepreneurship.
Business Incubation Center BIC
https://www.asu.edu.bh/business-incubation-centre/about-bic/
Success stories and Achievements:
- Al FAZAA Project:
https://www.asu.edu.bh/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/05-AL-FAZAA-Project.pdf
- TAMKEEN: Kick Start Your Business Workshop
Bahrain Training Center BTI Career Week
https://www.asu.edu.bh/2019/03/asu-participation-in-bahrain-training-center-bti-career-week/
The University participated in the annual “Career Week” fair at Bahrain Training Institution (BTI). The three-day fair, was held in the Institution campus under the patronage HE Dr Majed Al Noaimi, the Minister of Education.
The participation is part of the University’s strategy to introduce students and job seekers the opportunities in various sectors in the labor market. Moreover, this enhances the sense of responsibility and commitment towards Bahraini society to attract and employee Bahraini capabilities in different specializations.
Effective career guidance and instructions been delivered by the university representatives; Mr Abdulhameed Baqi, Acting office Manager of Marketing and Students Recruitment and Mrs Zuhoor, Administrator in Administrative Affairs Department, familiarizing the students and job seekers to the necessary trainings that reflects the job market, in addition to the programmes that is offered by the University for existing and the hosted British programmes from London South Bank and Cardiff University.
Professor Ghassan Aouad, The University President, emphasized on the importance of this contribution and the University is keen to participate further in exhibitions within and outside the Kingdom of Bahrain as its mission in supporting the local community. He also pointed, that the Career week fair is an effective tool in opening new strategical horizons to employ young Bahrainis and equip them with needed the skills that ensure their competitiveness the future labor market.
Series of Employment and Training Opportunities for Graduating Students and Alumni
https://www.asu.edu.bh/2017/02/series-employment-training-opportunities-graduating-students-alumni/
Ms Noora Musalam Manager of Career Development and Alumni Affairs office, in the
Deanship of Students Affairs, has announced in the last week a series of employment and
training opportunities for our graduating students and Alumni members that are either job
seekers or looking for career development.
Agreement Between Applied Sciences University and SYSKODE TECHNOLOGIES
Agreement Attached in the evidence file
On March 04, 2021, Applied Sciences University Signed an agreement with SYSKODE TECHNOLOGIES, the purpose of the agreement is for SYSKODE to provide services to ASU to prepare graduates in a training course for Cyber Security and PHP Development. The courses will have the following characteristics:
- The courses will last 1 year.
- Each completed course will be certified and validated.
- Face-to-face and virtual sessions.
- Real practices.
- Tutorials per week.
Agreement Between Applied Sciences University and 9T9 Information Technology
Agreement Attached in the evidence file
On January 13, 2021, Applied Sciences University Signed an agreement with 9T9 Information Technology, the purpose of the agreement is for 9T9 to provide services to ASU to prepare graduates in technological areas and knowledge in this case Web Design and Mobile Applications. The courses will have the following characteristics:
- The courses will last 2 years.
- After finishing the course each person will receive their diploma.
- Course curriculum for each cycle.
- Tutoring hours.
The Department Governance at ASU
https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-asu/governance-2/governance/
The governance at ASU aim is to achieve effective monitoring of the administrative units of the university with the purpose that all the organisms in the University function properly under the policies established by ASU and the laws of Bahrain and ensures that departments apply the rules to achieve a stable work and thus high performance. Includes not only issues of ownership and control over the University but the detailed structure, roles and responsibilities, and mechanisms of accountability governing all that is done within the realm of legitimate university activity. This includes amongst other things the vertical structure that defines the main roles (organizational structure) which houses the necessary capabilities to fulfil ASU’s strategic objectives (effectiveness), and the horizontal organization that materializes the lateral capacities of the University and wherein actual University business is processed. Board of Trustees (BoT), University Council, and University Management Committee are one of the main entities in ASU governance structure (headed by the BoT).
Finally, ASU’s Governance & Strategic Planning Unit has responsibility to collaborate with the various units and departments of the University to make sure that the Strategic Plan is being clearly communicated and fully understood by our stakeholders and that our staff are sufficiently equipped to implement it successfully. After the University first devised its Strategic Plan in 2015, we immediately began work on implementation and major progress has been made by the date of the mid-stage review in 2017 [2].
ASU Achievements
https://www.asu.edu.bh/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/8th-President27s-News-Digest-V3-24122017.pdf
During this period, the many significant milestones achieved include:
- Full confidence from Bahrain’s Education & Training Quality Authority (BQA) for additional programmes, bringing the total number of programmes with Full Confidence to nine (three more to be reviewed in 2018) [2].
- Collaboration agreement with the Higher Education Academy (UK) for pedagogic development of our faculty where 50% of our academic staff are now HEA Fellows or Senior Fellows or in the process of achieving this qualification [2].
- International partnership agreements with two leading British universities, London South Bank University and Cardiff Metropolitan University are in place. Four programmes are now in operation and recruited their first students in September2017 [2].
- Institutional Listing for the University on Bahrain’s National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Register by the Education & Training Quality Authority (BQA) [2].
- Successful application for HEC Institutional Accreditation and a significant progress has also been made on preparations for the Accreditation Panel Visit [2].
- Niche research areas identified for collaborative research activities within the University and an increase of almost 70% in the number of research publications (42 in 2014/15 and 71 in 2016/17) [2].
- International Conference on Sustainable Futures (ICSF 2017), an international research conference organized and held in November 2017 in collaboration with London South Bank University, with participants from over 20 countries [2].
- Our robust Quality Management System (QMS) set in place, together with starting the process of achieving ISO 9001:2015 certification [2].
- Strengthened links with the business community via formal agreements with employers and organizations (including Flat 6 Labs, SMEs Bahrain, Bahrain Businesswomen’s Society, Royal Charity Organization, etc.) [2].
- An increased number of entrepreneurship courses and activities to enable students to prepare better for their future careers an enhanced Programme of community engagement activities [2].
- Additional student clubs establish in collaboration with the Students’ Council to enrich students’ university experience [2].
- An all-staff meeting will be called soon to present our updated strategic plan. In addition, sessions will be held with our students and external stakeholders in order to keep them up-to-date [2].
Affiliation and Partnerships
https://www.asu.edu.bh/about-asu/academic-partnership/
The University also has relationships with other Universities, organizations, etc. In order to interact with them and achieve benefits for the academic community.
ASU Strategic Plan
Applied Science University Strategic Plan has been developed with input from all our stakeholders, to ensure that with drive and determination and all our graduates will continue to play a vital role in the future of the GCC economy and contribute to our society.
Strategic planning plays a pivotal role in transforming our university and it was a really exciting task to develop the Plan with full participation from staff, students and external stakeholders, aligning it to the strategies and directions of the Kingdom’s Higher Education Council and especially Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.
Strategic Plan has benefitted immensely from the clear vision of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees, especially the insights of Professor Waheeb Alkhaja, our Founding President and Chairman of our Board of Trustees. It is also important to acknowledge the excellent contributions from our staff, students and external partners and stakeholders.
In order to ensure participation by all stakeholders in plan construction, in its elaboration involved a series of brainstorming and consultation meetings with the University’s main stakeholders such as student and employer representatives, members of academic staff, administrative staff, Senior Management Group, and external consultants.
ASU’s Governance & Strategic Planning Unit has the responsibility to collaborate with the various units and departments of the University to make sure that the Strategic Plan is being clearly communicated and fully understood by our stakeholders and that our staff is sufficiently equipped to implement it successfully.