UAEU, Division of Language and Communication hold orientation programme

The orientation program follows the restructuring of the College of Arts and Sciences, which resulted in the creation of four divisions: heritage and culture; French language; general linguistics; mass communication; and translation.

'The thrust of the new vision is to give students an excellent education,' said Dr. Maurice Odine, Associate Dean, Division of Language & Communication. 'It is interdisciplinary in nature and educates students to be proficient in English and Arabic so as to be competitive in the global market.'

The orientation is necessitated by the fact that, of the five programmes in the division, only one - mass communication - currently has substantial majors. And since the new curriculum came into being in fall 2004, prospective students must be made aware of the programmes and the requisite study plans. Faculty have worked hard to develop course syllabi and to adopt modern teaching techniques. The incorporation of information technology into instruction has become an imperative in all aspects of teaching.

Furthermore, a new course, Introduction to Language and Communication, is taught by two instructors. Co-teaching, as the method is called, is an innovation that has spurred interest and enthusiasm among both faculty and students. Taught is English, the class meetings engage students to participate actively, while enabling them to think critically and analytically, as well as develop their oral and writing communication skills.

Dr. Said Shiyab, coordinator of the translation program, best put it this way: 'I'm excited about being at the UAE University at this time because of the new vision. The new curriculum is very timely in that it will provide for students who will acquire the skills necessary to make them successful professionals.'

Dr. Abdullah Khuwaileh, coordinator of the applied linguistics programme, describes the new vision, as it pertains to that area: 'The programme is tailor-made for the UAE community where students can graduate not only to become school teachers, but also pursue professional careers in the private sector.'

Dr. Jeff Prunet, coordinator of general linguistics, says of the new vision, 'I believe that it broadens the study of general linguistics by including all languages and their cultural backgrounds. It trains students to recognize the unity of language by studying it in its entirety.'

Dr. Abderrahmane Azzi, coordinator of mass communication, refers to the new vision this way: 'This new vision emphasizes three main ideas. First, it uses English as the medium of instruction to give an opportunity master the language and apply the language skills in professional settings. Second, the curriculum provides a unique thematic application and free courses. Third, it links the program with the job market.'

The future of the new division looks bright. The internship programme has been strengthened, with more opportunities available to students.Faculty members have increased their involvement in research by writing and presenting papers at conferences and for publication. In addition, faculty members are implementing a number of research grants designed to serve the community and contribute to professional development.

'We can't afford to be complacent. We must continue to seek and acquire knowledge in order to create an environment conducive to learning,' said Odine.