HBMSU Board of Governors

reaffirms commitment to envision the future during first regular meeting

UAE, 18 November 2018 – H.E Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chairman of Police and General Security in Dubai and Chairman of Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University’s (HBMSU) Board of Governors (BOG), chaired the first meeting of the board for the Academic Year 2018-2019. During the meeting, H.E. and the members of the board of governors extended their congratulations to H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and HBMSU’s President, on its recent success of obtaining the approval of the Commission of Academic Accreditation Authority in the Ministry of Education to establish the first artificial intelligence (AI) college in the UAE.

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DuPont Middle East Highlights Importance of Workplace Safety

DuPont Middle East highlights importance of workplace safety to students of Khalifa University of Science & Technology – Petroleum Institute
Initiative aims to strengthen awareness on safety procedures and use of personal protective gear
May 02, 2017DuPont Middle East recently held a seminar on workplace safety for students of Petroleum Institute at the Sas Al Nakhl area. The initiative has been designed to raise awareness among students who will soon be pursuing a career in key industries such as oil, gas, mechanical, chemical and petrochemical, where safety risks are higher than in other sectors. The Petroleum Institute is part of the newly-established Khalifa University of Science and Technology.
As part of the company’s community outreach program, DuPont aims to educate future engineers on the importance of safety regulations to ensure the wellbeing of the workforce while also reducing hazards and risks at the workplace. DuPont has expressed its commitment in raising awareness among university students on established safety procedures and the proper use of specialized protective gears or Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Karim Dirani, Marketing Communications Specialist at DuPont Protection Solutions, discussed common issues in workplace safety and explained the importance of always wearing the right PPEs. The team also conducted a demonstration of Thermo-Man®, the world’s most advanced life-sized thermal burn injury evaluation system. Since the 1970s, the state-of-the-art device has been used worldwide to test the flame resistance of work clothing materials produced by companies across various industries, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, electricity, and fire-fighting services.
 
Dirani said: “Establishing a culture of safety and instilling the habit of protecting one’s self against known risks in the workplace takes a certain degree of awareness that should start even before students begin working as engineers and professionals. DuPont is fully committed to education as an important platform to build and hone the culture of safety and the university is the ideal setting for them to start understanding the value of workplace safety regulations. The seed of awareness has to start here and I fully appreciate the students of Petroleum Institute, for their high regard to this matter as they do with their future profession.”
 
Dr. Ali Al Mansoori, Executive Vice President for Academics at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, added: “We laud DuPont’s efforts to enlighten students on the various aspects of workplace safety and regulations – including the protective gears that can be used and how they are manufactured to protect them. This event definitely contributes to their knowledge and awareness of their future workplaces and what they must never forget as soon as they move on to their roles as professionals in their chosen field.”
 


Amanda Collins, Pearson’s Director of School Services in the Middle East, believes Professional Development for Teachers is Essential to Raising Standard of UAE Schools

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, August 30th, 2016 – A recent article in the UAE’s National newspaper reported that over 20,000 students in Abu Dhabi are currently enrolled in schools deemed as weak or very weak by school inspectors.
The figure was released by the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) following the first round of school inspections that have been conducted as part of the new UAE School Inspection Framework. So far in 2016, 41 schools across Abu Dhabi have been inspected, with 19 schools being categorised by the new reporting structure as either “weak” or “very weak”. The good news is that two schools have fallen into the “outstanding” category and eight schools classed as either “good” or “very” good.
The UAE Ministry of Education launched the new School Inspection Framework in 2015 to unify the various school standard systems that had previously been in place across the seven Emirates. Under the Framework, schools are assessed against a number of criteria, including student achievement, personal and social development of students, teaching and assessment, curriculum, protection, care, guidance and support of students, and leadership and management. Schools are ranked into six categories: outstanding, very good, good, acceptable, weak and very weak.
A school’s performance against the Framework is linked to whether ADEC grants permission for that school to increase its fees. ADEC recently released figures showing that out of the 90 schools requesting a fee increase for the 2016-2017 academic year, 39 applications were rejected, suggesting a significant percentage of schools were not meeting basic Framework criteria.
The launch of the new system is no doubt a step in the right direction when it comes to understanding the quality of teaching and learning taking place in the UAE, with identification of issues the first step in building a strong, future-proof education system.
The real question is what do we do with this information? How can we use the valuable data collected from school inspections to shape positive reforms that will have a positive impact on both teachers and their students?
The report ADEC released following the first round of inspections noted that of the 19 schools falling into the “weak” or “very weak” category, 14 have failed to improve over the past three inspections. This is troublesome, as it suggests that despite the deficiencies being identified in schools, little progress is being made in redressing these issues.
The inspections in Abu Dhabi have shown that many of the greatest challenges facing our schools relate to the quantity and quality of available teaching staff. ADEC reported that September to December 2016 saw a turnover rate of teachers of 20% in Abu Dhabi schools. Absenteeism has been cited as a major issue, with the National newspaper also reporting a high number of teachers failing to turn up to class.  Anecdotal evidence suggests several reasons for high rates of absenteeism amongst teachers, including unsustainable workloads and a lack of knowledge about new reporting and compliance obligations. Recent media articles have suggested that as well as long work hours, high levels of stress are leading to “scores” of teachers in the UAE resigning.
Ongoing training and professional development for educators must therefore be at the heart of any solution to the main challenges being experienced within our schools. Those schools that rate highly on the new School Inspection Framework all enjoy strong and effective leadership – but the strong leadership exhibited in these high performing schools is no accident. Effective school leadership requires an ongoing commitment to professional learning and development on behalf of school principals and others within the school leadership team. Senior educators in our schools need to be constantly updated with the skills, knowledge and confidence necessary to deal with the complex challenges impacting modern school environments. Importantly, they must also be well equipped to guide the wider school community through changes to curriculum, assessment and reporting.
As already mentioned, absenteeism and high turnover of teachers can be, at least in part, explained by teachers feeling overwhelmed by new regulations and ill-equipped to deal with the multitude of other complex challenges facing today’s educators. Professional Development that specifically helps teachers and school leaders to implement reforms that will help improve their school’s performance during inspections is essential – with emphasis on improving learner outcomes all important. Schools need to be supported in their efforts to keep good staff. Increased pay for teachers as an incentive to stay is not always a sustainable option, but increased and improved Professional Development is. And while many school leaders are reluctant to invest in staff training for fear that if teachers leave it will be a waste of money, these leaders need to realise that it is often this investment in teachers that encourages them to stay, and give their best to a school.
Many weak schools are unaware of how to effectively use data to improve school performance and classroom instruction. Technology is often heralded as a panacea to fixing major education issues. But too often technology is unfortunately viewed by teachers as more of a hindrance than a help – largely due to technology being implemented without the training and support necessary to ensure it is used effectively. The result is teachers feeling burdened rather than empowered by technology – resenting its introduction and failing to exploit its potential as a way of making the teaching, assessment and reporting process more efficient and effective. We need to take steps to ensure data and technology are used optimally, benefiting school performance rather than hindering it. One of the easiest ways of achieving this is making the relevant training more effective and accessible.
So, in short, there are some important lessons that we can take from the findings of the first round of school inspections conducted under the new Framework. Giving educators and school leaders the tools, confidence and capabilities to address the issues being picked up will help us to build a robust school system. This is essential for ensuring each and every learner in the UAE is being given the best chance of meeting their potential in a schools that comply with the Ministry of Education’s new standards. 


University Partners with University of Madrid to Host Lectures on Architecture

 Abu Dhabi, UAE, 4thJune, 2014 – ALHOSN University hosted delegates from the Universidad Europea de Madrid (UEM) for a series of 3 lectures on architecture. The knowledge-sharing event was the first of its kind since a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the two universities in October 2013. Students and faculty had the opportunity of sharing with world-renowned Spanish professors and architects in-depth lectures, seminars and discussions of major academic interest.
The event opened on Monday afternoon with a talk on The Modernity of Al Hambra by Dr. Miguel Jaime, Assistant professor of the Department of Architectural Engineering, ALHOSN University, he said, “The Islamic Palace of Al Hambra is a masterpiece of architecture. The Alhambra is part of the lost history of the contributions of Islamic culture to western modernity. Owen Jones, the founder of British design, was so obsessed with the palace that he derived the principles of modern design from it. Le Corbusier based his famous “Architectural Promenade” on Arabic architecture and it is at the Alhambra that this inspiration is clearest. In Spain, La Alhambra inspired the reinterpretation of modern international style giving birth to some of the best contemporary Spanish architecture”
Professors from UEM followed Dr. Jaime with their seminars on recent developments in the sector of architecture and education. Dr. Pedro Pablo Arroyo, Academic Director of Architecture, Building Engineering and Civil Engineering UEM conducted a talk on Building the Cities of the Future: Contemporary Golden Age of Spanish Architecture. It was followed by a seminar on Metacities and the Education of the Future by Dr. Jose Luis Esteban Penelas, Chair and Professor UEM & Director of the AIR Labs Research Group, and Nestor Montenegro, Assistant Professor UEM, Director of the Tricontinental Masters in Integrated Architectural Projects.
ALHOSN University is honoured to have the opportunity to host these acclaimed professors of UEM. They have many awards and achievements to their name. “The topics for the seminar are pertinent and a reflection of the growth in industry. The sessions have been of great benefit to our students as they develop a deeper understanding of architecture from a multicultural perspective This is the first step of many to further to the relationship between the two universities, and a prelude to many more mutually rewarding opportunities.
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About ALHOSN University:
ALHOSN University currently consists of 3 Faculties: Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, which includes the Department of Education, English Department and Social Sciences Department; Faculty of Business, which includes the Departments of Business Administration and Management Information Systems; and the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences, which includes the Departments of Architectural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Interior Design, Software Engineering, and Urban Planning.
ALHOSN University is in Al Musalla- Abu Dhabi, it was founded in 2005. It followed a segregated learning system with separate study buildings for men and women. Since its conception, ALHOSN University has introduced exciting programs in a variety of disciplines that are in great demand nationally, regionally, and internationally. 
About the speakers from Universidad Europea de Madrid:
Dr. Pedro Pablo Arroyo: Director of the Department of Architecture, UEM. Educated in Spain, Argentina, Japan and UK (2 PhD degrees + Postdoc), Dr. Pedro Pablo has professional practice offices in Shanghai and Madrid. Has published and exhibited his work in in USA, Japan, Italy (Venice Biennale) and Spain. His research has focused mainly on bridging the gap between art and architecture, public housing, CAD, and heritage. His practice has received several awards in China, Spain and USA.


GETEX Spring 2014 Offers Tailor-Made Sponsorship Opportunities to Global Education Services Providers

Leading international educational institutions looking to benefit from UAE’s AED 10.2 million private education sector
UAE, March 31st, 2014 – According to recent reports, the GCC student population has witnessed a steady growth and is predicted to reach 11.3 million by 2020. The UAE’s private education sector is the biggest in the region with an estimated value of AED 10.2 million. With greater emphasis by the government on enhancing education standards in the country, through various progressive strategies and policies, the UAE boasts a lucrative investment landscape for leading regional and global education institutions.  
GETEX, the Gulf Education & Training Exhibition, Middle East’s longest running student sourcing event, presents a host of value-added sponsorship opportunities for international education providers, academic institutions and ancillary service providers. Running from April 9 to 11, 2014 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC), the region’s most renowned student recruitment fair will serve as an effective gateway for education providers to achieve maximum brand exposure as well as instant market penetration into the UAE’s education market. Besides ensuring brand visibility to a mass target audience, GETEX sponsorships encompass a longer brand recall that transcends beyond the duration of the show itself.  
A new feature of the show, sponsoring the Counsellors Forum will provide an easy passage for education providers to reach out to practicing student counsellors in the UAE, who play the role of influencers and specifiers in shortlisting higher education options for students. Aside from the benefit of being noticed and endorsed for a study program, there will also be a speaking slot for sponsors at this forum. 
Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), explained the value of the various sponsorship opportunities at GETEX: “As organizers of GETEX, we have over the years, become more and more attuned to our clients’ ongoing marketing challenges as they encounter progressively higher competitive pressures and constraints in communicating their marketing messages to a specific target audience. Having been involved with the sector for over a quarter of a century, we realize that Education is increasingly becoming ‘marketing-driven’. We are pleased that GETEX sponsorship programmes have always delivered great value to education and training institutes, owing to their unique, customized quality of taking into account the specific branding needs of the sponsor and offering them a targeted value in return for their investment. Brand visibility, an event-based focus and instant networking opportunities are just some of the benefits associated with GETEX sponsorship offers.”
GETEX 2014 is supported by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, the Dubai Knowledge Village and the Dubai International Academic City. Spread across an area of 14,000 square meters, the event will facilitate the interaction between students and educational institutions from India, Australia, USA, Canada, UK, Malaysia, Turkey, Lebanon, Ireland, and all over the world. It will enable over 30,000 students to know more about 2,500 featured programs from universities worldwide. For more information, log on to: http://www.mygetex.com/.  


Nord Anglia Education – Abu Dhabi

English is one of the most spoken languages in the world with over 500 million speakers. It is also the official language of more countries than any other language. As a result, many countries  If you have children and plan to send them to school in Abu Dhabi, then it’s in your best interest to ensure that English is a part of the curriculum. Our capability to learn languages is at its peak when we are younger and children have a natural aptitude for languages that can flourish in the right environment. In Abu Dhabi, learning to speak English is an incredibly important life skill, one that can have a significant impact on your future.

For example, if you want to enter university in Abu Dhabi then you need to know the English language. In the case of Abu Dhabi, the Head of the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Development Nahyan bin Mubarak stressed the importance of its citizens maintaining a bi-lingual culture between Arabic and English. He believes that knowing English allows Abu Dhabi to remain connected to other parts of the world, and he’s not wrong. The English language has played a huge part in the world of international business and often serves as a common language between countries, and there’s a huge array of jobs and opportunities out there for bi or multi-linguists. Knowing more than one language is a sure fire way to open doors in Abu Dhabi.  
Because this focus on language is so strong, this means that every application to university is subject to being rewarded the relevant score for your course. Students will not be able to start their degrees unless they pass the English test and there are no plans for this to change any time soon. Thankfully this focus on languages has resulted in the installation of excellent linguistics programmes in the country’s schools. After all, if it’s a national requirement to know English in order to attend university then it’s in the country’s best interest to ensure that this is happening. Nord Anglia Education, for example, has a school in Abu Dhabi that offers a comprehensive linguistics programme as part of their curriculum, which includes English. Knowing English will allow your children to succeed in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere, helping them to find good work as well as offering them fantastic opportunities overseas. Essentially, learning English is a requirement if you’re interested in further education, one that is to be taken very seriously. Securing your child a place in one of these schools is an absolute must.
 
As you can see, English is a language of equal importance to the native Arabic in modern Abu Dhabi, and it’s one that’s playing an increasingly key part in its residents’ lives. If you have children and are raising them in Abu Dhabi, then you should be considering whether this is being in their education at present or what your long-term plans are for when your children do begin school.


Regional Education 2020 Forum Debuts in Abu Dhabi

Expo, TOFE to facilitate state-of-the-art learning environments in Middle East
Abu Dhabi, UAE, January 29th, 2014 – The Education 2020 Conference & Exhibition, a holistic education showcase event catering to growing education and training sector needs in the Middle East, makes its debut today (Wednesday, January 29, 2014) at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the UAE capital. Running until January 31st2014, the much-anticipated event offers an ideal business-to-business platform for education leaders and academic professionals, suppliers, vendors, and solution providers, to bring a positive change in the educational landscape of the region.
The Education 2020 Conference will be held in conjunction to the exhibition and it will address regionally-based teachers and academic leaders on a diverse range of topics, including the Reformation of Education, the Development of 21st Century Skills for the Delivery of Education, Multimedia and Mobile Learning, the Effective Use of Technology in Classrooms, Content and Language Integrated Learning and other issues pertaining to today’s learning environment. Supported by TESOL Arabia, the Conference will provide hands-on experience to the teaching community to equip them with techniques to educate future generations. 
Education 2020 will also host a dedicated section on ‘Industry-Ready Education’ under the banner Technical, Occupational and Further Education (TOFE) for students who are looking for affordable and certified study options. This segment will highlight the importance of occupational education in developing talent and enhancing expertise at the workplace.
Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), said: “The UAE is poised to develop a state-of-the-art educational infrastructure to professionally equip and groom its youth for the dynamic job market of the country. The growing economic prosperity of the UAE along with the upcoming World Expo 2020 will create abundant job opportunities in the next decade. This will require a workforce that is appropriately qualified to take up the challenges of new jobs and vocations. Education 2020 and TOFE will showcase Education in the New Age and spotlight educational programs and courses for students as well as technology-driven means of delivering education for education providers, all in all promoting the dynamic education landscape of the UAE.” 
Education 2020 is expected to attract visitors from across the Middle East who will visit the show to examine products, discuss issues critical to education delivery and network with the region’s education fraternity. For more information, please log on to http://www.educationabudhabi.com/and http://www.tafeuae.com.  


UAE’s Largest Education, Training & Careers Exhibition to Showcase Latest & Best Higher Education & Employment Opportunities

ALHOSN highlights latest courses, recommended career options at NAJAH 2013
UAE, October 29th, 2013 – ALHOSN University, a leading Abu Dhabi-based university dedicated to high-quality, value-based education, has announced that its latest programs and services and multinational educator profiles will all feature at NAJAH 2013, the latest edition of the UAE’s largest education, training and careers expo running from today (Tuesday, October 29, 2013) to October 31, 2013 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. 
Held under the patronage and in the presence of H.E. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Culture, Youth, and Community Development, NAJAH 2013 gathers students, parents, professionals, government personnel, and fresh graduates to discuss and explore the latest and best local and regional career, training, education and employment opportunities. 
ALHOSN University, the event’s registration and lanyard sponsor, will highlight its three latest programs catering to individuals interested in productive careers in Human Resources, Marketing and Finance at Stand J20 of the venue. It will also explain how its programs endorsed by the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) offer prime opportunities for engineering students and professionals. 
Moreover, the university will emphasize how its multinational educators from 25 different countries help students pursue higher education under the spirit of ‘global knowledge with local vision.’
“As one of the most highly anticipated education, training and career events in the country and across the region, NAJAH enables us to draw attention to our world-class programs and how they can benefit learners, graduates and potential employers alike. Over the past year we have made key enhancements to our services and course offerings which fit NAJAH’s message of educational and career excellence. We expect the same kind of enthusiastic, positive response that our university has enjoyed in our past participations at the exhibition,” said Prof. Munther Talal Momany, Vice Chancellor and CEO, ALHOSN University. 
NAJAH 2013 is fully supported by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the Abu Dhabi Education Council. During the event, Bayt.com, the leading online recruitment website in the MENA region, will hold a CV Clinic, while AIESEC, the world’s largest student-run organization, will conduct a series of workshops which registered visitors can attend for free. Complete event details are available at http://www.najahonline.com.
Named after Abu Dhabi’s historic ALHOSN Palace, ALHOSN University was founded in 2005 by the Abu Dhabi Holding Company in response to growing local demand for high-quality, value-based educational institutions. The university offers 18 undergraduate and 11 postgraduate degrees under the Faculties of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Business, and Arts and Social Sciences. ALHOSN accepts students of all nationalities and also accommodates youths with special needs. All its programs are accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.


British Council hosts tour of UK academics to connect with UAE’s booming real estate & construction sectors.

Tour to highlight need for customised university programmes to further professionalise the sector
Dubai, UAE, 24 October 2013: Academics from leading UK universities with expertise in the construction industry will be in Dubai on Saturday (26 October) at British Council office and on Sunday (27 October) at Centro Capital Centre Hotel in Abu Dhabi to highlight graduate and postgraduate programmes for students looking for specialisations in real estate and construction in UK universities.
The visit comes at a time when the UAE real estate market is continuing its steady climb, boosted by increased investor confidence, says Marc Jessel, Country Director, British Council, United Arab Emirates.
“The British Council is organising this tour to enable UK academics from leading UK universities to connect with decision makers from the booming UAE real-estate and construction sectors. The tour will focus building on the existing professionalism in these sectors by offering the region’s students tailored graduate and postgraduate programmes,” he added.
He said: “On the back of dramatic growth of the UAE construction and real estate sectors in recent months, interest in construction-related postgraduate degrees is on the rise. Moreover, the UAE government has identified the construction and real estate industries as two key drivers of diversification of the nation’s economy and, eventually, reducing dependence on the oil and gas sectors.”
Jessel added that the UAE government demonstrates strong commitment and vision to improve education amongst all sectors, including real estate and property.
“Our aim is to introduce the visiting delegates to representatives from scholarship agencies, education agents, educational institutions and potential students with the goal of helping them understand the structure and content of various programmes, opportunities for postgraduate study and career prospects.”
British Council said the tour demonstrates the commitment of the UK education sector to support skills development in the real estate sector in the UAE by developing programmes in direct response to the needs of the UAE construction industry.
“This event will bring together internationally renowned academic experts from the fields of property & construction management, quantity surveying, construction cost management, sustainable construction, construction project management, real estate management & development and facilities management,” Jessel said.
Panel speakers at the event include Professor Joseph H.M. Tah, Head of Department and Professor in Project Management, Oxford Brookes University, Dr Abbas  Elmualim, Associate Professor in Sustainable Built Environment, University of Reading, Professor Tarek Hassan, Professor of Construction Informatics, Loughborough University, Dr Ian Smith, Head of the School of Engineering & the Built Environment, Edinburgh Napier University, and Andrew King, Senior Lecturer, College of Art & Design and Built Environment, Nottingham Trent University.

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Digital Poetry’ Bridging Gap between Youths & Traditional Literary Art Forms

ALHOSN University’s Reading Club hosts lecture by ADTA adviser Dr. Mohamed Weld Abdi on the future of poetry
Abu Dhabi, UAE, September 30, 2013 – ALHOSN University’s Reading Club recently welcomed poet and critic Dr. Mohamed Weld Abdi, an adviser for the Abu Dhabi Authority for Tourism and Culture, who delivered a lecture on ‘The Future of Poetry in the World: Towards a Digital Horizon.’

Dr. Abdi gave a brief history of Arabic literature and explained the major impact that the dawning of the digital age has had on the development of poetry.  He also talked about the growing trend among young people to make ‘digital poems’ which he said can be of great help in maintaining interest in poetry among youths and empower them to express their thoughts and concerns.

The event was attended by H.E. Prof. Munther Momany, Vice Chancellor and CEO of ALHOSN University; Dr. Adel Khleifi, Academic Provost; Dr. Mohamed Kashef, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research; Dr. Khalid Hayari, Dean of Student Affairs; Dr. Mohammed Said Hasab Elnabi, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the supervisor of the Reading Club; and Dr. Hassan Al-Samerrai, Associate Professor in Education. A number of faculty members, staff and students were also present.
“Poetry is one of the highest forms of literary art. It allows humanity to express its deepest thoughts and voice all its hope and dreams. It is a practice and a passion that we must preserve and uplift among our youths. We appreciate Dr. Abdi’s efforts to share the wonders of poetry to a new generation and show how modern facets of life such as digitization can help bring a better understanding and appreciation of literary works,” said Dr. Mohamed Saeed, Dean of Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, ALHOSN University.
Prior to the event, Dr. Elnabi guested in Abu Dhabi TV’s ‘From Abu Dhabi’ program to discuss the various activities of ALHOSN University’s Reading Club which has been active since 2010. He shared the club’s vision of hosting intellectuals, writers, poets, those interested in heritage and history, and talented kids and adults. He also touched on the future of poetry, saying that poetry is one of the finest creations of humanity. He particularly lauded the meaning, imagination, morality and creativity conveyed by Arab poetry. Dr. Elnabi added that today’s writers have to contend with a younger generation that is generally disinterested with poetry. He said that the Reading Club is trying to revive interest in poetry and reading and writing in general.
Dr. Abdi’s talk was followed by spritited discussions where Prof. Momany aired his concerns over the protection of the Intellectual Property Rights of poets on the internet, explaining that texts can be easily added or deleted to uploaded works and thus compromise original versions. He called for new safeguards for literary works and also compared the development of poetry to the historical evolution of architecture.
Prof. Djamal Eddin Laouisset from the College of Business also discussed the important role being played by the UAE in collecting and preserving literary and poetic heritage and presenting it to today’s readers.
Prof. Momany presented Dr. Abdi a plaque of appreciation from ALHOSN University for his valuable contributions to the literary arts at the end of the session. The Reading Club also gave Dr. Abdi a Certificate of Appreciation for enriching its activities.

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