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AUD holds Annual Student Forum

Organized by the AUD Student Government Association

Dubai, March 27^th, 2011. Students from the American University in Dubai ( AUD ) attended the annual Student Forum today, organized by the Student Government Association (SGA) in the presence of President Dr. Lance De Masi, Executive Vice President Mr. Elias Bou Saab, and Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Jihad Nader.

The AUD Student Forum is designed, executed and managed by the AUD Student Government Association and is traditionally held during the Spring Semester as a means of collecting student feedback about issues and topics at AUD . These include general academic and non-academic issues. Titled "Voice It! Got Ideas?" the 2011 edition of the forum was an opportunity for students to freely and openly express their views and discuss issues or ideas with the university's Senior Administration.

"The Student Forum is the single greatest opportunity every year for AUD students to engage with its administration. It is with our sincerest gratitude to them that Dr. de Masi, Mr. Bou Saab, and Dr. Nader all attend to listen to and address issues concerning academics and student life at AUD . This engagement and recognition with students seems to make AUD unique in the region. It follows with the American model of having a strong student voice", comments Philip Apaza, President of the Student Government Association at AUD .

This year the Student Government Association officers, members and volunteers, along with the Buzz and the Agency, all worked diligently to collect information from the student body through surveys, interviews and every method possible. Eventually, the SGA compiled this into a 120 page comprehensive report which was provided to the administration at the Forum. Additionally, the preparation included organizing over 500 charts and graphs ready to be pulled up at the moment an issue is raised.

On the Forum, Apaza says: "We believe that this year's Forum was a great success given that many positive results were yielded. Given the amount of time and effort that goes into preparing such a meeting, we think that the success of the meeting is in establishing an active, strong voice in the Student Government. A proficient, strong SGA allows for a continuous, active discourse between students and administrators along mutually beneficial lines."

The Student Government Association (SGA) serves as a liaison between university staff and students and plays an active role in planning and coordinating student activities. Students have a voice in the governance of the university through the Student Government Association. The SGA is recognized as the official representative voice of the student body at the American University in Dubai .

Part of the seven values that underpin AUD 's operations and development and that characterize its dealings with students is its whole person approach to education; AUD also values excellence in all that it does and is committed to continuous improvement in its educational offerings and services; the Annual Student forum is one of the ways AUD endorses and upholds these values.

Apaza concludes by saying that "The success of the Forum is not what happens during it, but the actions that are taken and the discourse that continues afterwards."

-Ends-

About AUD
The American University in Dubai ( AUD ) is a private, non-sectarian institution of higher learning founded in 1995. It serves UAE nationals and international students who seek world-class career-oriented education. AUD , as an international institution of higher education, encourages global understanding by providing an atmosphere of cultural diversity and opportunities for an international education.

AUD is accredited by the Commission on Colleges (COC) of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award Bachelor's and Master's degrees.

AUD is officially licensed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of the United Arab Emirates. The Ministry has accredited the university's programs in Architecture, Business Administration (both undergraduate and graduate), Communication and Information Studies, Engineering, Information Technology, Visual Communication and Interior Design, in addition to a Certificate in Middle Eastern Studies program.

AUD is approved to operate by the State of Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission (NPEC).

AUD has received specialized accreditation for its Bachelor's of Business Administration (B.B.A.), and Master's of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree programs in business through the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The university's undergraduate concentrations in Marketing Communications and Advertising (Creative) have been accredited by the International Advertising Association (IAA) in New York.

The Civil, Computer, and Electrical Engineering Programs of AUD 's School of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. The Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Technology (B.S.C.I.T.) program is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.

For more information, please visit www.aud.edu.

For more information, please contact:
Rim O. Ibrahim
Marketing Communications Coordinator
The American University in Dubai
T. + 971 4 318 3139
F. + 971 4 399 8899
E. ribrahim@aud.edu

© Press Release 2011