
Applied Science University Welcomes International Student Delegation from France
This visit marks the first of its kind in the University's history, with the French students choosing to spend their summer break at ASU due to its distinctive academic environment and growing reputation on both regional and international levels, being one of the top 20 universities in the Gulf region according to the QS World Ranking for 2026.
The initiative highlights the University's evolution into a globally-oriented academic hub. The presence of European students demonstrates ASU's capability to expand its international footprint and attract students from across the globe to a diverse and intellectually open learning environment.
The Summer School programme features a rich blend of academic lectures, cultural activities, and field visits to leading economic institutions in the Kingdom, including Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), Nass Group, and ASRY (Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard). The itinerary also includes heritage and tourism events that showcase the Kingdom's vibrant culture and renowned hospitality.
On this occasion, Professor Waheeb Al Khaja, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education and the Higher Education Council (HEC) for their unwavering support of Bahraini universities and for providing them with the opportunity to enrich their international partnerships. He further praised their support for the university's strategic initiatives to attract students from around the world, which contributes to solidifying the Kingdom of Bahrain's position as a regional hub for higher education.
Professor Hatem Masri, the University President, emphasised that hosting the French student delegation forms part of the University's ongoing efforts to strengthen its international educational presence, deepen global partnerships, and expand academic and cultural exchange. He noted that the Summer School is designed to provide students with a holistic experience that combines academic learning, cultural immersion, and community engagement, enhancing their global awareness and developing their personal and professional skills.
This initiative reaffirms the University's commitment to positioning itself as a higher education institution that blends academic distinction with global openness.
Through strategic programmes like the Summer School, the University is contributing to the Kingdom's role as a destination for international students and creating broader avenues for academic and cultural collaboration with institutions worldwide.
It is worth noting that the students of the College of Administrative Sciences at ASU had a unique opportunity to engage directly with the French student delegation in an environment that blended education with cultural openness. This endeavour is a practical embodiment of the university's vision in providing a comprehensive educational experience that extends beyond the confines of the classroom, offering students broader opportunities for learning through participation in international experiences that enhance their thinking and global awareness.
Studying at the ASU is not merely about academic achievement; it is a gateway to discovering multiple cultures, building cross-border relationships, and qualifying students for a professional journey in a world that demands global thinking and extensive connectivity.
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Daily Tribune
20 hours ago
- Daily Tribune
Applied Science University Welcomes International Student Delegation from France
Applied Science University (ASU) has welcomed an international student delegation from France, which runs from June 30th to July 11th, 2025, as part of the university's summer school programme, marking a significant milestone in its journey towards academic leadership and global outreach. The delegation, comprising 15 students from various nationalities and cultures from the Institut Supérieur de Commerce (ISC) Paris, which ranks among the top 100 European universities offering Master's programmes in management, according to the Financial Times. This visit marks the first of its kind in the University's history, with the French students choosing to spend their summer break at ASU due to its distinctive academic environment and growing reputation on both regional and international levels, being one of the top 20 universities in the Gulf region according to the QS World Ranking for 2026. The initiative highlights the University's evolution into a globally-oriented academic hub. The presence of European students demonstrates ASU's capability to expand its international footprint and attract students from across the globe to a diverse and intellectually open learning environment. The Summer School programme features a rich blend of academic lectures, cultural activities, and field visits to leading economic institutions in the Kingdom, including Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), Nass Group, and ASRY (Arab Shipbuilding & Repair Yard). The itinerary also includes heritage and tourism events that showcase the Kingdom's vibrant culture and renowned hospitality. On this occasion, Professor Waheeb Al Khaja, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, expressed his gratitude to the Ministry of Education and the Higher Education Council (HEC) for their unwavering support of Bahraini universities and for providing them with the opportunity to enrich their international partnerships. He further praised their support for the university's strategic initiatives to attract students from around the world, which contributes to solidifying the Kingdom of Bahrain's position as a regional hub for higher education. Professor Hatem Masri, the University President, emphasised that hosting the French student delegation forms part of the University's ongoing efforts to strengthen its international educational presence, deepen global partnerships, and expand academic and cultural exchange. He noted that the Summer School is designed to provide students with a holistic experience that combines academic learning, cultural immersion, and community engagement, enhancing their global awareness and developing their personal and professional skills. This initiative reaffirms the University's commitment to positioning itself as a higher education institution that blends academic distinction with global openness. Through strategic programmes like the Summer School, the University is contributing to the Kingdom's role as a destination for international students and creating broader avenues for academic and cultural collaboration with institutions worldwide. It is worth noting that the students of the College of Administrative Sciences at ASU had a unique opportunity to engage directly with the French student delegation in an environment that blended education with cultural openness. This endeavour is a practical embodiment of the university's vision in providing a comprehensive educational experience that extends beyond the confines of the classroom, offering students broader opportunities for learning through participation in international experiences that enhance their thinking and global awareness. Studying at the ASU is not merely about academic achievement; it is a gateway to discovering multiple cultures, building cross-border relationships, and qualifying students for a professional journey in a world that demands global thinking and extensive connectivity.


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Lights Out, Europe: The Cost Of Brussels' Energy Fantasy
Spain's leading energy companies – Iberdrola, Endesa, and EDP – remain stunned. After the nationwide blackout that cut power across Spain on April 28, the government has yet to provide a clear explanation or take technical responsibility… The companies, represented by the employers' association Aelec, have denounced 'surprising omissions' in the official investigation. They demand that the extreme voltage spikes recorded in the days leading up to the collapse be included in the analysis. They have criticized the preliminary report from ENTSO-E—the European network of electricity operators—for claiming that 'the system was operating normally' just seconds before the failure. Meanwhile, severe voltage swings were recorded, going beyond safety limits and triggering automatic shutdowns of high-voltage substations and key refineries. This episode is far more than an isolated incident. It is a metaphor for the erratic direction taken by the European Union's energy policy. In the name of climate change, Brussels has embarked on a radical overhaul of its energy model driven not by technical or economic realities, but by an ideological agenda imposed by political and bureaucratic elites. What was marketed as a smooth transition toward renewable energy has turned into a forced green agenda, with no viable alternatives and little regard for its impact on competitiveness, system stability, or citizens' well-being. At the root of this drift lies the REPowerEU plan, launched after the start of the war in Ukraine with the stated aim of 'fully decoupling' Europe from Russian energy. What initially appeared to be a justified geostrategic measure quickly became, in the hands of the European Commission, a pretext to push through renewable energies at any cost. This led to a rushed and uneven transition, with citizens and businesses footing the bill. This leap into the void has destabilized key sectors such as agriculture, transport, and industry, forcing them to absorb rising costs without receiving real technological upgrades. Countries like Germany, which shut down their nuclear plants out of political conviction, have now had to reopen coal-fired stations in a contradictory reversal. Meanwhile, state propaganda continues to promote green energy self-sufficiency, while households face record electricity bills and companies lose competitiveness. The structural failures of the European power grid are becoming increasingly evident. The continental grid was designed for stable and predictable hydro, gas, and nuclear sources. The mass introduction of intermittent sources like wind and solar makes imbalances difficult to manage: without wind or sun, generation collapses; with too much, the grid becomes dangerously overloaded. On April 28th, the Iberian Peninsula experienced those consequences firsthand. Abnormal voltage levels were detected in several substations throughout the morning. To grasp the gravity: a 'voltage oscillation' involves a sudden and significant fluctuation in the grid's voltage, which can damage equipment, trigger automatic disconnections, or, in extreme cases, cause a total blackout. At the Lancha substation, voltage reached nearly 250 kV on a line rated for 220. Another line, rated at 400 kV, surpassed 470 kV just before the collapse. According to Aelec, these anomalies began as early as 10:00 a.m. While a sudden drop of 2,200 MW in generation has been cited as the trigger, the system is theoretically built to withstand a loss of up to 3,000 MW without shutting down. This was not a coincidental failure—it was a built-in weakness. Beyond technical and political issues, the forced energy transition takes a human toll. European households are paying more for electricity, hitting middle- and lower-income families especially hard. Electrification of transport, promoted without adequate foresight, is raising the cost of mobility due to a lack of reliable charging infrastructure. Farmers and truckers, already squeezed by unmanageable climate regulations, face growing expenses while being pressured to make investments they cannot afford. Moreover, blackouts are no minor issue: their impact ranges from multimillion-euro industrial losses to the paralysis of hospitals, schools, and transport networks. In Spain, the outage even cost five people their lives. An energy model that cannot ensure a steady supply threatens the economy and public safety. European industry, particularly in the central and southern parts of the continent, is already bearing the brunt. Unable to compete with American or Asian energy prices, many companies are relocating production or shutting down. Paradoxically, even sectors the green agenda promotes, such as electric vehicles, are faltering. Once-dominant car industries in Germany and France are struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive global market. While Europe imposes ideological standards, China manufactures more, better, and cheaper. Deindustrialization is no longer a threat—it's a fact. Notably, some factions on the Left even embrace 'degrowth'—deliberate economic decline—as a desirable path. Worse still, despite all these sacrifices, Europe continues to import Russian energy—now via third countries—and remains vulnerable to geopolitical pressure. The promise of energy independence often rings hollow. The Green Deal has morphed from a promise of modernization into a political myth: a story no longer grounded in reality, propped up by propaganda that refuses to confront its contradictions. The public, increasingly aware of the real costs, is beginning to push back. The farmers' resistance in the Netherlands gave rise to a political party now part of the ruling coalition. In other countries, protests and citizen discontent are multiplying. And this is only the beginning. This very week, farmers returned to Brussels to protest the suffocating policies they face. An energy transition is not inherently harmful, but cannot be imposed dogmatically. It requires realism, technological pluralism, gradual implementation, and a willingness to adopt what works. Nuclear, hydro, and natural gas must be part of the energy mix while green technologies mature. Sustainability will not be achieved by denying physics or punishing citizens, but by integrating every available tool with a long-term vision. What happened in Spain is a symptom, not an accident. Europe's current energy model is not equipped to operate under the conditions imposed by Brussels. There is an urgent need to rethink energy policy—not through ideology, but through engineering, economics, and common sense. 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