UoB, HEA sign partnership deal

Manama : University students in the Kingdom to be benefitted as the University of Bahrain (UoB) signed a Global Partnership agreement with the Higher Education Academy (HEA) of the United Kingdom. 

The agreement was signed by UoB’s President, Professor Riyad Hamza and HEA’s Chief Executive, Professor Stephanie Marshall at the “First Symposium on Teaching Transformation through Action Research; UoB Experience over 10 years”, held at the University yesterday. 

The HEA are recognised as global leaders in teaching and learning and signing the agreement has made UOB the only university in the MENA region to be awarded a global partner status. 

“This partnership stands for a merger of greater quality of teaching, innovation and peer-mentoring. We can now bring world-class technology and facilities to Bahrain, ensuring that students have better options to remain within their country while at the same time opening up opportunities for them to take up rewarding exchange programs,” said Professor Riyad Hamza, President of the UoB. 

The Global Partnership agreement also implies that UoB, which already has HEA accreditation, may award HEA Fellowship to teaching staff from the Applied Science University (ASU). 

HEA Chief Executive, Professor Stephanie Marshall, said: “This agreement is an important landmark, illustrating the great work that the Unit of Teaching Excellence and Leadership at the University of Bahrain has done to raise the status of teaching in the Kingdom.” 

Simon Martin, British Ambassador to Bahrain, who was also in present at the event, expressed his pride in such educational partnerships between UK and the Kingdom of Bahrain. 

He said: “There are currently more than 400 Bahraini students studying in the UK and I am certain that partnerships of this nature will see a two-way exchange between the wonderful countries.”

In a separate initiative, the HEA is launching an “Employability Project” in the Gulf region, which will be an opportunity for institutions to collaborate and share experiences in identifying best practice in embedding employability in the curriculum.

This collaborative model has already proved effective for the UK and the HEA is certain that such a system will enhance student experience in the MENA region.