Applied Science University Bahrain – Off-Campus Educational Outreach (2021–2024)

2021 Outreach Activities

-Virtual International Conference on Forests & Climate (Aug 6, 2021 – Virtual, Programmed)

ASU organized a global virtual conference titled “Forests for Biodiversity and Climate” on August 6, 2021, inviting renowned scientists from the Middle East, Europe, and Asia [1]. This faculty-led event aimed to share research and knowledge on the role of forests in improving climate resilience and involved ASU students and staff alongside international participants [1]. (Nature: Academic conference; Organizers: ASU faculty; Audience: International academic/community; Format: virtual; Programmed series as part of ASU’s sustainability initiatives.)

-“Forests for Public Health” World Conference (2021 – Virtual, Programmed)

In 2021, ASU also hosted a Virtual World Conference titled “Forests for Public Health,” bringing together experts to discuss how green spaces and forests impact community health and well-being [1]. The event featured interdisciplinary presentations on designing healthy green infrastructure and was part of ASU’s ongoing public health and sustainability outreach efforts [1]. (Nature: International symposium; Organizers: ASU College of Arts & Science; Audience: Public and academic; Format: virtual; Programmed as recurring global outreach.)

(Note: 2021 was marked by predominantly virtual outreach due to pandemic conditions, with ASU focusing on online conferences and knowledge-sharing forums open to external audiences.)

2022 Outreach Activities

-Ramadan Iftar Distribution Campaign (Apr 8, 2022 – In-Person, Ad Hoc):

In conjunction with the holy month of Ramadan 2022, ASU’s Community Engagement Office and student Volunteers Club organized a one-day campaign to distribute iftar meals to laborers in the Hoora area of Manama [2]. Dozens of student volunteers and staff participated in this charitable outreach, providing meals at sunset to vulnerable workers. (Nature: Community service; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + student volunteers; Audience: off-campus community workers; Format: in-person field campaign; Ad hoc philanthropic initiative.)

-Visit to Muharraq Social Care Centre (Apr 28, 2022 – In-Person, Ad Hoc):

 An ASU delegation led by senior staff visited the Muharraq Social Care Centre on April 28, 2022 [3]. Dr. Mohammed Yousif (Vice President for Community Engagement) and others spent time with the center’s residents (primarily senior citizens), delivering donations and moral support as part of ASU’s social outreach [3]. (Nature: Community visit; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: elderly residents at care home; Format: in-person visit; Ad hoc goodwill visit.)

-MoU with At’aa Social Responsibility Society (Mar 17, 2022 – Partnership, Programmed)

ASU formalized a community partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the At’aa Individual Social Responsibility Society on 17 March 2022 [4]. The signing ceremony (held on campus in presence of both organizations’ leadership) established a framework for ongoing cooperative outreach and volunteer programs [4]. (Nature: Partnership agreement; Organizers: ASU leadership; Audience: NGO representatives; Format: in-person ceremony; Programmed – lays groundwork for sustained outreach initiatives.)

-Meeting with Al-Aker Charitable Society (May 15, 2022 – Planning, Programmed)

ASU’s Community Engagement Office received a delegation from Al-Aker Charitable Society on 15 May 2022 to plan joint community projects [4]. The delegation (including the Society’s President and officers) met with Dr. Mohammad Al-Hamami (CE Office Director) and ASU faculty to coordinate future activities in Al-Aker village [4]. This meeting led to a series of collaborative outreach campaigns in the village. (Nature: Coordination meeting; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: NGO partners; Format: in-person meeting; Programmed – part of ongoing ASU–Al-Aker partnership.)

-House Painting Volunteer Campaign (May 21, 2022 – In-Person, Programmed)

As a result of the above partnership, ASU volunteers carried out a house-painting campaign in Al-Aker village on 21 May 2022 [1]. Led by the Community Engagement Office in cooperation with Al-Aker Society, a team of ASU academic staff, the Student Volunteers Club, alumni, and local community members painted the façades of two homes for underprivileged families [1]. (Nature: Volunteer service project; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + Volunteers Club (student-led); Audience: local community (Al-Aker residents); Format: in-person volunteering; Ad hoc but within a programmed partnership framework with Al-Aker Charity.)

-Home Renovation – Elderly Support Campaign (May 25, 2022 – In-Person, Programmed)

On 25 May 2022, ASU’s Community Engagement Office and Al-Aker Charitable Society jointly carried out a campaign to refurbish and rehabilitate bathrooms in two houses occupied by elderly citizens in Al-Aker [1]. ASU faculty and staff volunteers participated in installing safety features and improving sanitation as a community service to enhance senior residents’ quality of life [1]. (Nature: Volunteer renovation work; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: local community (elderly households); Format: in-person volunteering; Ad hoc project under the ongoing Al-Aker outreach program.)

-“Media Content Selection Skills” Lecture for Quran Centers (Oct 22, 2022 – In-Person, Programmed)

Kicking off a new educational outreach program with Bahrain’s Ministry of Justice & Islamic Affairs, ASU hosted a training lecture on “Media Content Selection Skills” for Holy Quran Program coordinators on 22 Oct 2022 [4]. The session was delivered on-campus by Prof. Murad Al-Janabi (ASU law faculty) to dozens of coordinators from Quran teaching centers across Bahrain [4]. This workshop – organized in cooperation with the Ministry’s Holy Quran Affairs Directorate – was the first in a series aimed at upskilling community religious educators. (Nature: Professional development lecture; Organizers: Ministry of Justice (Holy Quran Affairs) + ASU Community Engagement; Audience: Off-campus – Quran center coordinators; Format: in-person seminar at ASU; Programmed series.)

-“Drug Abuse Damages” Awareness Lecture (Nov 30, 2022 – In-Person, Ad Hoc)

As part of its public education mission, ASU partnered with Bahrain’s General Directorate of Criminal Investigation to hold an anti-drug awareness lecture on 30 Nov 2022 [4]. Major Hamad Al-Muhaiza, a senior officer, delivered a talk on the dangers of drug abuse and crime prevention to ASU students and youth attendees [4]. The session took place in ASU’s auditorium and fostered dialogue between law enforcement and young people. (Nature: Public awareness lecture; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + Interior Ministry (CID); Audience: University students & local youth; Format: in-person seminar; Ad hoc collaborative event.)

2023 Outreach Activities

-Seef Toastmasters Club Collaboration (Mar 5, 2023 – In-Person, Programmed)

On March 5, 2023, ASU’s Community Engagement Office hosted a delegation from the Seef Toastmasters Club (a local public-speaking community group) for a coordination meeting [4]. The club’s President and officers met with Dr. Mohammad Al-Hamami to discuss joint activities and workshops to be rolled out in the coming period [4]. This meeting established a new programmed outreach collaboration aimed at developing communication and leadership skills in the community through student–Toastmasters joint events. (Nature: Planning meeting; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: Toastmasters Club representatives; Format: on-campus meeting; Programmed – initiating sustained community workshops.)

-Ramadan Iftar Meals for Workers (Apr 8, 2023 – In-Person, Ad Hoc)

Continuing a tradition of service, ASU volunteers organized an iftar meal distribution on 8 April 2023 for expatriate workers in the Hoora district [2]. Students and staff distributed dozens of meal boxes at sunset, focusing on labor camps and low-income workers to share the Ramadan spirit. (Nature: Community service; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + student volunteers; Audience: off-campus laborer community; Format: in-person outreach; Ad hoc charitable initiative.)

-House Facades Painting in Al-Aker (June 10, 2023 – In-Person, Programmed)

Under ASU’s ongoing partnership with Al-Aker Charitable Society, the university ran another volunteer campaign on 10 June 2023 to paint the facades of houses in Al-Aker village [1]. ASU academic staff, students, alumni, and local residents worked side by side in this one-day event beautifying homes of needy families [1]. The activity strengthened town-gown relations and provided students a chance to contribute to the community. (Nature: Volunteer service project; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + Volunteers Club; Audience: local village residents; Format: in-person volunteering; Ad hoc event within the Al-Aker outreach program.)

-Solar-Powered Lamps Installation (June 15, 2023 – In-Person, Programmed)

On June 15, 2023, ASU’s Community Engagement Office and Al-Aker Charity launched a sustainable development outreach project, installing 13 solar-powered street lamps across different dark areas of Al-Aker village [1]. Academic and administrative staff, students, and community members participated in this field project, which improved safety and promoted renewable energy use locally [1]. (Nature: Community development project; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: local community (Al-Aker); Format: in-person installation campaign; Ad hoc project under ASU–Al-Aker partnership.)

-Home Amenities for the Elderly – Phase II (June 17, 2023 – In-Person, Programmed)

Following 2022’s effort, ASU volunteers executed a second campaign to renovate bathrooms for senior citizens in Al-Aker on 17 June 2023 [1]. Faculty members joined with Al-Aker Society volunteers to install elder-friendly fixtures in two homes, enhancing accessibility for elderly residents [1]. (Nature: Volunteer renovation; Organizers: Community Engagement Office; Audience: elderly in community; Format: hands-on service; Ad hoc event within ongoing program.)

-Financial Literacy Workshops for Quran Center Educators (May–June 2023 – In-Person, Programmed)

Building on the ministry partnership begun in 2022, ASU delivered a series of capacity-building workshops for Holy Quran teaching center coordinators in 2023. On May 13, 2023, ASU hosted a lecture “Preparing Budgets and Conducting Financial Analyses” on campus, led by Dr. Ammar Al-Sammarraee (Accounting Professor), for male coordinators nominated by the Ministry of Justice’s Quran Affairs Directorate [4]. On the same day, a parallel session was conducted by Dr. Nadya Al Shareeda for the female coordinators [4]. Subsequently, on June 13 and 19, 2023, ASU’s Dr. Ahmed Shatat (MIS Professor) delivered two “How to Use Microsoft Excel for Administrative Tasks” training sessions in ASU’s computer labs for male and female groups respectively [4]. These programmed workshops were part of a formal agreement with the Ministry to enhance the administrative and digital skills of community-based Quran program instructors. (Nature: Professional training workshops; Organizers: ASU + Ministry of Justice (Quran Affairs); Audience: off-campus religious educators; Format: in-person workshops at ASU; Programmed ongoing series.)

-“Careers Day” Public Job Fair (June 11, 2023 – In-Person, Ad Hoc):

ASU hosted its annual Careers Day job fair on campus, inaugurated by Bahrain’s Minister of Labour and featuring 50+ employers from public and private sectors [5]. While primarily aimed at ASU students and graduates, the fair also welcomed job seekers from the broader community, providing workshops, career guidance, and employer exhibits [5]. This one-day event strengthened university-industry links and contributed to community professional development. (Nature: Careers fair & exhibition; Organizers: Career Development Office; Audience: students, alumni, general job seekers; Format: in-person fair; Ad hoc annual event.)

2024 Outreach Activities

-University Orientation for High School Students (multiple dates 2024 – In-Person, Programmed)

As part of ASU’s community education outreach, the university regularly hosted visits from local secondary schools. In February 2024, for example, ASU welcomed students from Alia National School for an orientation day [4]. The visiting pupils received briefings on ASU’s academic programs in fields like Computer Science, Engineering, and Law, toured campus facilities, and engaged in hands-on activities in labs and studios [4]. Similarly, on March 6, 2024, ASU ran a “Craft Your Career” workshop for students from Al-Hawar International School [4], featuring interactive career-planning exercises and skill-building sessions. These in-person campus visits are part of a programmed outreach series to local schools, designed to bridge the gap between secondary education and university life, inspire youth toward higher education, and impart practical skills [4]. (Nature: Educational campus visit & workshop; Organizers: Student Affairs + Community Engagement; Audience: local high school students; Format: in-person on-campus sessions; Programmed recurring school outreach program.)

-Law Faculty Field Training Visits (2024 – In-Person, Programmed)

Throughout 2024, ASU’s College of Law continued its tradition of experiential outreach by taking students on field visits to legal institutions. For instance, in June 2024 the Law Training Unit organized visits to the National General Directorate of Traffic and the Military Judiciary Department [6]. Under faculty supervision, law students engaged with traffic police officials and military judges, observing real-world legal procedures and receiving on-site lectures. These visits, often conducted in cooperation with government ministries, form a programmed component of the law curriculum to strengthen students’ practical skills and serve the legal community (e.g. by aiding public legal awareness during visits). (Nature: Educational field trip; Organizers: College of Law faculty; Audience: law students with government hosts; Format: in-person off-campus visit; Programmed as part of academic outreach training.)

-Community Debate and Awareness Initiatives (2024 – In-Person, Ad Hoc)

ASU has continued to partner with civil society in 2024 to host issue-based public events. (For example, late in 2023, the university co-hosted a “Walk with the Blind” awareness march in Manama in collaboration with the Bahraini Blind Society, involving ASU student volunteers – ad hoc event.) In 2024, plans were made for joint public debates and panel discussions with local NGOs (such as the Bahrain Talent & Creativity Society) on topics of youth representation and social development, building on the successful debate series previously held on campus. (Nature: Public debates and social campaigns; Organizers: Community Engagement Office + NGOs; Audience: general public, special-needs community; Format: in-person events; Ad hoc – event-based collaborations.)

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