Prof Riyad Hamzah – New UoB President UoB to Become Technology Led World Class University

Professor Riyad Hamzah, recently appointed the new President of the University of Bahrain, outlined how he plans to establish the university as a high performing, SMART, digital university.

“I see the university working closely with industry to align our teaching, curriculum and assessment with the needs of the Bahrain and GCC economies. That means looking ahead to emerging sectors, particularly in science and technology, and we need to focus on the future, which is a global economy led by technology platforms. Industry is already shaped by technology and this will continue at speed. As a nation, we need to respond to new challenges and look ahead to job sectors that do not even exist yet. The future is based on emerging technologies such as cloud, robotics, artificial intelligence and mobile. Our incubator must be used to help students and graduates to start up technology businesses and grow them into sustainable businesses that create high value income for Bahrain.”

Prof. Hamzah outlined some key actions that he will address as President which include:

Reviewing and restructure of governance and management structures

Review of admission criteria

Restructuring of colleges, including consolidation of some

Establishing a clear strategy for the university

A clear focus on research and postgraduate studies, including establishing a $1m research fund

Focusing on curriculum and teaching to improve student employability

Establish new programmes that are aligned with Bahrain’s key economic sectors

“The requirement in the modern world is that universities must be agile, dynamic and progressive. My job as President is to help staff and students fulfill their potential for the good of the country and the economy.

I will focus on developing the human capital of this university, which means giving our staff the training, skills and technology needed to deliver a world-class education to our students. Our graduates should go on to become leaders of industry and society through the experience at UoB and our graduates be sought after throughout the region. A modern higher education needs to provide students with applied knowledge, technical skills and the soft skills that are needed to prepare students for work but also for life. The Teachers College can become a regional hub for teaching excellence and produce high quality teachers not just for Bahrain but also train teachers from the GCC.

Establishing an international agenda is key to our future success, as collaboration in higher education is vital not just in developing programmes, but in research. I will also attempt to get our alumni again involved with the university, and for our outreach to focus not just on industry, but also on society, to develop lifelong learning for all.

The challenge is there and things will take time to evolve. However, the potential for the university is huge. My role now is to help all students and staff to fulfil their potential, which will establish the University of Bahrain as a world-class institution. “