GUtech's Board of Governors discusses academic and administrative matters and approves faculty members promotions

مجلس إدارة جيوتك يناقش المسائل الأكاديمية ويقر بترقيات لعدد من أعضاء هيئة التدريس

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عقد مجلس إدارة الجامعة الألمانية للتكنولوجيا في عمان (جيوتك) أول اجتماع له لعام 2021 في حرم جيوتك مؤخرًا.

وناقش المجلس مختلف الأمور الأكاديمية والإدارية والمالية المتعلقة بعمل الجامعة. كما استعرض المسائل التي تتطلب موافقة المجلس وتوجيهه.

وترأس الاجتماع البروفيسور الدكتور ريرنات روديجار، رئيس جامعة آر دبليو تي آتش آخن الألمانية، ورئيس مجلس إدارة جيوتك،  بحضور أعضاء حضروا شخصيًا في حرم جيوتك ، بينما انضم آخرون عن بُعد.

خلال الاجتماع ، وافق مجلس الإدارة رسميًا على جدول أعمال الاجتماع ومحضر الاجتماع الأخير. كما استعرضت الموضوعات المختلفة مثل سياسة الصحة والسلامة، والتقرير المرحلي حول إطار عمل لجنة التقييم في آخن بالإضافة إلى التقدم المحرز في الدورات المختلطة والدورات عن بعد.

بعد ذلك، اجتمع المجلس مع ممثلين عن المجلس الاستشاري الطلابي لمناقشة الأمور ذات الصلة والأهمية بالنسبة للهيئة الطلابية في الجامعة. وقدم أعضاء المديرية إلى مجلس الإدارة لمحة عامة عن تقييم الخطة الاستراتيجية للفترة 2013-2019. بعد ذلك، ناقش المجلس إضافة برامج جديدة إلى الجامعة الألمانية، وإحالة الموافقة إلى وزارة التعليم العالي.

بالإضافة إلى ذلك ، ناقش المجلس التقدم المحرز في تحديد رئيس الجامعة الجديد وتلقى تحديثًا بشأن متطلبات الاعتماد. كما وافق المجلس على ترقيات أربعة أعضاء من هيئة تدريس ومنح رتبة بروفيسور لـ يكيهارد هولزبيشر من علوم الأرض التطبيقية. كما استعرض الاجتماع الأمور الإدارية والمالية والاستثمارية المتعلقة بعمل الجامعة.

ويعتبر المجلس الإداري مسؤول بشكل جماعي عن إدارة الجامعة وضمان مساءلتها تجاه الأهداف المحددة في خطتها الاستراتيجية.

الجدير بالذكر أن مجلس الإدارة يجتمع مرتين سنويًا على الأقل في جامعة آر دبليو تي آتش آخن الألمانية ، أو الجامعة الشريكة الأكاديمية الألمانية، أو في حرم جيوتك بحلبان.

ويتكون مجلس الجامعة من ممثلين عن المديرية، وممثل عن وزارة التعليم العالي في عمان، والسفير الألماني في عمان، وممثلين عن الأكاديميين في عمان، وممثل من خدمات التبادل الأكاديمي الألمانية وممثلين عن مجلس الإدارة.

GUtech professor receives national research award for addressing transportation services redundancy

GUtech professor receives national research award for addressing transportation services redundancy

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Prof. Dr. Nafaa Jabeur, Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science at GUtech, alongside co-researchers from Dhofar University, has received the National Research Award during the seventh cycle of the Annual Research Forum organised by the Research and Innovation Sector of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MoHERI).

Dr. Nafaa and his colleagues’ paper, “Transportation Service Redundancy from a Spatio-Temporal Perspective” won in the Information Systems and Communication Technologies field.

The winning research addresses the mismatch between demand and supply for taxi services in big cities. Dr. Nafaa explained that: “To address this discrepancy, we used the concept of service redundancy. More specifically, we modelled citywide taxi service redundancy as an explicit spatio-temporal phenomenon. We deployed Machine Learning techniques to qualify this redundancy in space and time. We proposed an agent-based collaborative scheme for the calculation, collection, and control of service redundancy at three different levels: namely micro level (service redundancy at the immediate surroundings of individual taxis), meso level (redundancy at taxi operators’ level), and macro level (service redundancy at a city level).” “Taxi operators are relying on several strategies to optimize the commutes of their fleets through the cities, without being successful in avoiding long empty-cruise time as well as considerable waste of fuel.” The results of the “intensive simulation experiments showed a significant decrease of imbalance in city-wide transportation supply-demand as well as a better trade-off between customers’ satisfaction and taxis’ profits,” he added.

Prof. Nafaa holds a PhD in Computer Science from Laval University in Canada. He has been working at GUtech since 2013. Prof. Nafaa is also GUtech’s Director of Research. His research interest includes sensor web, sensor networks, and wireless sensor networks; cyber-physical systems.

 

(c) Text: GUtech/ Fatima El Madkouri & Prof. Dr. Nafaa Jabeur

 

OES - GUtech Selects GEARS ERP

Oman Educational Services Collaborates with PBS to Implement GEARS ERP and Develop a New SIS for GUtech

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Oman Educational Services (OES) and Prime Business Solutions (PBS) have signed a collaborative agreement to cooperate for the implementation of GEARS ERP, a cutting-edge comprehensive enterprise resource planning solution and for the development of a Student Information System (SIS).

GEARS ERP, fully developed by PBS, is designed to help increase productivity, lower costs and improve operations’ monitoring and collaborations. By rolling out GEARS ERP to one of OES entities, the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech), OES will not only be able to embrace current best practices, but it will also enable the University to integrate emerging technology to support changing organizational demands.

OES and PBS collaboration goes beyond implementing GEARS ERP, but to work together on developing a new student information system (SIS). The SIS will extend the ERP features to respond to the needs of the higher education sector and align the organisation and business insights of private universities and colleges. The ERP and SIS solutions will provide GUtech’s students as well as administrative and faculty members with the latest technology tools enabling real time access to information and processes.

Upon signing the agreement, Dr. Hussain Al Salmi, CEO of OES and GUtech Acting Rector said: “the collaboration with PBS, a strong and forward-looking Omani company, allows us to consolidate different solutions for a streamlined management of academic and administrative operations.”

The signing ceremony took place at GUtech campus in the presence of senior administrative representatives from PBS and OES, alongside heads of academic faculties from GUtech.

Al Salmi also commented: “OES has made a strategic decision to collaborate with PBS. Sharing our operational and academic knowledge with PBS team will result in an exceptional SIS to make the University’s functions simple and intuitive.”

OES is a 100% Omani-owned limited liability company with a core interest in education. OES operates a range of educational institutions in Oman, including GUtech, the first German University in GCC affiliated with RWTH Aachen University, Finland Oman School (FOS), the History of Science Centre (HSC), and other entities offering educational support and services.

 

 

(c) Text: GUtech/ Fatima El Madkouri

GUtech students and parents to obtain funding from Meethaq Islamic Bank in compliance with Islamic Sharia principles.

Oman Educational Services and Meethaq Sign Agreement to Extend Education Finance for GUtech and FOS Students and Parents

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GUtech students and parents to pay tuition fees through IJARAH by Meethaq Islamic Bank.

Oman Educational Services, the owner company of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) and Finland Oman School (FOS), has signed an agreement with Meethaq Islamic Banking from Bank Muscat to provide financing options to students paying tuition fees at GUtech and for parents paying FOS fees.

The agreement was signed by Dr Hussain Al Salmi – CEO of Oman Educational Services cum GUtech’s Acting Rector, and Shamzani Mohammed Hussain, General Manager – Meethaq Islamic Banking, in the presence of a number of officials.

The agreement will allow working students and parents to utilise the bank’s education financing service to pay to tuition fees. Thus, helping to mitigate the financial pressures on students and parents.

Besides the parents of FOS students, the financing facility will allow GUtech students and parents to obtain funding from Meethaq Islamic Bank in compliance with Islamic Sharia principles.

Following the principle of ‘Ijarah’, Meethaq will be subleasing the education services of GUtech and FOS at the request of students and parents against deferred payments to be concluded through a Service Ijarah contract.

Speaking about the agreement, Dr Al Salmi said that the partnership with Meethaq Islamic Bank allow us to expand the range of payment options available to students and parents.

Oman Educational Services operates among others Oman’s first green campus, a full-fledged campus encompassing GUtech, FOS, History of Science Centre, a Solar Facility Training, Siemens Mechatronics Lab, and a variety to workshops and labs dedicated to enriching the educational experience of students.

GUtech boasts four faculties offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. All GUtech programmes are being developed in collaboration with European partners. GUtech’s undergraduate programmes are internationally accredited.

FOS is the first private school in Oman, established in 2018, offering Finnish pedagogical model in Oman to K-12 students. FOS is open to all students from all nationalities.

KOBAYASHI Toshinori, Japanese Ambassador to Oman Pays a Visit to GUtech Campus in Halban

Japanese Ambassador to Oman Pays a Visit to GUtech Campus in Halban

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The Japanese Ambassador to the Sultanate of Oman, H.E. KOBAYASHI Toshinori, paid a visit to the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) yesterday, and gifted GUtech’s library a range of books on Japanese history, literature, and culture during a visit to the university’s campus in Halban.

Dr. Hussain Salmi, GUtech’s acting rector, welcomed the Japanese Ambassador and gave a detailed description of the university and its various departments in the presence of Mr. HASHIMOTO Sho, Head of Cultural Section in the Japanese Embassy.

His Excellency expressed his pleasure to visit GUtech and donate books to its library and most importantly to meet students of the Japanese club at the university. “I sincerely hope that these books will benefit GUtech students to further understand Japan and its culture.” He stressed.

The Japanese club at GUtech includes students and graduates who are fond of Japan’s culture, comics, and language. The club’s members took the opportunity to showcase video clips of past activities and events they organised demonstrating their fondness of Japan’s festivals and language. On offering Japanese language courses to the public, the Ambassador assured the members of the club to support the initiative whenever the situation improves.

Dr. Al Salmi described the book donation as a great opportunity for GUtech to add diverse resources to the library about a rich culture, such as Japan. “There is a big respect in Japan’s academic institutions, and we are keen on developing ties with universities in Japan. I hope to see students exchange in both directions and we look forward to benefiting from academic collaboration and scholarship opportunities.” Commented Al Salmi.

Dr. Al Salmi pointed to the ongoing collaboration with Nagoya University and expressed the importance of the Embassy’s support to reach out to other universities in Japan for faculty and student exchange. He further added that the University is opened to consider offering Japanese language at GUtech campus, and collaborating in the area of technology for the benefits of students.

The Ambassador also visited GUtech’s History of Science Centre and appreciated the university’s vision to become a leading institution in the wider region.

Ambassador H.E. KOBAYASHI Toshinori expressed his pleasure in visiting GUtech campus and said that he was impressed by the university, its educational facilities and the initiatives made by the members of the Japanese club in respect of sharing knowledge about Japan.

 

 

The Global Executive MBA at the WU Executive Academy of the University of Vienna University of Business and Economics, now stands at the 32nd place globally.

WU MBA, offered in Oman at GUtech, Jumps in Financial Times Ranking

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Jumping 16 spots in the Financial Times 2020 Executive MBA rankings, the Global Executive MBA at the WU Executive Academy of the University of Vienna University of Business and Economics, now stands at the 32nd place globally.

The Executive MBA by the WU Executive Academy is offered in Oman in collaboration with the German University of Technology in Oman. Currently, 19 students are enrolled in the programme at GUtech campus and another intake is due to start in February 2021.

The #32 ranking offers greater value to WU alumni, students, and prospective candidates. “We are very proud of our partnership with the Executive Academy of Vienna University for Economic and Business; we have excellent feedback from our current students who could see the added value that such a global programme offers them. Our unique offering of a double degree is very well received by our students, we are now recruiting for our new batch starting in February 2021.” Commented Prof Dr Heba Aziz, the Director of WU-GUtech MBA.

Joining the ranks of the world’s Top 50 Business Schools for its Executive MBA programme, the Financial Times 2020 ranking confirms the Executive MBA excellent standing. This achievement is a testament to the quality of the ongoing global success of the Executive MBA.

Financial Times Ranking for the EMBA programmes is open for business schools that are either AACBS or EQUIS accredited. It requires responses from alumni on five criteria: salary today which carries the most weight, salary increase, career progress, work experience, and aims achieved.

The WU Executive Academy is also the recipient of the coveted “triple crown” accreditation status. It is recognised by the three most prestigious international accrediting bodies: AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA.

GUtech students elect student advisory council for the academic year 2020-2021

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Students of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) participated in electing representatives to the Student Advisory Council (SAC) for the academic year 2020-2021 recently.

Twenty six (26) student candidates competed for eight (8) elected positions that represent the university’s diverse student body, and embody the strategic orientation of the university.

The SAC election started on 9 December 2020 and closed on 13 December 2020. The voting followed two week-long electoral activities in which candidates campaigned for votes through digital platforms.

The students elected to SAC for 2019-2020 are Sara al Shukaily as the President of SAC, Usama al Maskari as the Vice-President, Mayia al Barwani as Secretary, Rawan al Hinai as Head of Academic Committee, Sara al Barwani as the Head of Students Services Committee, Haifa al Balushi as the Head of Initiatives and Activities Committee, Nusrat Jahan as International Students Representative, and Ahmed al Riyami, a GUbridge Representative.

The Student Advisory Council, which serves as a voice for the student body and works directly with the university administration, aims to initiate activities that cater to the demands of the student body as well as engage with the general public.

Sara al Shukaily said, “I am grateful for the opportunity, and along my SAC colleagues, we will work to raise awareness about the SAC’s functions for the betterment of GUtech, and to voice students’ concerns to the administration.”

Al Shukaily added, “My team -SAC- and I are starting in a very exciting way and we have many goals that we really want to accomplish. We believe that we will accomplish a lot.”

The Student Advisory Council election was organised by the Department of Student Affairs (SA). Congratulating the students, Nawal Jawad, Head of SA, said: “We are glad to see GUtech’s students eager to elect and work with SAC members and I congratulate the newly elected SAC members and wish them the very best of luck for a productive and fruitful tenure. I also wish to thank the outgoing SAC members for their many accomplishments throughout their term. Our appreciation to SA staff for ensuring a smooth and orderly election.”

Consultancy Policy

Technology Transfer Office Organises a Consultation Workshop on GUtech’s Consultancy Policy

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GUtech’s Technology Transfer Office organised a consultation workshop to discuss GUtech’s consultancy policy recently.

GUtech’s consultancy policy aims at creating the right framework for faculty and staff to offer their expertise to external parties. The policy is aligned with GUtech strategic plan and encourages faculty and staff to pursue consultancy assignments in order to contribute to the University’s mission of serving society as a whole.

Dr Chris Moody, TTO director, run the consultation to clarify the current GUtech’s consultancy policy, unveil doubts over the permissible time for consultancy, and reach a consensus over consultancy pricing and sharing. “It is a common practice in academia to find faculty and staff are approach to provide technical and creative expertise, to devise solutions for industrial problems, to be called upon for expert feedback in courts, to provide expert reports or to serve on government’s policy making task force.” Explained Moody.

Consultancy assignments are one of the lucrative activities that faculty and staff may choose to undertake during their tenure at GUtech. “offering the right incentives and a structured scheme for the permissible time to spend on externally-funded consultancies should create a conducive environment for sharing knowledge and opening up the door for working closely with the industry.” Stated Moody.

Besides teaching and research, GUtech aspires to develop business and community relations and increase income from non-academic sources.

Consultancy can also help to develop research collaborations and maintain relationships with the industry.

TTO is tasked with providing support to faculty and staff to carry out consultancy assignments that can be reasonably handled besides the regular duties. The support covers administrative aspects ranging from project pricing to contract negotiation.

 

 

Strategic Partnership with Webware

A strategic partnership between the German University of Technology in Oman and World Web IT Solutions to enhance applied research and develop innovative technological solutions

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The German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) has established a strategic partnership with World Web IT Solutions (Webware) to collaborate across a range of areas and in particular in applied research, to develop innovative solutions, and to exchange expertise in technical and academic areas.

Dr Hussain bin Sulaiman Al Salmi, GUtech’s Acting Rector and Dr Ahmed bin Sleim Al Junaibi, Webware Chairman, signed the agreement recently at the company’s headquarter in Al Ghalbi Tower in Muscat.

This partnership goes along GUtech strategic initiatives aimed to create opportunities for cooperation with the private sector and to launch applied research projects that serve Oman’s economy. It is also a driving engine for applied research enabling knowledge transfer and exchange that address real-world business challenges and requirements of the private sector. The strategic partnership with Webware also includes offering training opportunities to GUtech students in various disciplines and making it easy to incubate students’ graduation projects.

At the signing, Dr Hussain bin Sulaiman Al Salmi, Acting Rector of GUtech, said: “we are delighted to enter into a strategic partnership with Webware, and we look forward to a fruitful collaboration offering our students and faculty plenty of opportunities to engage in real-world applied research projects emanating from the needs of the private sector and offering technology-driven solutions.”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr Ibrahim bin Sleim Al Junaibi, CEO of Webware, said: “the cooperation with the German University of Technology in Oman, a pioneer educational institution in Oman, opens up prospects for growth and progress for us, and enhances our business efficiency.” “With the expertise of its faculty members hailing from different disciplines, together with GUtech, we are well equipped to co-develop new innovations that serve the market and raise the efficiency of the business sector” He added.

Al Salmi indicated that strategic partnerships with the private sector including Webware enables GUtech to align the curriculum with the markets expectations and needs and provide an exceptional educational experience to our students.

World Web IT Solutions (Webware), a subsidiary of Al Ghalbi International Group, is one of the leading companies in the field of technology. In the last six years, Webware has evolved to a well trusted and recognised company offering valuable and efficient technological solutions for an effecient business environment.

GUtech welcomes new students via virtual orientation sessions

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GUtech campus is typically abuzz this time of the year, but new students are experiencing the university life differently this time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the department of Student Affairs has re-created the orientation experience virtually via MS TEAMS for the academic year 2020/202 to provide proper induction and ensure a smooth academic journey at the college. The virtual orientation programme had included virtual components showcasing the different services the University provides, allowing over 370 online participants to get acquainted with the services available on campus.

After welcoming the participants to the virtual orientation sessions, GUtech Acting Rector, Dr Hussain Al Salmi, provided a recap on the precautionary measures the University is observing for the health and safety of students and staff and highlighted the availability of all necessary information on the University website, social media platforms, besides the introductory email sent earlier to all students explaining the plans devised by the University to navigate the current situation.

Head of Student Affairs department, Nawal Jawad led the virtual orientation by providing an overview of the services offered by the different departments. “We want to make sure that every student knows we are here for them.” Jawad assured participants. Students got then the opportunity to an extended questions and answers session addressing all their concerns.

Addressing the concerns of new students over the teaching formats, Al Salmi explained: “in September we are required to conduct teaching online only. Starting from October, three teaching formats will be applied from face-to-face, and virtual teaching to online classes which don’t require real-time session meetings.” “Exams will be conducted both online and on campus.” He added.

The virtual orientation allowed participants who are enrolled to embark on the foundation programme to learn about its structure and its different levels and to pose a range of questions, from changing the programme of study, academic advising, student advisory council, and student clubs, to accommodation and eateries options on campus.