KAH holds talks with AUC delegation – ‘Al Habtoor Scholarship’, management changes among issues discussed

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DUBAI, UAE, Dec 9: Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor welcomed a delegation from The American University in Cairo (AUC) led by Dr Tarek Shawki, Dean of the School of Science and Engineering on Wednesday. Also present was Dina Abulfotuh, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement and Communications; Dina el-Gassar, Director of Development, Office of Institutional Advancement; Mary Iskander, Senior Advisor to the President. Representatives from the Al Habtoor Group included Ziad Ida, Director of Community Relations and Safety of Al Habtoor Group and Abdul Salam Marzooqi, General Manager, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Foundation.

The AUC delegation briefed Al Habtoor on the current status of the ‘Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Scholarship’, which will allow 10 Egyptian students from rural parts of the country to receive higher education. Enrollment in the program starts in January 2016.

Al Habtoor said he was delighted with the inception of the Scholarship program and looked forward to hearing about the progress of the students. “The Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Scholarship aims to provide people who never imagined they could be given the opportunity to further their studies a better chance in life,” he said.

The group also discussed upcoming management changes at AUC. They informed Al Habtoor that an interim replacement had been found for outgoing AUC President Lisa Anderson. AUC Trustee Thomas E. Thomason will take over from Anderson, who was appointed the 11th President of AUC in 2011, until the Search Committee finds a permanent successor.

Al Habtoor was presented with a plaque honouring him for his support of the American university. It said Dr Al Habtoor is “a source of inspiration for Arab youth,” and commended him for “creating a lasting legacy at AUC. Making a difference in the lives of talented youth from far corners of Egypt.”

Al Habtoor, a longtime supporter of AUC. He previously donated $5 million to finance Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Football and Track Stadium, an Olympic-standard facility boasting a full football field and a 400 meter, 10 lane track. The stadium has provided AUC with the ability to train and improve the athletic skills of its students in an ideal environment. The facility also provides the university with a prime venue for regional and international competition.

The Al Habtoor Group Chairman has been an advocate for quality education since 1975 when he founded the Al Ittihad School and became its first Chairman of the Board of Trustees. In 1991 he founded Emirates International School – the first school in the United Arab Emirates to provide an international curriculum. Several years later he opened a second campus in Dubai. He is also a big supporter of several universities in the UAE, as well as in the United States. He established a leadership program and lecture series at Illinois College to foster young leaders at university.

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