While touring partner universities in the United States, November 19-24, Ajman University (AU) Chancellor Karim Seghir served as a visiting lecturer at Temple University (TU). His talk, “Perspectives on Higher Education in the Middle East,” was hosted by TU’s College of Engineering and attended by students, faculty, and staff from colleges and departments across the Philadelphia campus.
Dr. Seghir’s lecture drew from personal and professional experiences in Tunisia, Lebanon, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates to highlight the MENA region’s challenges and opportunities for youth empowerment.
“We are actively and responsibly preparing students for an ever-changing landscape of innovation and groundbreaking advancements. In a relatively short period of time, institutions like Ajman University in the UAE have made an impact on the marketplace of ideas and industry,” Dr. Seghir commented.
“Yet there’s more work to do,” he added. “Universities worldwide share the challenge of an unknown future. International partnerships with student and faculty mobility between countries are becoming an increasingly important tool in preparing a globalized society to solve worldwide issues.”
Dr. Keya Sadeghipour, Dean of the College of Engineering at Temple, said that the Chancellor’s visit “highlights the ever-strengthening bonds with Temple University and international partners like Ajman University, particularly in engineering education. We are thankful that he shared his time and talent with our students and faculty.”
Ajman University’s Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Khaled Assaleh, joined Chancellor Seghir in a full day of meetings with senior TU officials during which time the institutions agreed to enhance their existing partnership through dual degrees and faculty and student exchange schemes between respective dental and engineering colleges. Commencing in 2020 and increasingly over subsequent academic years, groups of AU and TU students will swap locations for intensive coursework and cultural immersion. Faculty also will have the opportunity to work together on both campuses.
“Collaboration between Ajman University and Temple University provides students and faculty with opportunities for learning from the rich diversity in both institutions and build bridges to promote deeper understanding and dialogue on contemporary issues in higher education and society,” said Dr. Amid Ismail, Dean of the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry at Temple.
“The visit by Chancellor Dr. Karim and Vice Chancellor Dr. Khaled has cemented our resolve to continue the collaboration and expand it for the betterment of all.”
AU’s five-day tour also included visits with leadership teams at Rutgers University in New Jersey, the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, and the University of New Hampshire.