Aseer Development Authority

  As part of the Bachelor of Arts in English program's Community Service Partnership Plan under the supervision of Dean Abdullah Al-Melhi and in cooperation with the university Media Center, a portion of the Arabian Highland Theme in the Aseer Region Strategic Plan, supervised by the Aseer Development Authority (ASDA), was translated into seven languages. The short videos were widely distributed on YouTube and Twitter and made viewers aware that His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, launched the Arabian Highland development strategy in the Aseer region. In Afrikaans, Bengali, French, Hindi, Pashto, Romanian, and Urdu, the strategy's primary objective of turning the region into an all-year-round world destination through an investment of $50 billion SAR was explained. Dean Abdullah Melhi explained that this community service activity delivered in October 2021 is part of the Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation's commitment to serving the community in the fields of languages and translation.   Of note, the Community Service Partnership Plan (CSPP) and Employer Advisory Board (EAB) were recently revised and approved in a Department Council meeting on November 2, 2021. The new CSPP calls for increased alignment with: the Mission Statement and the recently revised and approved EAB. It also references the Aseer Development Authority and Vision 2030 as the basis for broadening the scope of our community service partnership activities.   Particular thanks are due to our Bachelor of Arts in English program colleagues who provided accurate translations of information designed to instruct residents on the Aseer Strategic Plan. The translations were made available in the following languages: Afrikaans, Mr. Azaad Hayat; Bangla, Mr. Mohammad Fuad; French, Dr. Abdelhamid Bessaid; Hindi, Mr. Javed Ahmed; Pashto, Mr. Salahud Din Abdul Rab; Romanian, Dr. Justin Sfariac; Urdu, Mr. Mohsin Khan. Date: 11/6/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  On 27 October 2021, Vice Dean for Academic Development & Quality, Dr. Abdulrahman Almosa, delivered a webinar to 60 participants organized by the Alumni Unit of the Faculty of Languages and Translation under the coordination of Mohsin Raza Khan. The webinar — titled "Future Job Prospects for English Graduates" — addressed the importance of durable skills. The webinar was developed to provide Bachelor of Arts in English program students and alumni with additional activities for their professional development, consistent with the intended learning outcomes and labor market developments.   "There are ten major competencies also known as durable skills that will ensure a successful career. They are leadership, character, collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, metacognition, mindfulness, growth mindset, and fortitude. A great way to build those durable skills is volunteering. Volunteering will introduce you to both private industry and non-profit organizations. For example, you can learn more about project management by organizing events, which will also develop your leadership abilities and sales skills because you will recruit other volunteers to help you," began Dr. Almosa. He then pointed out that the new economy is skills-based, highlighting that we have entered the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Although having strong technical skills will always help, Dr. Almosa continued to reinforce that soft skills mean a lot. "You will need to be able to solve problems and work in teams. Actually, you will have to solve problems that do not exist yet, and you need to be comfortable continually learning new skills to solve problems," he said.   "I want to draw your attention to the Aseer Region Development Strategy. The strategy was launched by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and aims to create the conditions necessary for sustainable growth. Our region will be an all-year-round world destination, and students from the Bachelor of Arts in English program will have many job opportunities," said Dr. Almosa.   Of noteworthy mention, Dr. Almosa is well-positioned to guide our students on how their skills match the region's workforce needs, as he was the recipient of an award in October 2021 from His Royal Highness Prince Turki bin Talal bin Abdulaziz, Governor of Aseer, for his outstanding contribution to the region's strategic planning.   The Bachelor of Arts in English program at the Faculty of Languages and Translation is committed to communicating with its alumni and involving them in events and activities. Please click here to view a recording of the event. Date: 10/27/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation

  During the first week of April 2021, the Vice Deanship of Academic Development and Quality at the Faculty of Languages and Translation met with the Employer Advisory Board (EAB) to leverage the EAB's knowledge of labor markets, in-demand skills, and pedagogy at the Bachelor of Arts in English program (BAEP). The main purpose of the meetings — held across several days — was to obtain feedback that can be used to create a more well-rounded education that satisfies the demand for skilled employees.   The EAB at BAEP represents an industry partnership that enables continuous evaluation, development, and performance improvement in our educational offering linked to regional economic development and labor market needs. As such, during the meetings in April 2021 — and during all prior meetings — the EAB examined labor requirements to ensure BAEP's Mission Statement, Program Learning Outcomes, Graduate Attributes, and Study Plan are aligned with labor market demands.   The list of experts in BAEP's Advisory Board includes:   Mushabab Abu Eshi, currently the General Secretary at the Abha Chamber of Commerce. Musa Ahmed, currently a vice-principal at a local high school. Afan Al-Qahtani, currently the Women's Asir Region Supervisor at Saudi National Bank. Sultan Al-Qahtani, currently Head of Strategy at Aseer Development Authority, a newly formed administration from the government sector with a mandate to supervise planning and implementation of a regional development strategy for the Asir Region. Hussein Asiri, currently the Men's Department of English Head at the Ministry of Education in Asir. Laila Mohammed, currently the Women's Department of English Head at the Ministry of Education in Asir.   The EAB commended the program for responding to workforce needs by cultivating creative graduates with valuable skills that businesses need to thrive, noting that our English majors are versatile working across industries because of their ability to critique and analyze written expression. They especially appreciated the linguistic skills of our graduates, which complements the increased demand for English language proficiency and helps to overcome cultural barriers in the trade of services, goods, and tourism. EAB members from the Ministry of Education and Abha Chamber of Commerce called for increased focus on practical speaking modules in current courses, which is one of the 4 macro skills in communication.   Afnan Al-Qahtani, Women's Asir Region Supervisor at Saudi National Bank, explained that soft skills are as vital as hard skills. She highlighted the need to invite seasoned guest speakers to deliver impactful soft skills training because employers are looking for graduates who can demonstrate competence in communicating well with others, showing initiative and responsibility, and working well in teams.   The Aseer Development Authority (ASDA) recommended integrating course learning outcomes on English for tourism purposes with a practical component into current courses. ASDA Head of Strategy, Sultan Al-Qahtani, explained that the newly launched Soudah Development Company (SDC), wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), will create thousands of new jobs by 2030 as a result of a multibillion-dollar investment in tourism infrastructure and attractions throughout the region. Date: 4/12/2021 Source: Faculty of Languages and Translation