GUST hosts virtual orientation via Microsoft Teams for new students
Program modified to respect country’s mourning period
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 18: GUST hosted its annual student orientation on Thursday evening. Organized before the start of every Fall Semester, the orientation allows new students to get all the information they need to start their academic year with confidence, and to ensure a smooth transition into university life.
Owing to the ongoing world pandemic that started earlier in the year, the orientation was conducted via Microsoft Teams, so that all new students could join in and participate from the safety of their homes.
The orientation began with a virtual campus tour, and pre-recorded videos from various important members of staff who will form vital contact points for students. After this concluded, a Q&A session was conducted.
The actual event itself was held on campus, in a setting reminiscent of a TV studio, whereby a host introduced the various segments and asked the participants questions sent in by the students.
As Kuwait is currently in a period of mourning due to the passing of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah AlAhmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, certain portions of the orientation had to be left out – namely the musical performances, as a mark of respect.
The participants included GUST
President, Professor Walid Bouhamra, who joined in remotely from his home, and Dr Bassam Alammeddine, Acting VP for Academic Affairs, Dr Ahmad Darbas, Vice-President for Professional Development and Community Services, the Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr Bashar Ibrahim, Dean of the College of Business Administration, Dr. Jean Paul Arnaout, and Ms Kelle Hutchinson, the Manager of the Foundation Program Unit. Also participating were representatives from the Registration Office, the Scholarship Office, The Tutoring Center, the One Stop Student Services Center, and the IT Department.
The Orientation also made sure to emphasize GUST’s active student life, with a video compilation of all of the different student clubs which are active at the university. These clubs are a vital component, as they ensure that learning important life lessons are conducted in real-life settings in ways that cannot be replicated in a classroom.
GUST President, Professor Walid Bouhamra, said, “Every new batch of students we get is an opportunity for us to inspire them to find their calling in life. This year, there was an added challenge – how to we reach our students, show them our campus, and have them meet our staff and faculty in the safest and most effective way possible. We overcame this obstacle, and remain committed to delivering the best academic experience possible.”
Senior Manager – Community Engagement & Communications Division, Anwar Al- Sabah, said, “Our goal is to facilitate the new student’s transition. This year posed unique challenges, but we overcame them by making use of modern technology while having everybody’s safety at the forefront of our minds. By using modern software, we found a way to interact virtually with our new students and to give them a glimpse of what they can expect from GUST.”
The orientation welcomes GUST’s 19th batch of freshmen, since it was founded in 2002. The university, which is affiliated with University of Saint Louis of Missouri in the US, holds 6 international accreditations, and is ranked as the number one private university in Kuwait. It houses two colleges, offers various undergraduate programs, in addition to an MBA program. Its faculty is sourced from the world’s leading academic institutions, and many of its graduates have gone on to establish successful businesses while others enjoy fulfilling professional careers.