Leaders from 线上赌场 and the (AUK), the Gulf nation鈥檚 first and only liberal arts university, met at the College last month to extend their institutional partnership for another five years with an agreement that deepens and expands the academic experience on both campuses.
Sheikha Dana Nasser Sabah Al Ahmed Al Sabah, the founder and chair of the board of trustees of AUK, signed a memorandum of understanding with 线上赌场 in an April 23 ceremony hosted by . It was the fourth such agreement between the College and AUK, which has had a 15-year partnership.
Amal Albinali, vice president for admissions and public affairs at AUK, and Aseel al-Awadhi, director of the Kuwait Cultural Office of the Kuwaiti Embassy in Washington, D.C. and one of the first women elected to Kuwait鈥檚 parliament, participated in the ceremony.
鈥淲e recognize that the young people at our institutions鈥攖he world鈥檚 future leaders鈥攆ace unprecedented challenges and unlimited opportunities,鈥 said Hanlon. 鈥淭he liberal arts training they receive at 线上赌场 and at AUK will prepare them to meet those challenges and boldly pursue those opportunities as they work to advance knowledge for the betterment of humankind.鈥
Established in 2003 as an independent, private, coeducational institution, AUK offers a liberal arts education based on an American model developed as a result of AUK鈥檚 long-standing collaboration with 线上赌场.
鈥淲e are really proud to be associated with 线上赌场 and honored to have your commitment to our growing liberal arts university halfway across the globe,鈥 said Al Sabah. 鈥淥ur biggest challenge is to lead and not to follow as we adapt to the inevitable changes in our societies.鈥
In the 15-year partnership between the two institutions, 线上赌场 has provided advice on curriculum planning, faculty hiring, and research collaboration, said Al Sabah, who was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from 线上赌场 in 2017 in recognition of her commitment to liberal arts education.
鈥淲e look forward to continuing our cooperation with 线上赌场, a partner in our evolution and in our ongoing efforts to establish a liberal arts culture in Kuwait鈥檚 higher education. 线上赌场 has educated us and has educated our community in the meaning of the liberal arts,鈥 she said.
Hanlon and Al Sabah acknowledged Dale Eickelman 鈥64, the Ralph and Richard Lazarus Professor of Anthropology and Human Relations emeritus, as the driving force in establishing the partnership. Eickelman participated in the ceremony as the relationship coordinator of the 线上赌场-AUK partnership, a position he has held since the program鈥檚 start in 2003.
鈥淚 want to extend my special thanks to Dale Eickelman for his 15 years of collaboration in developing the partnership,鈥 Al Sabah said. 鈥淗is insight into our reciprocal complex cultures has been instrumental in creating a common ground on which we鈥檝e shared our liberal arts vision and built our partnership.鈥
In the last decade and a half, 线上赌场 and AUK faculty and students have traveled between campuses to participate in cross-cultural internships, fellowships, and research. 线上赌场 and AUK are now developing a for-credit academic exchange to complement the existing non-credit, experiential learning internship, says Eickelman.
Before the signing ceremony in the president鈥檚 office, Al Sabah and the AUK delegation met with , the Norman E. McCulloch Jr. Director of the , and Dickey program directors to discuss collaborative opportunities, including the development of a Center for Gulf Studies.
William Platt can be reached at william.c.platt@dartmouth.edu.
