NEWS
he University of Bahrain Hosts the Middle East Conference of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
Sakhir – University of Bahrain (Khadija Abdul Salam)
March 2, 2022
The President of the University of Bahrain, Dr. Jawaher bint Shaheen AlMudhaki, stressed the importance of quality assurance in higher education institutions, and its role in achieving and maintaining national, regional, and international quality through accreditation, research, and strategic planning.
Dr. AlMudhaki made this statement at the opening of the “Middle East Conference of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)” at the university premises in Sakhir, on Wednesday March 2, 2022, in the presence of (AACSB) accreditors, coordinators, experts, deans of business schools from many universities, faculty members as well as several participants.
The Dean of the College of Business Administration, University of Bahrain, Prof. Prof. Hatem bin Mahmoud Al-Masry, welcomed the 113 participants from 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa, noting the importance of this conference due to its impact on developing business schools in various universities.
Executive Vice President for Europe, Middle East, and Africa at AACSB International, Timothy Miscon, expressed his happiness for holding the conference at UoB, after two years of hiatus due to Coronavirus pandemic. He added that the conference focuses on quality assurance and learning initiatives in business education, especially in the Middle East and North Africa.
For her part, President and CEO of AACSB, Caryn Beck-Dudley, noted the importance of the conference in creating an environment for exchanging experiences on risk assessment, quality assurance, rethinking and reshaping our view of education.
The President of UoB, Dr. AlMudhaki, presented a session entitled “Quality Assurance for Universities and Business Schools” in which she emphasized the importance of quality assurance, the role of the accreditation process in the internationalization and mobility of faculty members, and the impact of regional and international quality assurance networks on quality assurance in higher education. She touched on benefits of global alliances and partnerships in making a positive impact on societies, verifying the quality of education on an international level, and the experience of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Dr. AlMudhaki also pointed to institutional challenges, how to address them and prepare for the future by redefining the purpose of education, developing human capabilities, emphasis on the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), adopting lifelong learning models, and developing teacher training.
The Dean of the College of Business and Economics, Qatar University, Prof. Adam Fadlallah, and the Dean of the College of Business Administration, the American University in Cairo, Dr. Sherif Hussein Kamel, provided examples of their experience with business schools in the region, which enhance and ensure the quality of research. They also talked about opportunities in basic, applied, and educational research, and related challenges in the Middle East and North Africa.
Dean of Saint Joseph University of Beirut, Dr. Fouad Zmokhol, and Dean of the Mediterranean School of Business (MSB), Dr. Laila Triki, referred to the risk assessment process to analyze the error involved, its probability, and consequences, through real examples from their institutions in Tunisia. and Lebanon. They also presented control measures and the risk management matrix, to eliminate, reduce or control potential risks.
The Dean of the American University in Dubai, Dr. Assaad Farah, Associate Professor and Dean of College of Business, Effat University, Jeddah, Dr. Iman Nuwayra, and the Director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation at Ahlia University, Dr. Israa Al Dhaen, provided examples of best practices and lessons learned from colleges that implement peer review visits and the steps taken before, during and after the visit, whether online or offline. They explained that engaging faculty and staff, building relationships with the team, managing logistics, conducting an earlier visit, and raising the awareness of various stakeholders of their roles would ensure smooth and successful peer review visits.
The session of “Standard 9: Best Measurement Practices and Highlighting Achievements” was presented by the Director of Accreditation at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, Dr. Anthony Devine, and Executive Vice President for Europe, Middle East and Africa at AACSB International, Timothy Miscon, to effectively share organizations’ perspectives on the institution’s societal impact, present communication strategies, clarifying achievements, and ensure that efforts are aligned with goals and missions.
The final session of the first day entitled “Scholarship Impact: Time to Consider Societal Impact” was presented by Dr. Israa Al-Dhaen, Director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation at Ahlia University, Associate Dean of the College of Business Administration, the University of Dubai, Dr. Udo Brindel, and Assistant Dean for International Accreditation Affairs, University of Jordan, Dr. Laila Ali Dahabiya. The Association shared practices of different business schools, which reflect current quantitative practices related to intellectual influence, provide new strategies for assessing societal impact from a new perspective, and clarify measures of societal impact through the participation of internal and external stakeholders, in addition to the measures that other business schools can adopt.
