Classes start at Dubai campus

UW’s new campus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, “is now fully operational,” says a memo from Leo Rothenburg, the university’s associate vice-president (international).

“It became a miniature version of UW at 9 a.m. today,” he wrote late on Sunday, “when 17 students showed up for orientation. Students and our faculty connected very quickly, and the atmosphere became as informal as it is in Waterloo.”

Classes start today in the UAE campus’s two initial programs, chemical and civil engineering.

A news release from the UW media relations office gives the background: “Waterloo has been working since earlier this year with the UAE's Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) and the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT) to establish Waterloo UAE. The programs will be offered under the co-op education system that has students alternating four-month work terms in the business world and academic terms on campus.”

Enrolment is now listed as 22, eight in chemical engineering and 14 in civil engineering. They come from Pakistan, Iran, India, Syria, Lebanon, and the Emirates — “a truly international campus, albeit small,” says Rothenburg.

The students “will spend the first two years in the UAE and will complete the final two years in Canada, acquiring work experience in both regions,” the release notes. “Waterloo professors will be teaching in the UAE. Students will benefit from the same quality of education in Dubai as do their counterparts in Waterloo.

“In subsequent years, programs will be offered in financial analysis and risk management, and information technology management."

It quotes Rothenburg: “The University of Waterloo looks forward to building a high-quality presence with high-quality partners in the important Gulf region. We are pleased to be working with the Higher Colleges of Technology as well as the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training in the United Arab Emirates. I would like to also thank His Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan for his role in this exciting partnership.”

As of today, September 1, Peter Douglas of UW’s department of civil engineering is director of the UAE campus. He succeeds Magdy Salama of electrical and computer engineering, who has spent the past year in the Emirates making arrangements to get UW’s campus launched.

Back to top

Plans begin for 2010 staff conference

“Pre-planning for the annual UW Staff Conference has begun!” writes Mark Lisetto-Smith of UW’s office of organizational and human development, which has issued a call for “proposals” for the April 2010 event.

“The conference,” he says, “strives to provide a wide range of training opportunities in both professional , personal, and interpersonal skills for campus staff. As part of those objectives, Organizational & Human Development is inviting proposals focused on our E.D.G.E. program that involve professional and/or personal development. The proposal should be for an educational session(s), that include discussion, activities, and engagement on a specific topic.”

“EDGE” stands for “Educate, Develop, Grow, and Experience”, which are also the key verbs for the spring conference. OHD says it seeks to help students, staff, and faculty “to reach their highest potential by creating innovative learning opportunities, developing collaborative partnerships, and engaging the campus community”.

Conference proposals “should be for an education and interactive session(s) running a maximum of 75 minutes in length, which incorporates time for questions. The session will include discussion, activities, and engagement on a specific topic. These may be single presenter sessions or team-led.”

Would-be presenters are being asked for 200-word proposals, with the emphasis on “objectives, material, and design for the session . . . the learning outcomes participants will gain by attending your session”. The deadline is October 16; “all proposals will be subject to a review process by the OHD office. You will receive reviewers' feedback by November 27 and will be invited to consider this feedback before submitting the final version of your session description.”

At the two previous conferences, sessions have included “Providing Excellent Service”;” Succeed by Helping Students: Incorporating motivation and self-management skills into learning skills instruction”; “Creating Work/Life Balance: Getting the Best Out Of Life”; and “One World Music: Transforming Organizations One Beat at a Time”.

Back to top

Stores cutting back on plastic bags

“Out with the plastic and in with the reusable!” says Kathryn Fedy, marketing manager for UW’s retail services stores. To put it another way, the UW bookstore and its allied stores are joining the movement away from free plastic shopping bags . . . sort of.

“We have several stores with different needs,” Fedy points out. But here’s the headline offer: get a free reusable “Book Store” bag with your purchase at the store, on the concourse in South Campus Hall, September 1 through 30. After September, reusable bags will be on sale for $1 — or, of course, customers can bring their own bags.

Fedy gives some background: “Retail Services made the switch from regular plastic bags to biodegradable plastic bags a few years ago. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint, and this year we have removed plastic bags from the Book Store and Campus Tech. At the Book Store, customers are encouraged to bring their own bags. At Campus Tech, a free reusable bag will be provided with your laptop purchase.”

(Reminder here: Campus Tech is the computer shop on the lower level of the Student Life Centre. Two other retail outlets that are about to come into the narrative are the Waterloo Store and Write Stuff, formerly the UW Shop and TechWorx, both in SCH.)

Fedy again: “At Waterloo Store and Write Stuff (where purchases often require a bag for protection when leaving the store, especially gift and clothing items), biodegradable plastic bags will still be an option for customers who wish to use them. These bags are made from oxo-biodegradable plastic. Once discarded, exposure to sunlight, oxygen and heat will convert the biodegradable plastic into water, carbon dioxide, mineral salt and biomass. It will disappear over time and leave no harmful residue in the soil. Alternatively, $1 reusable bags will also be available at Waterloo Store.”

She adds: “We're committed to working with the campus to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in our landfills. Just remember to BYOB — Bring Your Own Bag!”

CAR

Back to top