adwc pearls - Abu Dhabi Women's College - Higher Colleges of ...

Editor:Stacy SmithContributingPhotographers:Latifa Al ShamsiMalcolm McIntyreCordula PetersBaiju SadaContributing Writers:Stacy SmithNadia Al MannaeiLayout and Design:Latifa Al ShamsiContents24 Desert Rose26 SRC Gives Back28 Magnus Nystedt Speaks!30 Robot Competition4 Ajyaluna6 “A Million Wangari’s”7 The Princess Diaries8 Germany Meets the UAE10 Students Set Their “Site” on OPEC12 New Year, New Programs15 National Day16 Wooden Toy Collision19 Creative Expressions 200823 Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign31 Teaching the Teacher to Teach32 5th HCT Maths Conference 200833 Focus on Careers36 IT Challenge 200840 Read @ Your Library41 “Let’s Read!”43 ADMAF @ ADWC44 DesigningBetter People

From the Director’s DeskIt’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the end of another academic year --and yet here we are!It’s been a year of successes and accomplishments, changes and redesigns,and a great deal of tweaking here and there. Some of those tweaks are morenoticeable than others, but our overall goal has always been to make this campusthe absolute best it can be and to produce students and graduates who representthe best this country has to offer.This year, ADWC celebrated the graduation of over 1,000 students who earnedtheir Bachelors, Higher Diplomas, Diplomas and Certificates in the fields of AppliedCommunications, Business, Education, Health Sciences and Information Technology.The ceremony celebrated the culmination of years of hard work and determination onthe part of our students and gave all of us a chance to witness the beautiful “pearls”they have become. Amidst a stunning backdrop of pearl-shaped floral arrangementsand balloons, our own shining pearls held their heads high to receive their academiccredentials. To witness them was a joyful and much appreciated reminder of why weare all here: to help, to encourage and to inspire our students to reach for and achieveacademic success.As a way of further celebrating, congratulating and paying special recognition to themany achievements of our students, we’ve created this new magazine – Pearls.This publication will showcase the many activities and events that take place on thiscampus and provide a positive representation of this dynamic and ever-changingenvironment. This first edition is a look back at the amazing academic year of 2007-2008, and what a year it has been! Our students have been involved in countlessevents, both on and off campus; they have welcomed guests and VIPs from aroundthe world; and they have won awards for their achievements. We recognize andcelebrate their accomplishments and we believe we will see them go on to dogreater things, not only on this campus, but throughout the local, internationaland global community.We have remarkable students and they have had a remarkable year. I’mproud of who they are and what they have accomplished and I hope youwill join me in celebrating them.To every ADWC student, graduate and alumnae -- I wish you allthe very best.Dr. Bradley J. CookDirector

ADWC PEARLSAjyaluna: Learning ShowcaseADWC held its first CollegeOpen Day on 17th December2007. Entitled “Ajyaluna:Learning Showcase,” theevent was held campuswideand featured projectsand exhibitions by ADWCstudents.The overall theme of the eventwas to show the evolutionof learning and many of theexhibits showed how stylesof teaching and learning havedeveloped and progressedover the last several years.Parents, guardians andvisitors were taken on ajourney through time asthey witnessed how learningwas achieved prior to theelectronic age, to learningstyles in the present, to theinfinite possibilities of how wecan all learn in the future. Asvisitors witnessed each era,they were also able to seestudent projects displayed invarious formats throughoutthe exhibit.“The ‘Ajyaluna: LearningShowcase’ is intendedto display our students’work as well as provide abridge between parents andthe campus community,”noted Dr. Cook. “Ajyalunais the Arabic word for ‘ourgeneration,’ and one ofthe main objectives of theevent is to provide a venuefor parents and guardiansto see student progressand to interact with facultyand staff. Another intentionis to develop a permanentmarquee event on campusthat links the communityto ADWC. Although theatmosphere of the event islight and enjoyable, it providesa detailed focus on studentacademic achievement.”The exhibits includedstudent projects from every4ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

program offered on the ADWCcampus, including Business,IT, Education, Health Sciencesand Applied Communications.In addition, the DiplomaSemester 3 Business studentsheld a bazaar to raise funds forcharity, and the Health Sciencesstudents held a Well-WomanEvent to increase awarenessof the importance of women’shealth and nutrition.The Applied Media studentsalso put their works on display.ADWC has been designatedas HCT’s Centre of Excellencein Applied Media Technologyto provide afocal point forthe sharing ofbest practicesand resourcematerial withinthe HCT system. The state-ofthe-artshowcase of graphic artand design projects created by‘This is our generation;this is what we canachieve...’ ~ Stephen Munnsstudentsmadeit clearthat thestudentsare up todate in theuse ofinnovativeand emergenttechnology. “Ajyalunawas a great opportunityfor the students to showoff the range of their works,from video and photographyto graphic design, multimediaand journalism,” noted HelenPearce, ADWC’s Chairof AppliedCommunications.“We are proud tohave displayedour students’talents andto share their work with thecommunity.”Even ADWC’s alumnaeparticipated in theevent. Since itsinception, ADWChas producedover 5,000graduates who are nowemployed in a wide spectrumof professions and sectorsthroughout the UAE. The formerstudents and graduates heldan entrepreneurial booth toshowcase their businessesand services and to encourageADWC students to completetheir education so that theycan make a significant andworthwhile contribution tosociety.“Ajyaluna provided ADWCstudents with the voice to reachout to the community and say:‘This is our generation; this iswhat we can achieve’,” notedStephen Munns, ADWC’sDean of General Education.“The day was an opportunityfor families to take pride in thework of their daughters andfor ADWC to showcase thetechnical and academic levelsthe students reach during thecourse of their learning. Wehope that this event will markthe beginning of a stronger,more innovative relationshipbetween the College and thecommunity, which will in turnafford increased opportunitiesfor our students to demonstratetheir remarkable skills.”

ADWC PEARLS“A Million Wangari’s”:Foundations Students InterviewNobel Laureate Dr. Wangari Maathaioften. The studentsstated that one ofthe greatest lessonsthey learned was tonever underestimatea person basedsolely on looks, andto take the time tolearn about a personbefore making ajudgment. Maryam,Fatima and Ameeraalso learned the realreason for doing agood deed. “Whenyou decide to dosomething, don’tdo it for a prize orto win an award,”said Maryam. “Do itbecause it’s the rightthing to do.”Despite a busy schedule ofspeaking engagements for HCT’sFestival of Thinkers, Dr. WangariMaathai returned to the AbuDhabi Women’s College to meetwith Foundations students todiscuss her life and her work asan environmentalist and politicalactivist.Ameera Rashid, MaryamAbdulrahman and FatimaMohamed Al Marzouqiinterviewed Dr. Maathai in frontof a crowd of over 100 otherFoundations students. Althoughthe three young women werenervous in the beginning, theyquickly took to the challenge ofhandling a face-to-face interviewwith a Nobel Laureate.After reading her biographyand researching her life history,Ameera, Maryam and Fatimarealized that they not onlywanted to meet Dr. Maathai, butthey wanted to spend as muchtime as possible getting to knowher. “What she has done in herlifetime is not just for herself, butfor all women,” noted Ameera.“She is an honor for all women.”The students were veryinterested in Dr. Maathai’schildhood and how shebecame the person she isnow. Recognizing that her lifegrowing up was quite differentfrom theirs, the studentswere intrigued to learn aboutsomeone who went from playingwith tadpoles as a child tobecoming a world-renownedpolitical activist in the field ofenvironmental conservation.During the interview, the studentsspecifically asked Dr. Maathaiwhy she chose her path. DrMaathai explained, “In politics,you can participate in changinglaws. In activism, you can onlycomplain and shout in the street.In Parliament, you can changeand introduce new laws and thatis much more powerful becausethe good laws that you mayhelp to create will continue tobe helpful for the environment,women and the rights of others.”The students agreed that theytook several lessons from theirdiscussion with Dr. Maathai.Throughout the course of theinterview, the topic of respectfor self and for others came upAll of the Foundations studentswere honored that Dr. Maathaimade time in her schedulefor them and they wanted togive her something specialto remember them by. Thestudents created a t-shirt withDr. Maathai’s picture on it andeach of them signed the shirtwith special messages to her.The gift was presented to Dr.Maathai after the interview andshe was visibly moved by thegesture. She hugged each ofthe presenters and commentedwith her trademark smile, “I willcherish this always.”Fatima, Maryam and Ameerahave pledged to continueworking and learning in honor ofDr. Maathai because earning agood education is the best wayto remain a part of her life. Thestudents have also pledged towork together with her in theGreenbelt Movement in order tocontinue conserving the planet’sresources. “We wish there werea million Wangari’s,” said Fatima.“Then the world would besomething different.”6ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

The Princess Diaries:Royalty Visits ADWCHer Royal Highness Victoria,Crown Princess of Sweden,visited the ADWC campus on31st March 2008.The Crown Princess is the eldestchild of His Majesty King Carl XVIGustaf and Her Majesty QueenSilvia and is heir to the Swedishthrone. In preparation for herroyal responsibilities, the CrownPrincess studied extensivelyat Yale University in the UnitedStates, and completed workexperience at the United Nationsand the Swedish Embassy. Inaddition, the Crown Princess hasstudied political science, history,foreign languages, conflictresolution and internationalpeace-building. She alsocompleted basic military trainingat the Swedish Armed ForcesInternational Centre.The Crown Princess has travelledextensively throughout the worldas part of her studies and herofficial engagements. She was inthe UAE to inaugurate “Networksof Innovation,” the travellingexhibition on the life of AlfredNobel. While in the Emirates, theCrown Princess agreed to spendtime with ADWC students todiscuss education in the UAE.During the visit, the CrownPrincess met with variousstudents to talk about their livesin the UAE and their educationat ADWC. The Crown Princessalso re-lived her own studentexperience by having lunch withthe students in the cafeteria. Shethen toured the campus andjoined students in the classroomsto watch the use of technology inthe learning process. Afterwards,ADWC’s Applied Media studentsinterviewed the Crown Princessand asked questions about herlife, her education and her dutiesas royal heir to the Swedishthrone. The Crown Princessasked the students about theireducation, including the subjectsthey studied and their plans forthe future.At the end of the visit, thestudents told the Crown Princessthey were honored that shechose to visit the ADWC campusand to spend time speaking withthem about their lives and theireducation. The Crown Princessexpressed her happiness inmeeting the students andspending time with them todiscuss life and learning in theUAE.Celebrating the WorldADWC’s Business Diploma studentssponsored “Embassy Day” on theADWC campus on 29th April 2008.Representatives from internationalembassies located throughout theUAE attended the gathering toprovide information about the manydifferent cultures living in Abu Dhabi.The event was a celebration ofdiversity and provided students,faculty and staff an opportunity forcultural awareness and exchange.Country representatives set upstands and displays which providedinformation on the history, languageand culture of the respective regions.Countries participating in the eventincluded Algeria, Bahrain, Austria,Australia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey,Malaysia, South Africa, Germanyand Spain.The country exhibits includedhistorical artefacts, paintings,pictures, drawings and nationalcostumes. In addition, thecountry representatives providedsamplings of traditional foodsand played traditional music fromtheir homelands. Representativesalso gave brief foreign languageclasses to teach common wordsand phrases of the various nationallanguages, and young students fromthe Australian School of Abu Dhabientertained the crowd with songsfrom their native country, includingthe Australian national anthem.

ADWC PEARLSTell Me About Your Life:Germany Meets the UAEThe German public has becomeincreasingly interested in theGulf Region as something morethan a tourist destination. Thelatest focus is on the growingpopularity of the region as aplace for higher educationalinstitutions to create newprograms and open newcampuses. To facilitate thatinterest, the Goethe-InstitutGulf-Region introduced acultural exchange programwhich allowed German studentsto have direct access to andcontact with Emirati, Omaniand Bahraini students. Theprogram was designed to allowGerman and Arab students theopportunity to meet and exploreeach other’s culture and heritage.The project, “Tell Me AboutYour Everyday – College Lifein the Gulf Region,” resulted inthe completion of several shortdocumentary films examining theeveryday lives of Arabic students.The Goethe-Institut suggestedthat female German studentsbe partnered with students atADWC to create a documentaryfilm on female Emiratis. SinceADWC is HCT’s Centre ofExcellence in Applied MediaTechnology, the ADWC studentswere delighted to participate in acultural exchange.Fatima Helal Al Balooshi andRaweya Al Muflehi were chosento participate in the project andwere extremely excited about theopportunity to learn across thecultural divide. Both students areinterested in the German cultureand wanted to learn more aboutthe process of documentaryfilmmaking. Ines Bauermeisterand Sandra Staffl, both fromGermany, felt the same way.Neither of them had been tothe UAE and both wanted theopportunity to have firsthandinteraction with Middle Easternculture and students.“This is a very exciting time forus,” explained Sandra. “We havebeen surprised and pleasedby much of what we’ve foundhere. This is a land of extremes.Although most students arevery interested in the latesttechnology, they also wantto hold on to their traditions.Through our eyes it’s interestingto see a woman in traditionaldress [abaya and shayla orniqab] talking on the latest modelmobile phone and probablydriving the latest model SUV.”8ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Ines agreed. “This experiencehas taught us to be flexible in ourbeliefs and thoughts,” she said.“We see that different cultureshave different approaches butwe all want the same success.”Fatima and Raweya noted thatthe opportunity provided manynew experiences for them. Theyappreciated the exposure to anew culture, new ideas and newways of thinking. “Even thoughwe have differences, we find thatwe have much in common,” saidFatima. “We grew up hearingthe same fairytales and similarstories but this is our first timedoing a documentary and theyhave taught us how to look forinteresting ways to tell stories.”Raweya added that they havelearned new techniques infilmmaking. The girls wereaccustomed to working withcameras on tripods but theGerman students showed themhow to move with the camera.“It takes practice to get a steadyhand like hers,” Raweya said,pointing at Sandra.The students filmed all aroundAbu Dhabi, including in thedesert, shopping malls, coffeeshops, the beach, in homes,on the Corniche and aroundHeritage Village. Sandra and Inesexplained that when they arrivedin the UAE, it was November30th -- just at the start ofNational Day celebrations. “Whatbetter way to be introducedinto a culture than to land inthe middle of a party!” Sandraexclaimed.The students started filmingalmost from the moment theirplane landed. As filmmakers,Sandra and Ines agreed that itwas great to start filming rightaway because they were awareof everything and did not wantto miss anything. However,both said it would have been awonderful experience to spendmore timesimply talkingto andgetting toknow Fatimaand Raweyabecause thatadditionaltime wouldhave giventhem aneven deeperappreciationfor thecountry.Raweya agreed, adding that oneof their best days together waswhen they turned the cameraoff and simply talked withoutworrying about what wassaid or how it was said.After filming wascompleted, the team’snext task was to work onsound synchronizationand Arabic translation.Ines, the expert in soundmixing, handled this areawhile Fatima and Raweyaworked on translation.The students explainedthat it would take awhilebefore they had acompleted, polished filmbut they were determinedto finish the project. Thefinal 15-minute film wasscheduled to be screenedin Berlin at “Sehsuchte,”the international studentfilm festival held at the“Konrad Wolf” Film and TelevisionAcademy.All of the young women agreedthat the project was an amazinglearning experience and thatalthough it was a lot of hardto work to complete in a shortperiod of time, it was ultimatelymore fun than work. Whenasked what they would takeaway from the experience,the young filmmakers agreedthat women around the worldare not that much different.As Ines put it, “We may havedifferent traditions, but our waysof thinking are very much thesame.”When asked if there was anyparticular message that theEmirati students wanted tosend, both Fatima and Raweyawere very clear that they wantedWesterners to have the correctview of Emirati women, and theyhoped the film would present aclearer picture of their way of lifeand their culture. “We have ourown lives,” noted Fatima. “Wecan do everything. The abayaand shayla does not hold usback!”

“Achievers”The final year Bachelors BusinessManagement students sponsored“Achievers: Be Part of Our Success”on 20th May 2008. The studentsused the opportunity to encourageand inspire 2nd year students tostrive for achievements in theircurrent academic studies and in theirupcoming professional careers.Educational DevelopmentAgreement With ESNAADADWC and ESNAADannounced a new EducationalDevelopment Agreementwhich will introduce studentsfrom ADWC to the workenvironment at ESNAAD.As part of the agreement,the graduation projects ofADWC’s final year studentswill be developed andimplemented into differentdivisions and departments ofESNAAD.ESNAAD, a wholly ownedsubsidiary of ADNOC, haslong been a supporter ofADWC. “We both stand withmuch to gain in this newprogram,” stated Darwish AlQubaisi, ESNAAD’s GeneralManager. “ESNAAD, with itsbusiness and experience inthe oil and gas industry, offersstudents of the Abu DhabiWomen’s College a greatopportunity to be exposed toits work environment.”ESNAAD will provide thespecific requirements, detailsand anticipated outcomesfor each project and ADWCstudents will be requiredto create projects whichmeet those specifications.ESNAAD will then implementthe successfully completedprojects into its operations.The idea of the agreementis to give students practicalexperience so that theyare able to apply what theylearn in the classroom toreal-life business situations.In addition, students will beencouraged to be creative asthey work out the details ofthe assignment, knowing thatif they are successful, theirproject will become part of theworking structure of a worldclass organization.“Opportunities such as thisprovide our students withpractical work experiencewhich supports theirclassroom education,” saidDr. Cook. “This kind ofopportunity also ensuresvocational competency,which is one of the graduateoutcomes for all studentsof the Higher Collegesof Technology. We arepleased to be working withESNAAD once again and welook forward to a mutuallybeneficial partnership.”The final year students organizedthe entire event, including creatingmarketing materials, negotiatingwith sponsors and choosing notedindustry achievers to speak. Dr.Shaikha Al Maskari, a prominentEmirati founder and board memberof several international organizations,explained to the students how theircareers can have a significant impacton their country. “Study the bestrole models,” she said. “Rememberthat everything in business is‘compromisable.’ The only thingsyou do not compromise are yourvalues, and your most importantvalue is your value as a citizen ofyour country.”Hamad Al Darmaki, a well-knownEmirati champion of the rightsof the special needs community,spoke about his challenges growingup with a hearing impairment. Heencouraged the students to beactive participants in importantcauses in order to make positivechanges in the lives of others.Afterwards, Abdulla Al Hameli ofthe Khalifa Fund, an organizationwhich helps Emiratis start theirown businesses, spoke aboutthe ways the organization canhelp the students to achieve theirentrepreneurial dreams.The students displayed severalprojects, including various businesssimulations. One significant displayfocused on the economic impactof using local products rather thanimported ones. Another importantdisplay included an analysis of theoperations management for theJumeirah Hotels.The students agreed that as aresult of the event, they felt inspiredto become more involved in thecommunity and to look for ways thattheir lives and careers can have adynamic social impact.11

ADWC PEARLSNew Year, New Programs2008 ushered in several new programs atADWC.In February, ADWC began offering aDiploma in Graphic Design/InteriorDesign, a Diploma in Health OfficeTechnology and a Software EngineeringConcentration for the current HigherDiploma in Information Technology.The Graphic Design/Interior DesignDiploma trains students for entry-levelpositions in interior design. Graduateswill have the skills to create exhibitionand promotional displays and to workon design settings for commercialbuildings and real estate developments.Students will study drawing, color theory,design principles and digital softwareapplications.The Diploma in Health Office Technologywill provide graduates with the basicskills to support administrative andmanagement duties in the healthcarefield. Graduates will be qualified to workas admissions and registration clerksor as medical administrative assistants,and will be able to maintain datamanagement systems in health settingsand work effectively as members of ahealth management team. Studentswill study health business computing,organizational behavior and medicalterminology and transcription.The Software Engineering Concentrationin the Higher Diploma in InformationTechnology will help meet the currentneed for engineers in the UAE. Studentswill focus on data analysis and design,software testing and object orientedanalysis. Graduates will be qualified towork as information technologists in therapidly evolving field of information andcommunication technologies.Beginning in September 2008, ADWCwill offer a Bachelor of Science(Business and Management) in RealEstate Management, a Higher Diplomain Electronic Engineering Technologyand a Higher Diploma in InformationTechnology (Business).The Real Estate Management degreeprogram was announced in May 2008 byHis Excellency Sheikh Nahayan MabarakAl Nahayan, Minister of Higher Educationand Scientific Research and Chancellorof the Higher Colleges of Technology.Graduates will have an understanding ofcore business skills, such as marketing,accounting and finance, as well as realestate development issues, such asinvestment analysis, urban planning andproperty, construction and environmentlaw. Graduates will eventually becomepart of the key, strategic decision-makingbodies throughout the region’s real estateindustry.The Higher Diploma in ElectronicEngineering Technology will preparestudents for positions in thecommunications, computer and processcontrol and instrumentation sectors.Graduates will be able to operate, build,test, troubleshoot and maintain electronicsystems in accordance with appropriatehealth, safety and environmentalconsiderations and regulations.The Higher Diploma in InformationTechnology (Business) will focus onbusiness applications and the corefunctions of programming, networking,database and web development.Students will be trained in leadership,teamwork, critical thinking and problemsolving, enabling them to work effectivelyin the international environment.“These new programs, which are a directresult of meetings with our ProgramAdvisory Committees and business andindustry leaders, as well as the feedbackwe’ve received from student surveys, willresult in graduates who are capable andcompetent to fill currently vacant roles inthese industries and meet the needs ofthis society,” noted Dr. Cook.12ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

ADWC PEARLSEducation Graduates Hold SecondAnnual ForumThe Education departmentheld its second annualEducation Graduate Forumon 11th December 2007,in the Assembly Hall. Theyearly event offers ADWC’sEducation graduates anopportunity to networkwith each other and withcurrent ADWC students,and to exchange ideas andinformation about emergingpractices in the educationfield.The theme for the eventwas “Celebrating Success,”and several graduatesmade presentations on theirsuccesses and challengesin the workplace. ADWCgraduate Amal Saleh Al Alinow works for the ZayedHigher Organization forHumanitarian Care, SpecialNeeds and Minors’ Affairsas a teacher for the hearingimpaired. Amal spoke aboutworking with special needsstudents, explaining that oneof the biggest challengesis managing their behavior.Despite the challenges, Amalstated that working withspecial needs students is arewarding career.Atheeja Al Mehairbi, ADWC’sformer Chair of the WorkReadiness Program andthe first Emirati supervisorat ADWC, spoke abouther “stones on the road tosuccess.” Atheeja encouragedthe students and graduatesto set goals for the future.She also explained that goodtime management results ingreater accomplishments,noting that one of her greatestaccomplishments is thecreation of an IT textbookwhich is now used throughoutthe HCT system.The 2006 Education graduatesalso received their MelbourneUniversity Certificates.Melbourne University is theaccrediting institution forADWC’s Bachelor of Educationprogram and the certificateconfirms the graduateshave achieved the standardequivalent to a four-yearAustralian degree. Accordingly,the graduates are now eligibleto apply for direct entry intothe faculty postgraduateprogram.“Our graduates are makinga huge difference whereverthey are – bringing in newtechnologies, forging homeschoollinks, and changingthe way their students learnby basing everything they doon sound educational theory,”said Debbie Wheeler, ADWC’sChair of Education. “They havebecome knowledgeable andeffective practitioners, helpingto develop the country throughEmiratization of the educationsector.”The graduates agreed tocontinue urging students tochoose the education fieldas a viable career option. Asgraduate Shamsa MohamedAl Mansoori noted, “Onehundred years from now, it willnot matter what kind of houseI lived in or what kind of car Idrove or clothes I wore. Themost important thing will bethat I made a difference in thelife of a child.”by Nadia Al Mannaei14Leadership: The Greater GoodWhat is leadership? What is thedifference between leadershipand management? What isthe leader’s role? What are aleader’s characteristics?All the above questions wereanswered in the leadershipworkshop which took placeat ADWC on 15th April 2008.Although I am a Bachelorstudent in the InformationManagement program, mycourse instructor recommendedthat I lead this seminar as partof the Professional DevelopmentADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008program at the college. Dr. Cookattended the seminar alongwith VIPs who were visiting thecampus that day and severalother faculty and staff members.During the workshop, I usedseveral training methodsto highlight the qualities ofleadership, such as reviewingquotes by noted leaders andwatching videos of case studies.I believe that leading canhappen at any position in theorganization, not only at the top.I think this is what makes theworkshop attractive to anyonewho wants to know more aboutleadership. I believe that all youneed to be a leader is passionand vision. One of my favouritequotes is by His ExcellencySheikh Mohammed Bin RashidAl Maktoum: “A leader must setout a clear vision, which he musttrust absolutely. If he loses thattrust, he will begin to hesitateand falter. We don't get into ourcars and set out onto the roadwithout knowing our destination.We have to know where wereally want to go."

National Day CelebrationADWC celebrated the UAE National Day on 29thNovember 2007. Events and exhibitions aroundthe campus commemorated the culture andhistory of the nation.The opening ceremony took place in theAssembly Hall where Dr. Cook gave commentsin Arabic to mark the start of the celebrations.Students, faculty and staff were then treatedto traditional dancing by young girls from thePalestine School and traditional Yola dancing byyoung boys from Dubai Band. As the girls tossedtheir hair and the boys twirled their rifles, thecrowd enthusiastically cheered them on.Following the performance, poets Hamdan AlDaraee, Humad Al Daraee and Hamdan SaroukhAl Daraee gave a poetry reading. The studentslistened intently to the words of the poets andthe performanceended with a rousingovation from theaudience.The celebrationcontinued withShalla and singing,which the studentswholeheartedlyenjoyed. Theprogram endedwith a raffle forprizes.Elsewherearound thecampus, aheritage displayof traditionalEmirati life wasset up in the main lobby. The display includedexamples of weaving, clothing and a dhow, butthe main attraction was a live falcon who willinglyand patiently accepted a great deal of attentionfrom the students.To add to the joyous atmosphere, the studentsfrom the IA Centre created a special flash moviedepicting Emirati life, culture and music. Themovie was played throughout the day on all ofthe plasma screens around the campus.Also around the campus were displays oftraditional cooking and samplings of traditionalfoods. Students also sold National Daycelebratory items such as flags, badges,accessories and pictures.It was a day of enthusiastic celebration of Emiratiheritage throughout the ADWC campus.

ADWC PEARLSWooden ToyWooden ToyCollisionCollision16ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

For one week in November2007, ADWC’s Applied Mediastudents were challenged bytwo award-winning Australiandesigners to write, design andproduce a 22-page magazine,based on specific guidelines.While this may already soundlike an insurmountable task,the students were given onlyone week to complete theproject. The amazing endresult was several magazines,all titled “Kaleid,” and allshowcasing the AppliedMedia students’ incredibletalent.The project was initiatedby graphic design facultymember Cordula Petersfollowing a student trip toAustralia. While there, Cordulamet with Chris Meyer andTim Smits, founders of theMelbourne-based designstudio Fad Experiment.One of the company’sgreatest accomplishmentsis “Wooden Toy,” a quarterlymagazine that blends streetculture and art in a uniquecollaboration. Chris and Timwork with internationallyknown illustrators, artists,photographers, writers andmusicians to create distinctiveimages using words and art.The two designers produce,write, edit and design theentire publication, and thenship it worldwide.What distinguishes “WoodenToy” from other magazinesis that each edition issignificantly different from theprevious one. Rather thanfollow a particular format,pagination or design, eachedition looks different. “Webelieve that being differentoften works,” stated Tim.“We don’t use a template.Every page in every issue isdifferent. The only thing eachissue has in common is acontents page and a cover,but even these are different inevery issue.”Tim and Chris brought theirmethod of design to theApplied Media students,challenging them to turnstandard elements intosomething unique. They gavethe students a creative briefoutlining the requirementsfor the project. The task:design a 22-page magazinecalled “Kaleid” (short forkaleidoscope and meaning“to collide”) which wouldaccompany an edition of“Wooden Toy.” The newmagazine needed to havebranding aligned to “WoodenToy” but be different enoughto stand on its own. Studentswere required to develop aconcept, create an identity,finish the artwork andcomplete the production. Thecreative brief also includeddetails about the targetaudience, content guidelinesand page specifications.The students were split intoteams of two with each teamworking to create its versionof “Kaleid.” At that point thestudents began to realizethe monumental task aheadof them. “We will make ourdeadline, inshallah!” saidHuda Abbas, as she workedto distress a photo by makingit look as if it had beencrumpled into a ball and thensmoothed out.The teams chose differentthemes for their magazinesand the personalities of thestudents were clear in thosechoices. Some, like NooraAl Gahnin, wanted to createsomething “funky.” Noorachose to manipulate images

ADWC PEARLSby flipping them,which made theimages appear to besomething differentthan what theyactually were.Other students,such as Fatima AlShamsi and Fatima AlBaloushi, wanted tomake a point of incorporatingArabic culture into theirdesigns. Fatima Al Shamsimade bold use of Arabictypography in her designswhile Fatima Al Baloushi usedstrong eye-catching colorsto draw attention to herredesigned ads.Shamsa Al Ameri explainedthat she had to do someresearch on what Tim andChris referred to as “streetculture” since the idea wasnot something that readilytranslated into the Arabicworld. After doing someresearch, Shamsa started towork on a table of contentswhich held a strikingresemblance to a graffiti wall.Sabeeka Alhameli andKhulood Alsaberi noted thatthey wanted to present UAEculture rather than trying tofit the culture into somethingunfamiliar to them. Theychose to present the historyof the UAE through the useof images such as palm treesand desert landscapes. Theirphoto gallery included imagesof Sheikh Zayed.Shaima Al Maisari and AmenaAl Haleeqa also wanted tofocus on UAE culture andhistory. The team decided touse a combination of Arabicand English typographyfor the logo design of theirmagazine by using the“K” from the English andArabic alphabets. Thisresulted in a unique collisionof the languages whichcharacterized the magazine’soverall theme of “collide.”Hanan Al Marzouqi, MarwaAl Hosani and Sumaia AlHammadi worked as a teamof three and they all agreedthey had learned a great dealabout magazine-making.Even though it was theirfirst time working on sucha project, the team took onthe challenge of manipulatingdifferent fonts and graphics tocreate unique images withinthe text.Sara Aljunaibi and AfraAlmuhari stretched the ideaof collide as far as theycould. Their vision includeda collision of themes with anoverall idea of collage. Theirambitious plan for the coverpage was to create a designfrom bits of all the pageswithin the magazine. The twoagreed that it was a significantamount of work, but theywere determined to meet thedeadline.Rather tellingly, the first editionof “Wooden Toy” was titled“The Hardest Part.” Chrisand Tim explained that themost difficult part of startingthe magazine was actuallystarting the magazine – thenuts and bolts of puttingtogether all the pieces andcoming up with a product thattheir audience would want.The Applied Media studentslearned this lessonfirsthand, but the resultwas a finished product toinclude in their portfolios.The verdict from Chris andTim: “It’s been a fantasticweek and we’ve learnedfrom these students. Theirtalent shows us that we’dbetter watch out!”18ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

ADWC PEARLSWorld AffairsA delegation from the World AffairsCouncils of America visited the ADWCcampus on 17th March 2008.The organization helps to improveinternational education and works to buildalliances with establishments that fosterinternational interests. The delegation ofambassadors and CEOs was in the UAE toreview the technological and educationaladvancements which have taken placethroughout the country over the lastfew years. The group met with ADWCstudents and faculty members to discussthe significant use of technology in theacademic programs offered by HCT.The delegation, who were guests of theMinistry of Foreign Affairs, included thefollowing dignitaries:· Ambassador Ronald E. Newmann,President and CEO of the AmericanAcademy of Diplomacy and formerAmbassador to Algeria, Bahrain and theIslamic Republic of Afghanistan;· Michael Maibach, President and CEO ofthe European-American Business Counciland former Vice President of Intel;· Edward Cox, Partner in the New Yorklaw firm of Patterson, Belknap, Webb &Tyler and Trustee of the State University ofNew York;· Joseph Melookaran, President and CEOof JMA Chartered and Commissioner onthe President’s Advisory Commission onAsian Americans and Pacific Islanders;· Deb Bailey, Director of Global CorporateCommunications of Steelcase, Inc. andformer faculty member of the University ofKuwait;· Judith Bell, President and Founder ofNative American Business DevelopmentCenter and President and Founder of RedFeather, LLC;· Noel Lateef, President and CEO of theForeign Policy Association and ExecutiveEditor of the Yale Journal of InternationalLaw;· Haneez Zattam, Executive Director ofthe World Affairs Council of South Carolina;· Barbara Propes, President and CEO ofthe World Affairs Councils of America;· Ambassador Mark Johnson, ExecutiveDirector of the World Affairs Council ofMontana and former Ambassador toSenegal; and· Michael Phillip, Vice President andSenior Financial Advisor for Merrill Lynch.“We are honored that the World AffairsCouncils of America chose ADWC in itsreview of educational institutions in theUAE,” said Dr. Cook. “The presence ofsuch notable dignitaries on our campusencourages our students to be more awareof global initiatives which affect themhere in the UAE, and to strive harder foracademic excellence and achievementsin order to become conscientious leadersin their communities and throughout theworld.”Health Sciences Students SponsorBlood DriveIn order to create awareness of the need for blood in the UAE, ADWC’s Health Sciences studentssponsored a blood drive on the campus on 8th April 2008. The event provided an opportunity forstudents and staff to make blood donations.As a result of the dramatic increase in motor vehicle accidents, as well as the need for surgicaltreatments, the UAE is experiencing a significant need for all blood types. The Health Sciences studentsrealized this need and decided to create an awareness campaign which would give students and staff anopportunity to help the community. The Blood Transfusion Mobile Unit arrived on campus at 10:00 a.m.and over 100 ADWC students and staff members registered to donate blood.“Something that takes only a few minutes out of our busy lives has the potential to actually give someonea life,” stated Evelyn Kaplan, ADWC’s Chair of Health Sciences. “Giving blood is a gift that goes on givingfor a lifetime and it’s a wonderful opportunity for our students to give back to their own community.”22ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Health Sciences Students SponsorBreast Cancer Awareness CampaignDuring the month of October2007, the Health Sciencesstudents sponsored a BreastCancer Awareness Campaign.The students created postersand distributed flyers to informeveryone on campus about therisks of the disease and what canbe done to detect and treat it.“Breast Cancer Awareness Monthprovides the perfect opportunityto educate the public about breastcancer screenings,” noted EvelynKaplan, ADWC’s Chair of HealthSciences. “The month is alsodesigned for supporting thosebattling the disease, honoringsurvivors, calling attention tomedical milestones, and raisingfunds for further outreach andresearch.”On 23rd October 2007, the HealthSciences students sponsoreda special event in the ADWCcourtyard. The students createdexhibitions and kiosks to displayinformation on detection andtreatment. To encourage everyoneto participate, the studentsdistributed pink ribbons, heldraffles and challenged each otherwith quizzes for chances to winprizes. The students also sold giftitems to raise money for the fightagainst the disease.The students held anothercampus-wide event on 31stOctober 2008, to further educateother students and to raise moneyto fight the disease. The eventincluded poetry readings fromEmirati poets Sauod MubarakAl Musaabi and Tareq AbdullaAl Mehyas, and exhibitionsfrom outside companies suchas Proctor & Gamble. Boththe companies and the poetswanted to be involved in theevent in an effort to promotecommunity awareness of thedisease and to support theHealth Sciences students intheir efforts to raise funds tocontribute to charity.Breast cancer is one of themost common types of cancersamong women in the UAE, withmany cases occurring beforethe age of 40. Additionally, 75%of those diagnosed with thedisease have no family history ofit. The Health Sciences studentsfelt it was extremely importantto make their fellow studentsaware of the dangers of thedisease, and their activitiescreated a sense of teamworkand increased their sense ofcommunity spirit.The students raiseda total of 11,415Dhs as a result oftheir efforts andthey donated thefunds to BosomBuddies, a privatecancer supportgroup based in AbuDhabi.“The dedicationof the HealthSciences studentshas been extraordinary,” saidMs. Kaplan. “The students weredetermined to educate thecommunity about the diseaseand spread awareness not onlyon campus, but throughoutAbu Dhabi. Their efforts thisyear have resulted in raising asignificant amount of moneyand we are extremely proud oftheir achievement. They havebecome educators and haveincreased their self-confidenceas promoters of health educationand awareness.”The Health Sciences studentsdecided to donate the funds toBosom Buddies because of theorganization’s mission to supportwomen of all nationalities in theUAE whose lives have beentouched by breast cancer. Theorganization seeks to increasepublic awareness of the diseasein the UAE and works withthe Sheikh Khalifa MedicalCity Breast Cancer SupportGroup in fundraising and othercooperative activities. BosomBuddies uses funds to assistwomen who are financiallychallenged and provides themwith up-to-date treatments andcare in their fight against breastcancer. The organization meetswith Emirati women monthly toshare experiences and to providesupport.The cheque was presentedto Melanie Gobert and GehanWheeler, members of BosomBuddies, who expressed theirgratitude for the students’ effortsin helping to raise awarenessabout the disease and raisefunds that will significantly helpwomen in the UAE.

The Desert Rose 2008exhibition was held 1st to11th June 2008, at the GhafGallery in Abu Dhabi.Desert Rose 2008 displaysthe work of ADWC’s AppliedMedia graduating students.Under the direction of theirgraphic design teacher,Cordula Peters, the thirdyear Applied Media studentsorganized the event toshowcase their work to thecommunity, the media andprospective employers.Throughout the last threeyears, the students havestudied graphic design,multimedia, audio, journalism,photography and video.For the Desert Rose event,the students designed all ofthe promotional materials,planned the exhibition layoutand installed the show at theGhaf Gallery.How It All BeganDesert Rose started in 1998as an integrated studentcoordinatedproject taughtacross several courses,including Media Production,Marketing, and Advertisingand Promotion. The ideabehind the project was toprovide a showcase forstudent work.Prior to this project, theApplied Communicationsdepartment (which atthat time was a newlydeveloped department calledCommunication Technology)had never exhibitedstudent work outside ofthe department. Afterseveral discussions amongfaculty members, a generalagreement was reached thatit was important to showcasestudent work so that thecommunity would be aware ofthe skills being taught in theprogram at ADWC.The first Desert Rose eventwas held on the ADWCcampus, which at thattime was located on theCorniche. It was open to theentire college communityand because it was such asuccess, an agreement wasreached to move the eventto provide more exposurefor the students’ work. Thesubsequent Desert Roseexhibits were held at theCultural Foundation until2007 when the event wasmoved to Abu Dhabi Mall.The move from campus topublic venues resulted ingreater public awareness aswell as employment offers forstudents based on the displayof their work.In 2007, the decision wasmade to change the eventfrom a bi-annual exhibit of thework of all the students in theApplied Media program toan annual event showcasingthe work of the program’sgraduating seniors. Theevent was moved to the GhafGallery where it opened togreat reviews. This year, GhafGallery hosted the event,providing ADWC’s graduatingApplied Media students witha chance to showcase theirskills and creativity in the fieldof graphic art and design.

Why the Name “DesertRose”?At the project’s inception,every Applied Media studentsuggested three names forthe event along with a reasonfor why those names weresuitable. The names had to berepresentative of the studentsand their work as young Arabianwomen and the studentshad to present artwork whichrepresented their chosen name.The winning name and designwas created by Sharifa Horaizwho chose Desert Rose, theflower-like rock found in thedesert. According to Sharifa,that object represents thestrength of women and theknowledge that they are fromthe earth and that they aregrounded.Putting It All TogetherDesert Rose has always beena student-produced event.Students are graded on everyaspect of the event, includingplanning, raising sponsorships,logo design, promotionalmaterials, technical preparationof DVDs, designing the layoutof the exhibition,installing theexhibition, screeningfilms, coordinating theopening night, andensuring a presenceduring the two-weekexhibition. The event isa great experience forstudents and facultybecause it showcasesthe department, theprogram and the talentof the students.Student ResponseDuring the first publicexhibition of DesertRose, students werevery enthusiasticbecause it was the first time forthem to showcase their workto the public. This was a newkind of event for the studentsbecause at that time, there wereno other showcases for studentwork. Desert Rose gave ADWCstudents their first chance totalk to the public about theircraft and the students camealive with the opportunity. Theyenjoyed the immediate feedbackand the public’s appreciation oftheir talent.Now that the students areaccustomed to showingtheir work, they are morechallenged becausethey realize they havean expectation to meet.The public looks forwardto seeing the DesertRose exhibit and expectsexceptional work. Studentsrealize that expectationsare high and they workhard to make sure thateach Desert Rose is moresuccessful than the last.Desert Rose 2008This year, 16 students willparticipate in Desert Rose:12 graphic design majors and4 media majors. The showincludes work the students haveproduced over the last threeyears, both as school projectsand during work experience.The pieces on display rangefrom posters and brochures, tomerchandise, documentariesand short films, to radio andTV commercials. The studentswill display Public ServiceAnnouncements in the form ofprint, radio and TV campaigns.There will also be a variety ofphotographs and multimediapieces on display.Desert Rose 2008 is a chancefor students to present theirfinal portfolios, representing therange and level of their talentsand skills. The ultimate goalof the event is to successfullyshowcase the skills learnedduring the past three years andto show potential employers theexceptional talent of ADWC’sApplied Media graduates.25

ADWC PEARLSconcern our students have for theircommunity and the world,” notedDr. Cook. “We should be very proudof our students for their selfless actsof generosity.”Representatives of the RedCrescent Society accepted thedonation and expressed theorganization’s gratitude for thestudents’ contribution.During semester two, the SRC raised10,000 Dhs to create the “Student AidFund,” a scheme to provide donationsto students with financial needs to helpthem achieve their educational goals.SRC Gives BackADWC’s Student Representative Council (SRC)set a goal to give back to the community duringthe academic year.During semester one, the SRC organized a charitycampaign to collect funds for needy families inthe UAE. The students collected 27,000 Dhs onbehalf of the Red Crescent Society.“Charity work plays an important role in everyeconomy and every person should take partin it,” said Souad Al Housani, President of theSRC. Souad further expressed the SRC’s desireto continue working on community projects.“Whether contributing money or volunteering, theSRC is willing to care for and give back to ourcommunity.”The SRC decided to hold the charity drive as anexpression of the spirit of Ramadan. The studentswanted to work with Red Crescent because theorganization is known for its humanitarian effortsthroughout the community. In addition to thefunds, the students collected three boxes filledwith clothes and supplies for the needy.The SRC announced the establishmentof the fund at its 2nd Annual SRC Bazaar,held 12th May 2008, on the ADWC campus.The SRC President explained that the monieswould be used to help financial aid students inthe various areas where they may have additionalneeds. A cheque for the donation was presentedto Dr. Cook and the SRC challenged the ADWCcommunity to continue contributing to the fund.Dr. Cook accepted the cheque and congratulatedthe SRC members on their commitment to helpothers and on their accomplishment in raisingthe funds. Dr. Cook then announced that in aneffort to encourage the students to continue intheir good deeds, ADWC would match the fundsraised, dirham for dirham, so that the Student AidFund would start with the significant amount of20,000 Dhs.“We are very pleased and honored to acceptthis cheque from the SRC,” stated Dr. Cook,“and we are happy about the work this SRC isdoing. It shows their commitment to leadershipand their desire to create opportunities for theirfellow students. As a college, we are committedto seeing our students become the best andbrightest in the nation, and their desire to helptheir fellow students is to be commended.”The SRC intends to continue contributing to theStudent Aid Fund each year by raising moniesthrough various activities such as the AnnualBazaar. Over 33 student and alumnae vendorsparticipated in this year’s bazaar where they soldproducts from their own businesses. The vendorsrented booth and exhibition space through theSRC and those monies were used to contribute tothe Student Aid Fund.“This donation was completely student generatedand is a tribute to the incredible charity and26ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

In Focus: ADWC StudentWins EnvironmentPhotography AwardLuluwa Al Mehairbi, a thirdyearApplied Media student,won third place in theEnvironment PhotographyAwards. The competition washeld under the patronage ofHis Highness Sheikh HamdanBin Zayed Al Nahyan, DeputyPrime Minister and Chairmanof the Environment AgencyAbu Dhabi.The theme for the competitionwas “Environment andDevelopment: Integration NotCollision,” and the challengewas to submit either a singlephoto or a series of threephotos capturing the theme.Luluwa’s photo, “Executionof a Turtle,” won third place inthe single photo category andearned her a prize of 4,000Dhs.Luluwa explained that therewas resistance when shesubmitted her photo becausethe organizers wanted imagesshowing harmony betweendevelopment and theenvironment, but she stoodfirm on her beliefs. “I do notbelieve there is integrationbetween the environmentand development,” saidLuluwa. “Development is notalways good and if we are notcareful, we will destroy ourenvironment.”Luluwa was walking on thebeach when she came uponthe turtle. “He was just lyingthere, tied up in rope, andI snapped the picture,” shesaid. The result is a shockingexample of what can happenwhen environmental resourcesare not protected.Luluwa says she wants herwork to be responsible and tohave meaning. Her win in thecompetition confirms she hasachieved that goal.This is Luluwa’s second winfor the 2007-08 academicyear. In October 2007, shewon the People’s ChoiceAward in the Hayah FilmCompetition for her shortanimated film, “Tourist,” whichwas created for an iPod. “Ienjoy participating in thesecompetitions,” said Luluwa.“Winning makes me want todo more!”Barclays BankAwardADWC graduate ShaimaMusaddaq Ahmed AbdulmaneaBanafa received the BarclaysBank Award for Best Studentin HCT’s Business InformationTechnology Program. The awardis given to the HCT graduatewhose academic performanceis outstanding in the business ITfield.Mr. Ali Tariq, Head ofGovernment, Institutions andContracting at Barclays Bankin Abu Dhabi, presented theaward to Shaima on 28thNovember 2007, stating thatBarclays is always seeking toreward outstanding students.He congratulated Shaima forexceeding the requirementsfor winning the award, whichis based on grades, instructorreferences and a final project.Shaima’s project was adatabase for the Research andDocumentation Centre.Dr. Cook also praised Shaimafor her achievement. “ADWCis proud that one of its own isreceiving this award,” he said.“Shaima’s achievement showsher dedication to making thebest of her academic career andADWC thanks Barclays Bank forrecognizing and rewarding herendeavors.”Shaima, who is employed bythe Securities and CommoditiesAuthority, was honoredto receive the award andthanked Barclays Bank foracknowledging her academicachievements. She stated thather education at ADWC hadprepared her well for her careerand that she was currentlyconcentrating on gaining skillsand experience through heremployment.

ADWC PEARLSMagnus Nystedt Speaks!An Interview with the founder of the Hayah Film CompetitionIn October 2007, ADWC sponsored theHayah Film Competition in association withthe Middle East International Film Festival –Abu Dhabi (MEIFF) and EmiratesMac AppleUser Group. The competition challengedfilmmakers to create a five-minute iPod filmcapturing any aspect of life. ADWC’s MagnusNystedt is the founder of the competition andthe President of EmiratesMac Group, theonly registered Apple User Group in the UAE. Magnus spokeabout the reasons behind the competition, the challenges thefilmmakers faced, and what we can all learn from an iPod.Editor: How and where didthe idea for the Hayah FilmCompetition originate?Nystedt: Some time ago Iread about an online iPod filmcompetition in the U.S., andas we were going throughideas in our Apple UserGroup, EmiratesMac, I asked,“Why can’t we do this?”From the beginning, I saw thepotential for ADWC to be apartner in the project becauseof the significant educationalaspect to the competitionand because students andfaculty from ADWC and allHCT colleges would makeexcellent participants.People in the Middle Eastare generally quite creativeand very willing to adopt newtechnologies, and I thoughtthis combination of the latesttechnology and creativefilmmaking would be wellsuitedfor the region.Editor: How was the name“Hayah” chosen?Nystedt: I had a longdiscussion with an Arabicspeakingfriend about whatthe films in the competitionmight cover and who mightbe submitting them. He cameup with the idea of “hayah,”which means “life” in Arabic,and I thought of the slogan,“Life at the size of an iPodscreen.” Together, it just madesense. The films could beabout anything concerninglife -- whether it’s work,friends, love -- anything. Thecompetition is about differentways of capturing life anddoing it through the particularformat of an iPod screen.Editor: ADWC, the MiddleEast International FilmFestival and EmiratesMacwere all involved in theproject. As organizers,what did each want toaccomplish through thiscompetition?Nystedt: I think we’d alllike for Hayah to becomea recurring fixture on thecalendar of events in theMiddle East. I hope it canbecome a platform for themany people throughout theregion who would otherwisenot consider submitting theirfilm to a competition becausethey find it too intimidating ortoo expensive. To participatein Hayah is relatively simpleand it can be a great start ina filmmaking career. I hopewe can show that anythingis possible with a strongvision, the use of the latesttechnology, and a passion forwhat you want to accomplish.28ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

As a faculty member atADWC, I believe Hayah isa wonderful opportunity toexplore the latest technology,and since the college hasbeen designated as theCenter of Excellence inApplied Media for HCT, itmakes sense for the collegeto sponsor this event. Thecompetition gives ADWCstudents -- and all HCTstudents -- a chance toshow their creative talentin public, and it also allowsfaculty and staff members toshow their talent by creatingand submitting films in theProfessional or Amateurcategories.As the only registered AppleUser Group in the UAE, it wasa natural fit for EmiratesMacto be involved in an iPodfilm competition, especiallysince the iPod has been suchan integral part of Apple. Alarge part of what the groupdoes through its Web site(www.emiratesmac.com)and through its monthlynewsletter, “Shuffle,” is tooffer a community of supportto Mac users throughoutthe region. EmiratesMacwas excited to work withADWC and MEIFF becausethe parties each broughtsomething unique to thetable, and together weaccomplished something thatmight have been much moredifficult if we were trying to doit alone.For MEIFF, including theHayah Film Competition in itsslate of activities was a wayto offer something new andexciting that complementsthe other sections of the filmfestival.Editor: Why should HCTstudents, faculty and staffconsider participating inthe competition?Nystedt: Participating inthe Hayah Film Competitionis an experience in real-lifefilmmaking that no one in HCTshould miss. The competitionrequires those involved tothink about the purpose ofthe film, write a script, shoota film to that script, edit thefilm, and finally put it togetherin a format that’s suitable forwatching on an iPod. It’s agreat opportunity to work withsome of the fundamentalsof filmmaking while at thesame time working on thecutting edge of multimediaand information technology,something which HCTstrongly emphasizes. The factthat there is a chance to winsome nice awards, includinga cash prize, is a nice bonusfor everyone, especiallyour students. For facultymembers, the competitionoffers something tangible totie to the curriculum -- whichshould make for more excitedstudents and perhaps betterperformances.The results of the Hayah FilmCompetition were announcedon 18th and 19th October2007, at the Emirates Palace,and three ADWC studentswere among the winners.Fatima Al Shamsi won theStudent category for herfilm “Ramadan.” Fatima wasthrilled to receive the award,noting that the film was herfirst montage. Fatima’s awardpackage included 5,000 U.S.dollars, an iPod sponsoredby iStyle, and a one-yearfilmmaking scholarship to theNew York Film Academy –Abu Dhabi (NYFA-AD) whichopened in February 2008.Luluwa Al Mehairbi won thePeople’s Choice Award forher film “Tourist.” The shortanimated film tells the storyof a young Arab man whois looking forward to his tripabroad. Unfortunately, thingsdo not go quite as planned.The film presents a funny, yetsadly realistic commentaryon the state of world affairs.Luluwa also received a oneyearscholarship to attendNYFA-AD.Fatima Al Muhairi was thewinner of a special awardfor budding filmmakers. Tofurther encourage evolvingtalent, NYFA-AD awardedFatima a one-year filmmakingscholarship to the school.For more information onthe upcoming Hayah FilmCompetition 2008, visit www.hayahfilm.com.29

ADWC PEARLS1st Annual Higher Colleges ofTechnology Robot CompetitionThe First Annual HCT RobotCompetition was held on theADWC campus on 18th May2008. The purpose of thecompetition was to challengestudents in the use of ITprogramming skills.Students from HCT campuses inAbu Dhabi and Al Ain competedagainst each other in teamsof three to complete a seriesof programming tasks using9797 Mindstorm NXT Robotsand NXT-G Software. Eachteam earned points based ontheir robot’s ability to completedesignated tasks. At the end ofthe competition, the number ofpoints earned for each missionwas tallied and the team withthe highest number of combinedpoints for all the missions wasdeclared the winner.Missions for the robots includednavigating a maze, locatingobjects, reaching destinationsand crossing train tracks. Priorto the start of each mission,team members were givenan opportunity to perform thenecessary coding for the robot’sprogram, check the robot’ssensors and complete anynecessary calibrations. Oncethe mission started, it was upto the robot to successfullycomplete the task its team hadprogrammed it to do.“This competition providedstudents with an opportunity forteam work, problem solving andhaving fun with programming,”stated Robert Brown, ADWC’sChair of Information TechnologyPrograms. “Students had thechance to work together inteams to solve problems, learnmore about the opportunitiesavailable in IT fields, and increasetheir confidence in their ability toovercome obstacles in order toachieve success.”HCT introduced the use ofLego’s Mindstorm NXT Robotsin the classroom earlier thisyear, using ADWC as the pilotcampus. Faculty membersparticipated in “ITEC 150Training: Using Robots toIncrease Student Participationand Performance,” on 17thand 24th February 2008. Thetraining provided HCT facultymembers with the knowledgeand skills needed for using theLego’s robots in the classroomin an effort to increase studentparticipation and performancein the area of IT programming.Twenty HCT faculty membersparticipated in the trainingsessions which providedthem with access to activities,resources and teaching materialin the use of the robots. Facultymembers were also able toexchange ideas and bestpractices for using the robots inthe teaching environment.Use of the robots provides ahands-on, interactive approachfor students to developskills in the areas of criticalthinking and problem solvingand in understanding basicprogramming. “Students doingprogramming in their first yearoften have difficulty,particularly with VisualBasic,” noted Mr. Brown.“A method needed to befound in which studentscould learn a simplerprogramming language,while at the same timeincreasing their skillsin the areas of criticalthinking, problem solving,and in understanding thebasics of programming.Mindstorm Robotsprovide the missing gapbetween no knowledgeand the level required byVisual Basic. It is handson,interactive, engagingand fun for the students.Using the robots, studentswill learn programming and solvea variety of challenges.”The First Annual HCT RobotCompetition was won by theteam of Amena Ahmed, AnoudIbrahim and Hureya Husain fromADWC. The students stated theywere happy to be winners inthe first competition of this kindand they were looking forwardto working more with robotsand further developing theirprogramming skills. The studentsreceived robots as the winningprize.30ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Teaching the Teacher to Teach:Spotlight on ADWC Faculty MemberFiodhna Hyland“What do student teachersneed to know about teachingEnglish in order to teach thesubject effectively to languagelearners in UAE Schools?” Thisis the question that shapes theteaching method of ADWC facultymember Fiodhna Hyland, and it isthe essence of a thoughtful andconsidered approach to academicresearch which has won herthe Sheikh Nahayan DoctoralDissertation Fellowship.The Fellowship, which issponsored by His ExcellencySheikh Nahayan Mabarak AlNahayan, Minister of HigherEducation and Scientific Researchand Chancellor of the HigherColleges of Technology, supportsdoctoral dissertation research inthe field of applied linguistics andEnglish language education in theArab world. The Fellowship wasawarded through The InternationalResearch Foundation (TIRF),a non-profit organization thatpromotes research in Englishlanguage learning and teachingacross the world. This is the firstyear that H.E. Sheikh Nahayanhas sponsored the Fellowshipin association with TIRF and hegenerously agreed to sponsorthree fellowships in the amount of25,000 USD each. Competitionwas extremelystrong as it wasopen to anyonearound the worldwho met thespecific criteriaand adhered tothe unusuallystrict guidelinesfor submission.Fiodhna’s proposalfor doctoralresearch wasone of severalthousands fromcompetitors across the globe.Thus, for her to win one ofthe three fellowships was anextraordinary achievement.“I never thought I’d win aworldwide competition,” saidFiodhna, “but my research isdirectly related to one of HisExcellency’s priorities whichis to redirect and improve theeducational system in this country.In order to achieve this goal,we need to create high-levelteachers. We are instructinga new generation of Emiratistudents who are pioneers andwho want to make a difference intheir country.”Ms. Hyland is pursuing herPh.D. in Teacher Education atthe University of Leicester inthe United Kingdom and willspend the next year working onher research and completingher dissertation on “PreparingStudent Teachers to be Teachersof EFL Reading: Effectivenessof Curriculum Development andInstructional Delivery of a RevisedTeacher Education MethodologyCourse.”“As a facilitator, I try to encourageand provide for the needs ofindividual students, buildingwhere possible on existingknowledge, values and beliefsthat inform their knowledge aboutteaching and shape what theydo in classrooms,” she said.She considers this approach an“apprenticeship of observation”and believes it has significantinfluence on the teachingpractices of student teachers.Although she is an advocate forchange in teaching practices, shedoes not agree with throwing outeverything currently used in theteaching and learning process.“I want to use certain aspectsof what’s there and combinethem with new elements toproduce teachers of the futurewho take past learning practicesand combine them with currentbest practices to create newexperiences in the classroom.”Ms. Hyland intends to continueworking with students whileshe completes her research.“The ideas that my students arecoming up with are amazing,” shesaid. “They are learning that it’stheir job to improve the educationsystem in their country. I wantto provide student teacherswith opportunities to developand achieve their full potentialas future teachers of English.I am constantly aiming to be amodel of best practicefor developing studentteachers’ educationalthinking and thereforethe type of teacherthey become. It is achallenging task, butone I am passionateabout.”Ms. Hyland’s passionhas led her to arewarding careerand garnered her anexceptional reward.31

ADWC PEARLS“Life to the Power of Math Equals Infinite Possibilities”:5th HCT Maths Conference 2008demonstrations on how toincorporate practical applicationsinto teaching and learning inthe classroom. Dr. Claudi Alsinaprovided the keynote addresson “Innovating the Teachingof Mathematics,” explaining tofaculty members the need tocreate new and interesting waysof teaching mathematics in theclassroom.Under the patronage of HisExcellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahayan, Minister ofHigher Education and ScientificResearch and Chancellor of theHigher Colleges of Technology,ADWC hosted the 5th HCTMaths Conference 2008, April13th and 14th, on the ADWCcampus.The theme for the conferencewas “Life to the Power of MathEquals Infinite Possibilities.”During the event, internationalspeakers held workshopsand panel discussions onways to improve teachingmathematics so that studentscan have a more dynamiclearning experience. Keynotespeakers for the event includedDr. Claudi Alsina, Professor ofMathematics at the UniversitatPolitècnica de Catalunya (UPC)in Barcelona, Spain, and Dr.Joseph Kyle, co-editor of thebook, “Effective Learning andTeaching in Mathematics andits Applications,” and a highlyrespected authority in thefield of teaching and learningmathematics.H.E. Sheikh Nahayan opened theconference and emphasized theneed for quantitative literacy instudents. He also stressed theimportance of students receivinga rigorous education and theneed for teachers to modelexcellence in the classroom.Following H.E. Sheikh Nahayan’sopening address, Dr. JosephKyle presented the first keynoteaddress on the challenge ofshowing students how maths isused in nearly every aspect oflife.The first day of the eventfocused on students andincluded keynote speeches andworkshops dealing with real lifepractical applications of maths.Following Dr. Kyle’s address,a panel of HCT students andfaculty addressed the topic,“Maths: What Good is It to Me?”The panel included Dr. PhillipVetter, Head of Health Statisticsfor the Health Authority in AbuDhabi, and was moderated byDmitri Chami, ADWC’s Dean ofStudentAffairs.The secondday of theconferencefocused onfaculty andprovidedspecific“Maths faculty around theworld are often faced with thechallenge of finding the best wayto include practical applicationswhen teaching the subject in theclassroom,” stated Dr. Cook.“One of the major goals of thisconference is to address thissignificant aspect of teachingand learning maths and toprovide students and teacherswith the information and skillsthey need to achieve excellencein this rewarding and challengingfield.”Conference participantsincluded students and facultyfrom HCT campuses as wellas representatives from thePetroleum Institute, the Instituteof Advancing Technology,ADNOC and Nord Anglia.Participants agreed that theconference provided a wealthof information on the teachingand learning of mathematics andthey were looking forward toimplementing new ideas in theclassroom.32ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Focus on CareersADWC’s Career Development andEmployer Relations (CER) teampresented several opportunitiesfor students to explore careeroptions throughout the academicyear.The Career Opportunities Fair2007 was held 14th November,in the Assembly Hall. The eventwas sponsored by First GulfBank. Students learned aboutdevelopment programs fromcompanies that actively seekto increase the knowledge andskill level of their employees.For example, First Gulf Bank’s“Mawared” program trains UAENationals for leadership rolesin the bank by developing thecompetencies required for asuccessful career in banking.“Employer events such as thisgive students an ideal opportunityto network with employers andto find out the skills employersare looking for in the current UAEjob market,” said Jane Tatterton,ADWC’s Career Developmentand Employment Coordinator.“Students need to understandthe importance of being preparedfor the job market and thisevent allowed them to gain abetter understanding of careeropportunities.”Over 20 companies respondedto the call to participate in theCareer Fair and over 400 final yearstudents attended. As a result ofthe success of the event, the CERteam held a “Focus on Careers”week from 24th to 28th February2008, in the Career ResourceCentre. The focus of the eventwas to help students becomemore acquainted with the workand services of the CER team,which provides information, adviceand guidance on career planning,occupational choices, potentialemployers and the job searchprocess. Over 800 students andgraduates participated in the eventand registered their interest inpart-time and summer work.Each day of the week, a differentemployer was on campusto meet with students anddiscuss potential career options.Employers were given a boothin a strategic, high traffic area inorder to have access to as manystudents as possible. Companiestaking part in the event includedSorouh Real Estate, UnionNational Bank, Microsoft, BidCapital, Al Fahim and Shangri-LaHotel.“This was the first time we usedthe ‘Company Days’ approachrather than formal presentationsand career fairs,” stated Ms.Tatterton. “All of the employerswere impressed at how focusedand determined our students werein developing their work skills andeach employer took CVs fromstudents to review for furtherconsideration.”Mr. Mohamed Al-Marzouqi, HRand Administration Director forSorouh Real Estate, expressed thecompany’s interest in working withADWC to provide employmentopportunities for students. “Weare looking for students who areserious,” said Mr. Al-Marzouqi.“We look for the ‘ABCs’ (attitude,behavior and character) when weconsider potential employees.In return we treat them well,pay them well, and provide afamily-oriented and welcomingenvironment.”Students also had the opportunityto have their CVs checked bya Career Advisor and receiveone-on-one advice on how topresent professional CVs and howto have a successful interview.“We can already see an increasein the use and awareness of theCareer Resource Centre,” said Ms.Tatterton. “We want to make surestudents are given the advice andguidance they need to help themtransition into the workplace.”The final career event was held22nd May 2008. The event was amore traditional career fair wherestudents were able to visit severalbooths to meet with companyrepresentatives and discussavailable opportunities. In additionto offering graduate positions,many companies were also hopingto fill part-time and summerpositions. The anticipated resultis that a large number of ADWCstudents will soon be employedthroughout the Emirate.33

ADWC PEARLSE-BusinessManagement StudentsPresent “E-World: Wayto the Future”The Higher DiplomaYear 3 E-BusinessManagement studentssponsored “E-World: Wayto the Future” on 18thOctober 2007, in theAssembly Hall.The Year 3 studentswere responsible forevery aspect of theevent, including creatingthe name and theme,finding a venue and guestspeakers, and marketingand promotion. Thestudents chose the name“E-World” because itrepresents how large anelectronic business canbe when there are nolimits to its expectationsand goals.Speakers for the eventincluded Simon Ford,managing director ofBlue Banana (www.bluebananaarabia.com),an online companyoffering “gift experiences”such as hot air balloonrides, Hummer adventuresafaris, skydiving andflying lessons. KhalilAl Mansouri, vicepresident of Emart (www.emart.ae), an onlinesupermarket offeringover 2,000 grocery itemsfor home delivery, alsoaddressed the students,encouraging them to startcreating the plans fortheir own e-businesses.Fatima Al Hamili, anHCT graduate, alsospoke. Fatima nowowns Shajoon, an onlinebusiness selling women’sclothes, bed coversand sheets. As an HCTgraduate, Fatima wasuniquely qualifiedto understandADWC studentsand speak withthem aboutcreating goalsand pursuingambitionsto create ane-business.The E-Worldeventincludedexhibits fromvarious vendors,includingIA Centre CelebratesIts 10th YearThe Information Administration (IA)Centre held its official opening ceremonyon 10th September 2007, marking its10th year of operation.The grand opening was attended by AliAbdulla Dhareef from Takreer, MansourSalem Almehairi and Abdulla AhmedAl Khouri from ADGAS, Beverly Wallisfrom CFBT, Sabha Al Rumaithi of HCT’sCentral Services, and representativesfrom Al Afaq Model School in Abu Dhabi.“There is something incredibly powerfulin letting students take the driver’s seatin running a real business,” noted Dr.Cook. “They are given a chance tomeet the risks inherent in any profitmakingenterprise. As students providedeliverables to real clients, the studentsenhance their own skill set in informationtechnology and gain insight into what ittakes to be a successful entrepreneur.”The IA Centre provides software trainingand services for students and staff withinthe college and for the community of AbuDhabi. The Centre is run by third yearHigher Diploma students who receivea variety of valuable employment skillssuch as teamwork, customer service,marketing and accountancy. Working atthe Centre prepares students for reallifework experience and allows themto put into practice their expertise inutilizing software and in creating vibrantpresentations. Students are both excitedand challenged as they meet with realcustomers who expect and receive highqualityprofessional results. The Centrealso provides students with valuablelinks to the employers who use theirservices and remember their skills upongraduation.Adora’s Boxes and Files, TheCupcake Shop, Nooni Sweetsand J’s Abayas. The exhibitionstands displayed handmadecaps from vendor MariamAl Muraikhi, and handmadebags and hair accessoriesfrom vendor Abraar Saeed. Allof the items displayed gavestudents a range of ideas toconsider in establishing theirown e-businesses.34ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Business Diploma StudentsSponsor Charity BazaarDiploma Semester 3 Businessstudents held a charity bazaar on17th December 2007, to raisefunds for charity. As a result ofcombined efforts, the studentsraised over 200,000 Dhs.The Charity Bazaar was heldduring “Ajyaluna: LearningShowcase,” the campus-wideevent which showcased projectsand exhibitions created by allof ADWC’s students. Duringthe first semester, the BusinessDiploma students obtainedproducts from sponsors inthe community and then soldthose products at the bazaar toraise money for charity. Othercompanies in the communitydonated funds to assist thestudents in their efforts.To further assist the students inraising donations, seven ADWCfaculty members participated in a10K charity race. Tadhg Flahive,ADWC’s Student Manager ofDiploma Years 1 and 2, helpedto organize the charity run. “Wewanted to lend our support toour Business Diploma studentsand help them in their efforts toraise funds for charity,” he said.The faculty members taking partin the charity run were TadhgFlahive; Marjorie Moffat, EnglishFaculty; Phil Milton, DepartmentChair, Educational Technology;James Ryan, Maths Facultyin the Business department;Mark Alexander-Warne, EnglishFaculty; and Kevin Garvey,General Education Faculty. Thefaculty members raised a totalof 22,500 Dhs to add to thestudents’ efforts.The Zayed Higher Organizationfor Humanitarian Carecontributed paintings andhandicrafts created by specialneeds students as well asclothing to sell at the bazaar.The organization also donatedtwo camels for camel rides anda heritage tent to display Emiraticulture. Salem Saif Al Kaabi,Affairs Administrator, noted thatthe organization was very proudof helping Emirati women toreach the highest standards.According to Mubarak AbdullaAl Amri, Section Head forPrograms and Activities, part ofthe organization’s strategic visionis to interact with the communityand help to positively shape theEmirati vision by participating inthese kinds of events.The Platinum Sponsor of theDiploma Semester 3 BusinessStudents Charity Bazaar wasMohammad Ali Mubarak of AlRafeh Transport and GeneralContracting Establishment. Thefunds donated by Mr. Mubarakwill be used to purchase 2,000bags of wheat for the widowsand orphans of Somalia.The Silver Sponsors for theDiploma Semester 3 BusinessStudents Charity Bazaar wereAbu Dhabi Distribution Company(ADDC), Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank,Awad Al Qubaisi Perfumes,National Bank of Dubai (NBD),National Drilling Company (NDC)and Willington Real Estate.Additional sponsors of theevent were: Bin Daen Group,Photographya, Xerox MideastData Systems, Kanoo Group,Mohammad Rasool Khoory,Magrabi Opticals, Moka Café,Al Faris Automotive, Hussain AlNowais, Eva Beauty Salon andFitness Centre, Al Maha RotanaHotel, Marakesh MoroccanDresses, Forty Fruity Fresh Juice,Patchi Chocolates, Al WehdaSports Club, Zayed HigherOrganization for HumanitarianCare, Grand Stores, Al NojoomSatellite TV Channel, LorenzoChocolate Shop, Al AndaleebPet Shop, Woroodi Flowers,Golden Lens, O’CocoonEmirates, Etisalat, BananaBalloons, Gulf Pastries andHabeeba Al Nabulsi.35

ADWC PEARLSThe 2008 UAE EducationalIT ChallengeADWC hosted the UAEEducational IT Challenge2008 on 20 th April. Theevent, which is under thepatronage of His ExcellencySheikh Nahayan MabarakAl Nahayan, Minister ofHigher Education andScientific Research andChancellor of the HigherColleges of Technology, isan internationally recognizedcompetition for students andteachers across the GCCto demonstrate creativityand innovation in theeducational use of InformationCommunication Technology(ICT).The competition encouragesexcellence, teamwork,innovation and the sharing ofgreat ideas across differentsectors. The IT Challengepromotes the best projectsfrom the UAE, both nationallyand internationally, andmaintains established links tothe international challengesheld in Stockholm and Rome.“The IT Challenge aims toproduce unique projectsthat use IT in an educationalsetting and to encourageteamwork, innovation andadvancement as well asthe sharing of new ideas invarious areas of education,”stated HCT’s Vice Chancellor,Dr. Tayeb Kamali.Six hundred thirty-one (631)projects were submittedfor this year’s IT Challenge,with the highest numberof entries -- 526 -- fromstudents. Categories forthis year’s competitionincluded “Special Needs,”“Organizational/Business,”“E-Commerce,” “SecondarySchools,” “Colleges/Universities,” “UAE Nationals,”36ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

and “Mobile Applications.”Projects submitted coveredtopics including teachingapplications, communicationtools, teaching people withspecial needs, road safety,tourism, the environment, thehistory of the UAE, mobileapplications and onlinecourses.More countries wererepresented in this year’s ITChallenge than in previousyears, with a total of 58 entriesfrom countries such as Algeria,Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Oman,Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia,Syria and Yemen. Over 500hundred entries were from theUAE. A total of 52 projectswere chosen as finalists.A jury of educational andindustry experts was chosento judge the submissions. Inselecting the Chair of the jurypanel, HCT chose an individualknown for his distinctivecontributions to the IT industry:His Excellency MohamedNasser Al Ghanim, DirectorGeneral and Board Memberof the TelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority (TRA).In addition to his role withTRA, H.E. Al Ghanim is theExecutive in Charge of the UAETelecom and E-CommerceChapter in the Free TradeAgreement negotiations. Heis also the Vice Chairmanof the UAE Informationand CommunicationsDevelopment Fund and theChairman of the UAE Institutefor Advanced Science andTechnology. Throughout hisillustrious career, H.E. AlGhanim has represented theUAE in numerous regionaland international telecomand IT-related forums andconferences. For the 2008UAE Educational IT Challenge,H.E. Al Ghanim led the jurypanel in determining thoseentries which were not only themost innovative and useful,but which also providedsignificant educational valueand distinctive social impact.“Only 8% of the projectssubmitted were chosenas finalists,” stated H.E. AlGhanim. “Such a percentagereflects the high standardsrequired by the competitionunder specific judgingcriteria related to innovation,community, value, and socialimpact and future. Thehighly qualified jury membersexercised the utmost levelof professionalism anddedication.”During the day of the event,visitors toured the Finalists’Project Exhibition while finalistsexplained their projectsand gave demonstrations.In addition to the Finalists’Exhibition, this year’s ITChallenge also included anAcademic Conference anda Career Fair. The AcademicConference provided anopportunity for internationalscholars, students andteachers to present anddiscuss papers on the theme,“Technology, Education andCulture: Impacting the Future.”37

ADWC PEARLSTopics of discussion includedthe role of informationcommunication technologyin the classroom, as well asbest educational practices. Inaddition, a panel discussioncomprised of educationalexperts from the UAE schoolsystem addressed ways tointroduce technology intoprimary and secondaryclassrooms so that studentswill be more technologicallyadvanced when they entertertiary institutions.The Career Fair presenteda unique opportunity foremployers to interact witha large number of studentsand graduates frominstitutions across the MiddleEast. The event was an idealopportunity for students andgraduates to network withorganizations in order tobetter understand the currentjob market and the particularskills required to enterthe IT sector. Companiesparticipating included TRA,DUBAL, HP, Ericsson,National Bank of Dubai,Synergy, Union NationalBank, Al Rostamani, Dell,ETA, Advanced IntegratedSystems, Microsoft andSorouh Real Estate.The Official Awards Ceremonyfor the UAE Educational ITChallenge took place in theevening. H.E. Sheikh Nahayanprovided the opening addressand congratulated thefinalists and winners for theirachievements. “The HigherColleges of Technology, byorganizing this competition,demonstrates its role inadvancing educationalinitiatives and promotingeffectiveness and bestpractices in our educationsystem,” stated H.E. SheikhNahayan. “The IT Challengeis built on the premise thatinformation technology fuelseducational innovation, andthat the continued successof our schools and collegesgreatly depends on our abilityto forge a broad-basedcollaboration among highereducation, industry, federaland local governments, andeveryone who supports ournational goal of attainingexcellence in education.”During the Awards Ceremony,H.E. Al Ghanim announcedthat TRA would providefunding to further pursuesome of the finalists’ projects.Following the announcement,Dr. Willy Chiu, Vice Presidentof High Performance OnDemand Solutions (HiPODS)at IBM Software GroupStrategy briefly addressed theaudience on cloud computing,an emerging approach toshared infrastructure in whichlarge pools of systems arelinked together to provideIT services. Dr. Chiu notedthe importance of the UAEEducational IT Challenge,stating that the competition38ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

illustrates the technologicaladvancement that HCT usesand highlights the role thatHCT plays in spreading theuse of technology in thecommunity. Following Dr.Chiu’s speech, His ExcellencySheikh Nahayan presentedthe awards to the winners andpraised them for their use ofcreativity and innovation in thedesign of their projects.The Innovation PartnerSponsor for this year’s UAEEducational IT Challengewas the TelecommunicationsRegulatory Authority (TRA).The Platinum Sponsors wereDubai Aluminium (DUBAL) andHP ProCurve Networking. TheGold Sponsor was Ericsson.The Silver Sponsors wereNational Bank of Dubai,Synergy Professional Services,Union National Bank and AlRostamani Group. The supportsponsors were DELL and GulfNews Notes.Winners of the UAEEducational IT Challenge2008:Best UAE National TeacherProjectQurtas v2.2 (BanknotesDatabase)Al Maarif Secondary School,SharjahMohammed Ali AlhousaniBest UAE National StudentProjectA Man-in-the-Middle AttackTool for Switched NetworksCollege of InformationTechnologyUAE University, Al AinMuna Muneer OtaibiWadha Rashid TamimiBest Organizational ProjectEnhanced Learning andTraining Center, HP AdvancedTechnology LabAbu Dhabi Men’s CollegeMohammed Arif AminNafith SalamaFarrukh ZaheerSanjeev AnanthMohamed Al MansooriImran Al MarzoogiNaser Al SheikhBest E-Commerce ProjectOman Government PortalMajan College, OmanMaha Al BulushiBest Mobile ApplicationsProjectSmart Office System withMobile Phone ControlPreston University, AjmanZainab RaheedBest College or UniversityTeacher ProjectLearning 2.0Zayed University, DubaiJanet MartinBest Secondary TeacherProjectQurtas v2.2 (BanknotesDatabase)Al Maarif Secondary School,DubaiMohammed Ali AlhousaniAl Reem & That Al SalasselWeb Cam Community LinkThat Al Salassel, Al AinAisha Kamis Salem AldhariBest College or UniversityStudent Projecti-College (An Online CollegeSystem)Higher College of Technology,Muscat, OmanJafer Abdul RahmanJafer Batcho Al ZidjaliA Man-in-the-Middle AttackTool for Switched NetworksCollege of InformationTechnologyUAE University, Al AinMuna Muneer OtaibiWadha Rashid TamimiBest Secondary StudentProjectPersonal Website to TeachRobotics, Photography andKarateIndian School Al Ghubra (ISG),OmanAswath SridharWindows ForumsAl Majd Indian School, DubaiBenna IqbalHadi MohammedMind MapSukainah Bint Al HusainSecondary School, DubaiHajar Abdul Rahman Al AnsariAbeer Mohammad Al Janahi39

ADWC PEARLSRead @ Your LibraryThe ADWC Library sponsored “LibraryWeek” from 21st to 24th April 2008. Theevent was held to create awareness aboutthe many services available to students,faculty and staff at the ADWC Library.The Library houses over 37,000 items,including books, journals, magazines,multimedia, encyclopedias, periodicals,newspapers and DVDs. In addition, theLibrary has access to electronic databasesfrom around the world. These resources areavailable to help students become scholarsand hone their academic and research skills.“Read @ Your Library” was the focus of theevent which provided many opportunities forstudents to learn something new about thelibrary. Students participated in forums andcompetitions, created displays, and had achance to learn the secrets of writing a book.In addition, students were sent on a treasurehunt which helped them to discover new areasof the library and the many services available tohelp them in their academic studies, such as thedatabase of journals and electronic books andsoftware to practice English skills. Students werealso shown how to request books from othercolleges and universities across the UAE.One of the most interesting competitions duringthe week was to write a first line for a book. Over100 students participated and submitted somerather interesting opening lines. Some of thewinning lines included:“We don’t follow miracles, we create them.” --Mariam Matar“I wish I had listened to Belinda when she toldme, ‘Don’t say your nightmare or it will cometrue.’” – Mariam Khamis“A creak in the alley, a cry from the window,blood on the floor…and I lost consciousness.” –Mariam Khamis“‘Please help me,’ said Belinda with a voice thatsounded more of a desperate whisper than thescream she intended to shout.” – Mouza SaeedAl MehairiStudents were also enthusiastic about meetingand speaking with author Frances LaBonte. Theauthor explained to the students how to choosetopics to write about. She also shared herpersonal experiences and discussed the cultureand natural history that she often writes about inher books. She discussed a number of books byauthors in the region which helped the studentsto become more aware of their own culture.During the week, the Bachelor of Educationstudents ran 13 forums on how to encouragechildren to read. The students discussed howto choose a book, how to interest the listener,and how to make reading fun for children. Asa result of the student-led forums, the Librarystaff is planning to create a leaflet including themany constructive ideas which came out of thesessions.“The Library was buzzing with activity for theweek, with classes coming to join the forums,view the displays, enter the competitions andtalk to the author,” noted Cath Ware, one ofADWC’s new librarians (the other new librarianis Kathryn Kelly). “It was a great opportunity toexchange information, discover software andnetwork with library staff. The event raised theawareness of students and staff to the serviceswe provide.”40ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Education StudentsReceive Certificatesfor “Let’s Read!”ADWC’s Education studentsreceived certificates ofappreciation for theirparticipation in the “Let’sRead!” event, which wassponsored by the Germanand French Embassies in AbuDhabi, the Goethe-Institut Gulf-Region and Alliance FrançaiseAbu Dhabi. The certificateceremony was held on theADWC campus on 13th May2008.Didier Gazagnadou, CulturalCounsellor for the FrenchEmbassy, and Kirsten Steltzer,Second Secretary, HeadCultural Affairs for the GermanEmbassy, spoke on behalf ofall the organizations involvedand thanked the studentsfor actively participating inthe project. Also attendingthe ceremony was Dr. ElkeKaschl Mohni, Director of theGoethe-Institute Gulf-Region,and representatives of AllianceFrançaise.As part of the “Let’s Read!”event, French and Germanexperts in the field of readingpromotion were invited to AbuDhabi to discuss the issue ofhow to instil a love of readingin young children, and todevelop creative programs topromote reading throughoutthe region. The experts metwith ADWC students andwith representatives from theSheikh Mohamed Bin KhaledAl Nahyan Cultural Centre inAl Ain to present examplesof their work and to train thestudents on ways to promotereading among young childrenin the UAE.Following the one-daytraining session on ADWC’scampus, the participants hada chance to practice theirnewly-acquired skills at theChildren’s Corner in the AbuDhabi International Book Fair2008. The participants heldworkshops with children fromAbu Dhabi schools who werebetween the ages of sevenand ten years, implementingthe skills and techniques theylearned from the German andFrench experts. The ADWCstudents agreed that the skillsthey learned were very useful inhelping them to teach readingskills to the young children.“It was amazing to have achance to work with childrenoutside the classroom,”noted one of the studentsinvolved. “We had a chanceto practice our skills and usesimple resources to act outthe stories. The children lovedthis and were very responsive.We’ve learned a lot from thisexperience and we thank theGoethe-Institut and AllianceFrançaise for their support.”

A bright future with ADCB.INTELLIGENT, DYNAMIC, FORWARD THINKING.In recent years, ADCB has enjoyed continued growth and development across alldepartments and functions. This expansion has led to the creation of a numberof exciting employment opportunities within the bank. Our Human Resourcesdepartment, a key driver in our success, is committed to training, nurturing anddeveloping talent so that all employees enjoy satisfying careers and grow to reachtheir full potential.If you are a UAE national with or without banking experience, or even an ambitiousgraduate - we’d like to hear from you!

ADWC entered into an agreementwith the Abu Dhabi Music and ArtsFoundation (ADMAF) to supportcultural and arts activities forstudents. The agreement includessponsorships for internationaltrips as well as art exhibitions toshowcase student work.Under the patronage of HisExcellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahayan, Minister ofHigher Education and ScientificResearch, ADMAF was establishedby Her Excellency Hoda Kanoo toadvance classical music, the arts,education, culture and creativityamong the nationals and residentsof Abu Dhabi. The organizationdevelops arts programs and culturaland educational programs withleading national and internationalorganizations, institutions andindividuals.Under the agreement with ADWC,ADMAF sponsored a trip to SouthAfrica for six ADWC Applied Mediastudents. The students attendedthe 11th Design Indaba Conference,an internationally recognized forumwhich covers all aspects of graphicand arts design. Other trips are alsoplanned for the future.“ADMAF’s work with universitiesand schools in Abu Dhabi wasestablished as a source ofinspiration to shape creativeADMAF@ADWCthinking, discover young talent,and build on our rich tradition andculture to open new artistic, culturaland educational horizons with theworld, stated H.E. Kanoo. “ADMAFis a strong supporter of the HigherColleges of Technology and we arevery pleased to support artistic andcultural opportunities for ADWCstudents.”ADMAF’s agreement with ADWCwill also cover exhibitions of studentart work, both on the ADWCcampus and in other venues. Inaddition, ADMAF will sponsor artiststo come to the ADWC campus tohold professional workshops withstudents. During the 2007-2008academic year, ADMAF sponsoredartist and set designer KiranChandra from India, and graphicdesign artists Chris Meyer and TimSmits from Australia to hold eventsat ADWC.“We are so very grateful to ADMAFfor their stellar support of thearts and culture,” said Dr. Cook.“The lives of hundreds of ADWCstudents have been enriched andexpanded because of ADMAF’sincredible generosity throughtravel opportunities, world classconcerts, lectures and exhibits.We look forward to continuing thispartnership which greatly enhancesthe lives of our students.”Abu Dhabi ClassicalMusic FestivalADWC celebrated the AbuDhabi Music and Arts Festivalby hosting some of its guestmusicians on the campus.On 23rd March 2008, theWind Quartet of the LondonPhilharmonic Orchestraperformed live in the ADWCAuditorium. Recognized as oneof the greatest orchestras in theworld, the London PhilharmonicOrchestra maintains an extensiveperformance schedule, regularlyappearing in such placesas Europe, the Far East andNorth America. In addition, theOrchestra sponsors an extensiveeducation programme to nurtureand promote excellence in youngmusicians.On 30th March 2008, ADWCstudents met with andinterviewed Violinist SarahChang, recognized as one of theworld’s most gifted performers.Ms. Chang has performedthroughout Asia, Europe andAmerica, and has collaboratedwith some of the world’s mostdistinguished orchestras. Sheis also a recipient of the AveryFisher Prize, one of the mostprestigious awards given toinstrumentalists, and hasbeen named by NewsweekMagazine as one of the TwentyTop Women in Leadership.The ADWC students askedMs. Chang about her life, herbackground and her career, andwere particularly interested inher violin, a Guarneri del Gesuwhich dates back to 1717. Ms.Chang stated she was pleasedto meet with the students andto provide them with insights onthe world of classical music andperformance.43

ADWC PEARLSDesigning Better People:Applied Communications Students Take Off for South AfricaSix ADWC Applied Communicationsstudents attended the annual DesignIndaba Conference and Expo in CapeTown, South Africa. Design Indaba isone of the premier international designforums focusing on communicationarts such as graphic design,photography, motion graphics andmultimedia design. The purpose ofthe trip was to provide the studentswith an opportunity to see the work ofinternational design professionals andto give them firsthand experience andexposure to the most current trends inthe international design world.Sara Abdulla Al Falahi, Ayesha AbdulAl Mahmoud, Mariam Khamis AlShamsi, Amena Mohamed AbuHaleeqa, Mariam Husain Abu Haleeqaand Zainab Mohamed Khouri attendedthe conference in February 2008, andthey all agree it was a life-changingexperience. In addition to meeting withtop design artists and seeing how theywork, the students also had a chanceto meet with other design studentsfrom around the world and learn abouttheir experiences.The students say they found everyday of the conference to be an eyeopeningexperience. In addition tothe multiple design displays, thestudents also came face to facewith a robot designed by worldrenownedJapanese designers. Thestudents were also introduced to thedesigner of the National Geographiclogo – someone who does not usecomputers in his work. The studentswere fascinated by this revelation andfound themselves challenged withthe notion of what they would do ifthey were required to design a projectwithout the use of a computer.The students were further challengedwhen they found themselves as partof an exhibit. The creator was a fooddesigner whose exhibit requiredonlookers to participate in the conceptin order for the design to work. Thestudents took on the challenge andfound themselves in the middle of anartistic experience which taught themabout the value of sharing with others44ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

and gave them a new way oflooking at the importance ofrelationships. The studentsalso learned that anything canbe used to design an ideainto something tangible. Theysimply need to exercise theircreative skills to figure outhow to create something outof what may be considerednothing.For many of the students,the trip to South Africa wasa series of “firsts”: the firsttime to fly on a plane; the firsttime to cook (there was asmall kitchenette in their hotelroom); and the first time to bewithout the family. Adjustingto these firsts and realizingthat they were capable ofdoing things they had neverdone before added to thevalue of the trip and helpedthe students to recognizeways they could use theirvaried experiences in theirwork.Adding to their list offirsts were some of theextracurricular activities thestudents participated in.They visited Robben Island,the prison home of NelsonMandela, and spoke withformer political prisonersabout the cost of standingup for one’s beliefs. Thestudents agreed that theycould not imagine living inprison and hearing the storiesof the formerprisonershelped themto realize howlucky they arein their ownlives.The studentsalso visiteda recyclingproject wherevegetablesare planted inrecycled containers and thefood grown is used to helpfeed kids who attend a schoolin a slum area. The studentshelped to plant some of thevegetables -- another firstsince some of them hadnever planted anything before-- and they were happyto know that their effortswould help someone. Therecycling project also helpedthe students to make aconnection to what they hadlearned in the conference:recycled products canbe redesigned to createsomething useful.The students also spent timewith children in a daycarecenter and met a womannamed Beauty who teachesyoung kids how to sew in oneof the rooms in her two-roomhouse. “People here are poor,but happy,” remarked oneof the students. “We can’timagine living this way, but ithelps to see how much wehave and why we should notcomplain.”The students agreed thatthe trip has changed themin many ways. “We willbe better, more creativedesigners,” said one of thestudents. “We will be betterpeople because of this.”45

ADWC PEARLSAlumnae AffairsThe Office of Alumnae Affairs is working to createmore of a sense of community among ADWCgraduates and to connect them to the college ina life-long interactive relationship.The alumnae database is being updated toinclude all graduates and former students inthe ADWC Alumnae Association to ensure thecollege has an accurate picture of what itsgraduates and former students are doing. Inaddition, a board of enthusiastic and talentedalumnae will be formed to help plan andcoordinate activities, events and services for theAlumnae Association, such as fieldtrips, reunions,award days and luncheons.One of the services currently provided to alumnaeis the Alumnae Card. The card encouragesalumnae to stay connected to ADWC by grantingthem entry onto the campus and providingaccess to the library and the Career Developmentand Employer Relations division.Many other activities and services are beingput in place to help alumnae and the collegemaintain a mutually beneficial relationship throughcommunication, interaction and support. DuringADWC’s Ajyaluna event, over 20 alumnaeparticipated in the Alumnae Business Bazaar.Booths included items such as perfumes,abayas, accessories, chocolates, cakes,handcrafts, toys and furniture. The alumnae whoparticipated were extremely enthusiastic aboutthe event and expressed their desire to be moreinvolved with the college in the future.In addition, May 2008 was declared ADWC’s firstofficial Alumnae Month. During the month, ADWCcelebrated its graduates during the graduationceremony and also hosted an Alumnae Lunchwhere nearly 100 graduates were in attendance.The luncheon was a time for graduates andformer students to reunite with old classmatesand teachers and to reminisce about pastexperiences at ADWC over an elegant lunchbuffet.In addition to these activities, the CareerDevelopment and Employer Relations staffis planning to hold several ProfessionalDevelopment seminars for alumnae. Thesesessions will assist graduates in creating CVs andpreparing for job interviews and will provide themwith valuable tools they will need in the modernUAE workforce.No matter where ADWC graduates haveventured in their lives, the Office of AlumnaeAffairs hopes they will remain in contact withADWC so that the college and its valued alumnaeremain connected for a lifetime.46ADWC PEARLS Vol. 1, Issue 1, June 2008

Creating a Role Modelfor Others – ADWCGraduate Sara AlMehairi“When you aim for something,don’t give up. If you really want it,go for it.” These are the words ofADWC graduate Sara Al Mehairiand they represent one of themost important lessons she haslearned in her young life.Sara is a member of ADWC’s2006-2007 graduating class,in which she earned herBachelors degree in E-BusinessManagement. She was veryactive as a student and evennow continues to be involved inthe college’s activities whenevershe can. “My best days were atADWC,” says Sara. “Being therechanged me. What I learned inclass has been of great value tome.”While at ADWC, Sara wasthe President of the StudentRepresentative Council. “Workingwith the SRC was a greatexperience and it helped me toexcel both academically and inmy personal life. I learned how tomake use of my abilities and howto increase in those areas.”Upon graduation, Sara receivedthe Abu Dhabi Industry Awardfor her outstanding academicperformance, excellent gradesand significant contribution to thecollege. Sara was one of only 12students who received the awardwhich was presented to her byHis Excellency Sheikh NahayanMabarak Al Nahayan, Minster ofHigher Education and ScientificResearch and Chancellor of HCT.The receipt of the award helpedher to realize what she wanted todo with her life: become the UAE’sMinister of Education. “It is mydream now, but I think I can do it,”she said.Sara believes she can contributea great deal to the school systemin the UAE and she wantsto use her knowledge tohelp young students receivethe best education possible. Shehas strong feelings about makingchanges in the educationalsystem because she believesstudents should do more thansimply memorize concepts. Shewants them to truly understandwhat they are being taught. Inorder to do that, Sara believesthat the delivery of curriculummust change and that teachersmust become more hands-on intheir approach in the classroom.Sara values those teachers whotook such an approach with herbecause she says it helped herto really understand what wasbeing taught and she wantsall students to have the samepositive experience. “We can usenew technology to make positivechanges in the curriculum,” shesaid. “We can use computers tosearch out information on art andother subjects and we can usesoftware to teach us new waysof delivering information.”Sara also believes that studentsneed more information aboutthe importance of physicalactivities so that their bodies willbe as healthy as their minds.She believes physical activitiesshould be introduced earlier inthe educational systemand she wants parentsto understand what animportant role physicalactivity can play in thedevelopment of theirchildren.But all of this is for thefuture. For right now,Sara is enjoying heremployment with theNational Bank of AbuDhabi as a CustomerService Officer inthe Trade Financedepartment. She believes thejob is good experience and thather college studies have helpedher to succeed in her currentrole. Sara wants to continueher education and is planningto pursue a Masters degree inInternational Business. She wasencouraged in this pursuit whenshe participated in the Festivalof Thinkers. The event gave herthe opportunity to meet andspeak with Nobel Laureates,something she never thoughtshe would have a chance todo, and she feels it was a greatlearning experience for her.“Speaking with them helped meto understand that if I really wantsomething, I can get it – evena Nobel Prize! That would helpme to be a great role model forothers.”An ADWC graduate and aNobel Prize-winning Ministerof Education? Sara smiles atthe thought. A great role modelindeed!47

“The real wealth of a country is not itsmaterial wealth; it is its people. They arethe real strength from which we draw prideand the trees from which we receive shade.”HH Sheikh Zayed, the late Founder and President of the United Arab EmiratesFor a selection of current vacancies, please visit www.dcs.abudhabi.ae and apply online.Department of Civil Service, P.O. Box 371, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 2 611 9999

Congratulations to...Mariam Al Shehhi and Muneera Al Marouqi for winning a scholarship from AlMaktoum Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies to study in Scotland this summer;Mira Abdulla Elreyes for winning first place (HD and Bachelor’s Category) at the FujairahWomen’s College Annual Inter-College Speech Competition for her speech, “BipolarDisorder”;Khadijah Al-Ameri for being accepted into the Sorbonne in Paris, France, to study for herMasters Degree in Education;The ADWC Sports Team for winning a silver medal in football and volleyball in the HigherSports Federation intercollegiate competition;Alanoud Amer Al Hamili, Fatema Mejren Saif Mejren Al Hameli, HamdaMohamed Al Shekaili, Fatima Salem Al Braiki and Amna Humaid for winningthe Director’s Choice Award for their original artwork.Rehab Omar Saeed, Huda Al Hanaei,Nadhera Al Amoodi, Fawzeia AlWahedi, Amena Al Maamari, Hamda Al Zaabi, Shamsa Al Rumaithi,Zahra Mohamed Ahmed, Hind Al Shamsi, Noora Al Tunaiji, NadyaAl Mannaei, Fatima Ali Awadh Jabr, Shamma Al Halami, AyeshaAl Qamzi and Fatema Al Zaabi for winning an Abu DhabiIndustry Award.

One Final Word…During this academic year, we’ve brought you ADWC Highlights each month tospotlight the events and activities going on around the campus. At the end of thatedition, the editor usually encouraged you to tell us about anything going on withyour students which you believed the world should know about (the editor tendsto exaggerate: “the world” was an overstatement of epic proportions). Many ofyou responded to our requests and for that, we thank you.As a result of your responses, and because there’s no way to cover everythingthat happens on this campus in the mere eight pages of ADWC Highlights, andbecause nobody wants a 50-page newsletter (no matter how brilliantly writtenand fastidiously edited it may be), and because…ok, mostly because the bosssaid so, we bring you Pearls, the new magazine of the Abu Dhabi Women’sCollege.We chose this name as a way of paying homage to the college’s previouspublication, The Pearl, which was a labour of love for many of our faculty, staff,students and alumnae. We cherish and honor the best of that publication and wehope to make this campus proud with this new magazine. We also chose Pearlsbecause it reminds us of our students: if we give them enough time, work withthem in patience, and instill in them a love and yearning for knowledge, we arerewarded with rare and precious gems.This edition of Pearls is a recap of some of the major events that have happenedover the course of the 2007-2008 academic year. We were not able to includeeverything, because nobody wants another almanac (no matter how brilliantlywritten, fastidiously edited and exceptionally laid out it may be); but we have triedto provide you with the highlights (again with the homage!) so that the world willknow (again with the exaggeration!) how incredible it is to be a part of ADWC.We hope you enjoyed this edition and we look forward to bringing you manymore.The Marketing and PR CoordinatorThe Media and Press Relations OfficerThe Graphic Designer andThe Editor

PearlsADWC thanks thefollowing sponsorsfor their supportPantone Red 485 cC - 0M - 100Y - 100K - 0Pantone cool gray 10cC - 0M - 0Y - 0(National Marine Dredging Company)K - 75