After its Application on its Students

After its Application
on its Students

UOB Holds its
Meetings Remotely

22 March 2020

The head of the Information
Networks Division at the University of Bahrain (UOB), Suhaib Mohammed Al-Abdi,
stated that “The University has recently adopted a mechanism for holding
distance meetings and learning by using one of the Microsoft Office 365
applications, as one of the precautionary measures taken to prevent gatherings
and mixing at the University to combat Corona virus (Covid-19).”.

Al-Abdi explained that the
applications used in learning or working remotely allow using the camera and
microphone, as well as the exchange of live conversations, and sharing files
and work in real time, not to mention the ability to teach on the electronic whiteboard.
Indicating that training workshops will be held for the academic staff by a
Microsoft representative on methods of using distance learning technology.

Moreover, he emphasized that this
technology has several advantages, including that it has an open capacity, it
is loaded on cloud computing, allows anyone to participate in it from any part
of the world, and it always allows a real-time interaction.

On her part, Secretary of the
Facilities Office at UOB, Zahra Issa Ali, confirmed the success, effectiveness
and flexibility of the teleconferencing experience, stating that “We
recently held a remote meeting for the Risk Management Committee, and the experience
was successful by all standards, and we hope to continue this approach in the
future because of its advantages.”

She further added that “The
remote meeting is more effective than face-to-face meetings, as it pushed those
meeting to focus more, as there are no side discussions or interruptions. The
microphone is opened to the speaker and closed for the rest of those meeting if
someone speaks,” noting that in line with directives to work remotely, holding
remote meetings will increase in the next period, as only 50% of employees work
on campus, while the rest are working from home.

Also, she indicated that holding
meetings remotely contributed to easily setting the meeting date, especially
since the people meeting are distributed in the campuses of the University in
Sakhir and Isa Town, pointing out that the process of arranging the dates of
the meetings often has conflicts, but with the remote meeting mechanism
everyone can participate smoothly in the meeting, and it led to more interaction.
Confirming the great benefit of the remote meeting mechanism, as meetings are recorded
and documented in audio and video.

 

Sustainable Development Goals

4 Quality education

9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Key Words

Remote meetings, distance education, cloud computing, risk
management committee, electronic whiteboard