Dr. Saeed Salman Represents AUST at Board Meeting of Union of Arab Universities in Syria
H.E. Dr. Saeed Abdullah Salman, President of Ajman University of Science & Technology (AUST), has participated in the 43rd meeting of the Executive Board of the Union of Arab Universities held at the University of Aleppo in Syria. He also attended a number of parallel meetings. Topics under discussion included conferences and events in Arab, regional and international institutions in the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Malaysia, Ghana, the Netherlands, France and Italy. Membership and budgetary matters were also discussed. It was recorded that seminars and conferences in which the Union participated in the last year included ones on "Water in the Arab World," "The Use of the Arabic Language in Education, Higher Education, and the Labor Market," "Priorities of Scientific Research in Arab Universities," "Economic Crisis and Its impact on the Arab World," "Applications of Stem Cells in Medicine," "Climate Change and Environmental Problems in the Arab World," "The Role of Universalities in Promoting Dialogue among Civilizations," and "Renewable and Alternative Energy Use and the Prospects for Peaceful Application of Nuclear Energy." It was agreed that the next union conference will be held at the University of Bahrain.
Regarding matters of Union membership, the number of academic institutions (both governmental and private) which applied for membership was 13, from a variety of Arab countries. The request of the Sudan Academy for Sciences, and the University of Andalusia in Yemen for conversion of membership from active to participant was also discussed. In budgetary sessions, the 2010 budget was earmarked for the financing of scientific projects such as support of scientific journals, science research awards, support of the Arab Forum for Training, support of the Arab Council for training students of the Arab Universities Union, support for the council of Quality Insurance, and support for the Arab Scientific Skills inventory project abroad.
AUST joined the Arab Universities Union in 2000, and since that time Dr. Saeed Salman, President, has made many contributions, for example by sharing with members AUST's approach to issues of common interest such as the use of Arabic in internal and external correspondence, valuing Arabic as a live and international language, and the creation of Centers of Excellence or Elite Houses that have expertise in Arab values and competencies both within and outside the Arab world. Their open approach to globalization and technological developments enable members to contribute positively to the cross-fertilization of culture and dialogue.
H.E. Dr. Salman has also attended forums with heads of academic institutions which aim to explore the promotion and funding of scientific research based on a comprehensive model, taking into account that the development of Arab higher education should not be limited to two types - government and private - but include a third type. This third type should bring together government and private sectors, with ownership and funding shared between them through the creation of a common fund to support scientific research with the aim of promoting education in general and making a real contribution to the development of the Arab and Islamic worlds.