Dr. Saleh Al Shamrani, the University President, began welcoming and extending his sincere acknowledgement to everyone for accomplishment of the first semester.
Additionally, he acknowledged as well the dean of Admission and Registration and her team for their great and untiring efforts in finalizing the preparation of the second semester. Then, he welcomed the new faculty members in the dentistry department and basic science department and made his announcement regarding management of the registered students in the e-gate and the long-weekend vacation and one-week vacation schedules on the coming week of the semester in which they need to make sure of the arrangements of the lecture or any activity schedules during these vacations through distant learning.
Afterwards, Respected Board of Trustees Chairman, Prof. Abdullah Al Shammery delivered his heartwarming and significant message in accordance to his point of view of what he has learned and what everybody has learned from the distant learning in the past two years. He shared how he used his time in updating himself through searching different websites pertaining to the things going on around the world in regard to the present virtual system of education which he thinks will reflect to the improvement of the system of the university’s education as well. He then shared a simple video about “The Future of Education Technology” which discusses the way the students have to learn remotely through the use various devices and flatforms at the present time and which he found that the opinion has presented in the video by its speaker is exactly as what he believes. He added that he will make a challenge to everyone to give their own opinion as well by the end of the video for them send to the quality assurance email to present on the next symposium which he clearly mentioned will be given a price to the three selected best opinions.
The preparation made for the second semester was then discussed by the Dr. Sarah Mubaraki, Dean of Admission and Registration in which she briefly explained the update and modification they have done based on the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education protocols and in regard to the pandemic. She also reminded all considering the things that might cause some changes or differences in adding and dropping and so that they need to give time in comparing the final list between the e-learning and the e-gate for them to coordinate them to the department chairmen for final updating.
It was followed by the Quality Assurance and Accreditation Center, Dr. Ammar Abu Mostafa by discussing its achievements and plans through its four units which are Education and Assessment Unit, Performance Measurement Unit, Strategic Planning Unit and Staff Development Unit. Furthermore, he also discussed the QA – Related Electronic Programs which consists of Quality Assurance and Accreditation System and REU Electronic Archive which is strongly believe to be significantly will enhance the process of quality and will make it more precise and more predictable.
Subsequently, the academic advisory process that happened in the previous semester and the updates that are happening distantly which was discussed by Dr. Rakan Shaheen, Academic Advisory Coordinator who has formed the report through the help of the heads of the academic advisor committees.
After all these, the university Vice-President, Prof. Mansour Assery opened the forum and discussion to give chance to everybody to give their valuable insights, comments and acknowledgements. There were some who grab the opportunity to express and share their essential thoughts that have also contributed to make the symposium done meaningfully and successfully. At the latter time, Prof. Assery gave his warmest concluding remarks.
