February 21, 2020,

Professor Hassan Hamdan Al Alkim, President of the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK), held a meeting with staff to inform them about recent and future developments.

He told the assembled staff members “You have the right to know where we are going and what we are doing.”

The main themes of Prof. Hassan’s presentation were the development of the facilities on the AURAK campus, the new programs in the pipeline and the importance of feedback and ideas from staff.

He talked about how the campus has developed from mostly prefabricated buildings into the modern campus that exists now and which is being added to, including a new library currently under construction. The AURAK campus now has five food and drink outlets in total, with Tim Hortons coffee shop having opened recently. Other facilities are coming soon just outside the campus, the president said. “My vision for this university … is that everything you need as a student is close by or within walking distance,” Prof. Hassan told the meeting.

He mentioned renovations to buildings to ensure they make a good impression.  “We need to invest. We need to show [parents] that this is the place you can bring your kid,” he said.

“The good thing with education is that there is continuous enhancement and improvement,” Prof. Hassan said.

The President said that now that AURAK has successfully achieved accreditation with the US body SACSCOC, the university would now use its freedom to develop and introduce new programs.

Prof. Hassan said he was keen to hear ideas and feedback from staff including criticism. “You are now helping us to achieve our objectives. For that reason I’m keen to meet with you once a year at least. To listen, to hear from you. I know that you guys have ideas.” He told the staff that he wanted to “hear from you what we can do to make AURAK a leading institution in the region.”

AURAK’s president was keen to stress the importance of doing things properly. “We are not a degree mill. We have chosen the quality way. We know it’s tough. We know it’s difficult. But that’s our way. That’s our philosophy for education.”