KKU

FLT and NCAAA Meet to Discuss Accreditation Progress

  On September 15, 2019, Academic Development and Quality Deanship Vice Dean, Dr. Saeed Saad Hadi, was pleased to host NCAAA Consultant, Dr. Loay Abusalah. Dean Abdullah Melhi and the faculty's Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, represented the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) leadership team at the meeting. The purpose was to discuss the FLT's accreditation progress.   Over the summer, the FLT submitted the required Self-Evaluation Scales report. Dr. Abusalah expressed his great satisfaction with the department's work. He related that the next step is to submit the Self-Study Report, which demonstrates and provides the documentary support for each of the conclusions made in accordance with the criteria established under NCAAA standards. Those criteria include:   Mission and goals; Program management and quality assurance; Teaching and learning; Students; Faculty members; Learning resources, facilities, and equipment.   The Self-Study Report is based on a 3 prong general framework. First, specific policies are identified. Next, is a short synopsis explaining the implementation procedures followed in executing those policies. Finally, there is an assessment loop in which there is a thorough and frank review of the aforementioned policies and efforts and a detailed evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of each item.   Dr. Abusalah expressed his confidence that the FLT would successfully complete this next milestone in the accreditation process. "I am very happy with your work. The FLT has demonstrated its capabilities and commitment. The faculty's enthusiasm is apparent in this room. Rest assured, that I wish to see the FLT accredited, and I will do everything necessary to assist the faculty throughout the process," he said.   At the closing of the meeting, Dean Al-Melhi expressed his appreciation to all the participating faculty members. He stressed the importance of obtaining accreditation as quickly as practicable. "I know I can count on all of you to work together and successfully complete the remaining steps. Having the department attain accreditation is one of the department's primary objectives for which I take personal responsibility."   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings. The FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the program. The department is determined to secure such recognition by way of NCAAA accreditation in the near future. Date: 9/15/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation
English

Faculty of Languages and Translation to Seek NCAAA Accreditation

  On May 2, 2019, Quality Consultant at the Deanship of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Ahmad Farid, led a workshop at the Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) on NCAAA accreditation of the English language program. The first step in this process is for the department to complete a comprehensive initial self-evaluation. This analysis evaluates the current performance levels of all essential academic functions in the program. The FLT is pleased to report that the initial self-evaluation is complete.   The comprehensive self-evaluation is a complex and labor-intensive effort. The FLT assembled 11 faculty teams, each of which was assigned to evaluate a mission-critical department function. A total of nearly 30 faculty members from the FLT participated. The process involves analyzing tasks and the associated sub-tasks, then measuring current performance against a variety of quantitative and qualitative standards. The teams were working on a tight schedule for this phase of the accreditation project. Also, the work had to be completed in accordance with a strict set of evaluative parameters. Every team met the challenge head-on, and delivered high-quality work on schedule.   Vice Dean of Academic Development and Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, is pleased with the FLT's progress. He stated "Before the NCAAA will begin its own critical analysis of the program, certain requirements must be satisfied. The program under consideration must demonstrate that appropriate quality assurance standards are in place, and that all operations are in accordance with its institutional charter or license. The self-evaluation requires that the department support each conclusion with a coherent statistical analysis based on traceable raw data. This effort required that the teams collect, analyze, and evaluate in a short time frame. Each team had to collate quantitative data from a wide variety of sources, and collect qualitative data from the different stakeholders, including students, faculty, and members of the community." Dr. Almosa then commended the accreditation teams for their hard work and exemplary results.   Program Coordinator at the Faculty of Languages and Translation, Dr. Fadi Al-Khasawneh, expanded upon Vice Dean Almosa's introductory remarks. "The accreditation process begins with a rigorous self-evaluation of the program. The NCAAA will not start its independent review until it is satisfied that we have completed a fair, balanced, and objective internal evaluation of our program," he said. This requires that the department conduct a detailed performance analysis of operations in 11 separate areas. Dr. Al-Khasawneh also noted that each internal evaluation is subject to independent review by a duly authorized NCAAA review panel.   The accreditation process entails for additional major steps to be completed in due course: Acceptance of the application by the NCAAA, and scheduling of dates for review; Completion of a Self-Study Report for Programs (SSRP) using the criteria and processes specified by the NCAAA. This normally takes between 9-12 months. NCAAA will provide ongoing advice during this period to ensure full compliance with all requirements; Independent evaluation by the NCAAA or it delegates, including a site visit by a review panel; Decision on accreditation by the NCAAA after consideration of external review panel recommendations.   This first phase of accreditation was not easy. The teams had to complete a large amount of work in a short amount of time. Moreover, the period of performance of this phase overlapped with the end of the school year. The FLT would like to recognize the respective team leaders and members for their hard work on the project as follows:   Standard 1: Mission, Goals & Objectives Team Leader: Hassan Costello Team Members: Saqub Aftab + Dr. Charles Forman + Dr. Michael Hadzantonis + Dr. Justin Sfariac   Standard 2: Program Administration Team Leader: Mahmudul Haque Team Member: Mohammad Adil Siddique   Standard 3: Management of Program Quality Assurance Team Leader: Abdullah Al-Rezgi Team Member: Javed Ahmad   Standard 4: Learning & Teaching Team Leader: Dr. Fadi Al-Khasawneh Team Members: Dr. Karem Abdullateef + Dr. Eyhab Abdulrazak Bader Eddin + Dr. Adel Bahameed   Standard 5: Student Administration and Support Services Team Leader: Dr. Dawood Mahdi Team Member: Dr. Omer Sultan   Standard 6: Learning Resources Team Leader: Mohsin Khan Team Member: Dr. Sayed Mohammed Bilal Kadiri   Standard 7: Facilities and Equipment Team Leader: Dr. Ahl Allah Saddiqi Team Member: Mohammed Fouad   Standard 8: Financial Planning and Management Team: Academic Development & Quality Unit   Standard 9: Faculty and Staff Employment Processes Team Leader: Abdul Rauf Khan Team Member: Fazle Malik   Standard 10: Research Team Leader: Dr. Hasan Jaashan Team Members: Dr. Abdelhamid Bessaid + Dr. Sayed Rashid + Dr. Yahya Zeghoudi   Standard 11: Institutional Relationships With the Community Team Leader: Dr. Abdul Wahed Al-Zumor Team Members: Dr. Nisar Koka + Dr. Mohammed Osman   The Faculty of Languages and Translation is dedicated to providing excellence in all aspects of its educational offerings. The FLT, its students, and alumni deserve national recognition for the quality of the program. The department is determined to secure such recognition by way of NCAAA accreditation in the near future. Date: 5/20/2019 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation
English

5th Forum Held in Cooperation With Al Khaleej Training and Education

  On March 23, 2019, the 5th Annual Forum titled Modern Strategies in Teaching English was held at the Saudi German Hospital. The event was organized by Al Khaleej Training and Education and the Faculty of Languages and Translation. The primary aim of the forum was to share ideas about the modern concepts of English language teaching. The event was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Mowafiq Al-Momani. The program consisted of two sessions and six presentations.   Michael Rattan gave a presentation titled 'How to Learn?' and Jordan Rimpela spoke on the subject of 'The Benefits of Teaching ELLs Affixes, Roots and Their Meanings'. Three other presentations were delivered by Bryan Bell, Mohammad Adil and Christopher Harris who talked respectively about 'The Psychology of Classroom Dynamics', 'Successful Classroom Management in EFL Teaching', and 'Living and Working in Saudi Arabia'.   A medical (PYP) student named Ahmed Abdullah Alamoud also shared his interesting English learning experience and emphasized its importance in real life.   The event ended with a certificate award ceremony that honored the presenters. This ceremony was graced with the presence of Dr. Musa Al-Ahmari, English Language Center Director. The forum undoubtedly was a great success. Date: 3-26-2019 Source: Mohammad Adil Siddique Multimedia Source: Mohammad Taisir Albukaai
English

FLT Bids Farewell to Departing Faculty

On April 25, 2018, the Department of English at the Faculty of Languages and Translation organized a farewell party in honor of the faculty members who are leaving. The ceremony began with a welcome speech by Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi, Dean of the Faculty of Languages and Translation. He praised all the departing faculty members who had made a substantial contribution to the college with their sincerity and dedication. Dr. Al-Melhi expressed his mixed feeling of sadness and happiness. “Though we are sad, at the same time we are happy that you will be meeting your original family. You will reunite with your family, which is very important,” said Dr. Al-Melhi while encouraging the departing faculty members. He emphasized that change is part of life and opens up new opportunities and possibilities. The college, Dr. Al-Melhi said, would always remember them for the profound impact they made. One of the departing faculty members, Mr. Muhammad Saiful Islam, later delivered a speech on behalf of the rest. He shared the pleasant memories associated with his teaching experience over the past ten years in the Faculty of Languages and Translation. He talked about the amazing teacher-student relationship at KKU and praised his Saudi colleagues as well as those of his and other nationalities. “Our Saudi faculty members here are amazing hosts, amazing people, very considerate, very kind. I always felt that I was staying in my own country,” said Mr. Islam. He thanked the college for accepting him and giving him the privilege to teach here. At the close of the ceremony, the faculty members who are leaving were honored with certificates. The departing faculty members were Dr. Mohammed Amin Mekheimer, Dr. Muhammad Gulfraz Abbasi, Dr. Haseeb Ahmed Abdul Majeed, Dr. Manoj Kumar Yadav, Mr. Muhammad Saiful Islam, Mr. Mohammad Sherajul Islam, Mr. Weatherford Braden Thomson, Mr. Shamsur Rab Khan, Mr. Rehan Khan, Mr. Md Shahrear Talukder, Mr. Matthew Paul and Mr. Gavin Phillip Louch. Date: 4/30/2018 Source: Mr. Mohammad Adil Siddique
English

FLT Continues to Develop Sustainable Partnerships

The Faculty of Languages and Translation continues to develop sustainable partnerships in a concerted effort to enhance academic and operational excellence. On Monday, November 20, 2017, Vice Dean, Dr. Yahya Asiri and Chairman, Dr. Munassir Alhamami, visited the English Language Institute (ELI) of King Abdulaziz University. Dr. Abdullah Al-Bargi, Dean of the ELI, welcomed our team and led them on an extensive tour of the Intensive English Program sharing best practices and commitments they have made to prepare their students for a challenging yet exciting future. At the end of the session, Dr. Asiri expressed his sincere gratitude to Dr. Al-Bargi for a very warm welcome and insightful tour. On Tuesday, November 21, 2017, Dr. Asiri and Dr. Alhamami completed the final leg of their tour with a visit to the College of Languages and Translation (COLT) of King Saud University (KSU). They were immediately greeted upon arrival by the Dean of the College of Languages and Translation, Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Mansour. Dean Al-Mansour explained that he believes it is really important for colleges to exchange visits in the Kingdom in order to share experiences and best practices. Following after, the teams traded views and jointly re-emphasized the importance of the exchange between the colleges in pursuit of augmenting the resources, services, and expertise available to faculty and students alike. Date: 11/23/2017 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation
English

A Perspective on KKU: Online International Testing Center

Under the patronage of the Dean, Dr. Abdullah Al-Melhi and supervision of Dr. Muhammed Shuaib Asiri, Vice-Dean for Academic Development & Quality and Dr. Yahya Assiri, Vice-Dean of the College, the E-Learning Unit of the Faculty of Languages & Translation organized a presentation titled,  A Perspective on KKU:  Online International Testing Center by Mr. Rizwan Ghani on Tuesday, October 10, 2017 at 11:00 am in the E-Learning Training Center A/3/86. Mr. Rizwan Ghani proposed establishing an online International Testing Center (ITC) at King Khalid University for holding international tests like the ACT, CLEP, AP, PISA, ACT, GRE and SAT. Mr. Ghani said that the ITC could help students, professionals, and the public gain access to approved international courses, training, examinations, and entry/admission tests locally as part of quality education, standardized testing and community service in the Asir Region. Mr. Ghani also mentioned that the ITC could help KKU to standardize education, reduce costs for many elements of the testing lifecycle, and support candidates realize optimum convenience by offering tests on-demand and year-round. It also serves to assist accelerated graduation pathways. He also pointed out that digital education and computer-based testing (CBT) may help align high school and university education and testing in KKU and the Asir Region with global standards. As a result, our students will be familiar with them from an early age, and it will enable them to do well in courses, examinations entry, admission tests and jobs at the local and global level. Mr. Abdullah Al-Rezgi, Director of the English Language Center, Mr. Muhammed Jabir Asiri, E-Learning Specialist, and faculty members graced the occasion. Mr. Mohsin Khan, E-Learning Unit Supervisor, and Mr. Rizwan Ghani proposed a vote of thanks to the seminar participants for the insightful feedback and recommendations.  Date: 10-10-2017 Source: E-Learning Unit
English