Excellence of AUS engineering graduate programs reaffirmed with renewed CAA accreditation
Applications are open for Fall 2025 for all CEN graduate programs. All applicants are encouraged to apply for graduate assistantships. These are awarded on a competitive basis and provide students with both financial support and hands-on experience in teaching and research.
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Wamda
3 hours ago
- Wamda
BioSapien extends pre-Series A to $8 million, onboards Globivest as investor
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Al Bawaba
6 hours ago
- Al Bawaba
WCM-Q shares advances in neuromusicology with specialized centers in Jordan
Dr. Ghizlane Bendriss, a neuroscientist and esteemed faculty member at Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), recently visited Amman, Jordan, as part of a regional collaboration on music-based Bendriss is at the forefront of pioneering research on the effects of Arab music maqams (the melodic system used in Middle Eastern music) on brain physiology and her trip, she presented initial findings from her electroencephalogram (EEG) clinical trial on Arabic maqams and brain activity, which is the only study of its kind registered on The presentation took place at Crescendo Music & Art Academy, a well-established institute with comprehensive music and arts education, in the presence of ethnomusicologists, therapists, and special needs educators. Her research results indicated that Maqam Saba can evoke measurable emotional responses in participants with Arab backgrounds compared with participants with no Arab background, challenging the notion that music perception is universal. These findings pave the way for the development of music therapy approaches that are tailored to specific cultural Bendriss also visited the Orient Spirit Development Organization, the first specialized vocational training center in the Middle East dedicated to training individuals with disabilities and learning difficulties, which engages in music therapy, crafts, and income-generating activities to build their autonomy and on her work, Dr. Bendriss said: 'I'm incredibly proud that this clinical trial is now yielding its first results. It's the first study of its kind to bring neuroscientific evidence to what scholars like Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina described centuries ago — the therapeutic power of musical modes, or maqams, used in the earliest mental health hospitals, the Bimaristans. Just as Mozart's music has been studied neurologically, our work at WCM-Q examines for the first time the brain's response to 'Howa Sahih El Hawa Ghalab,' a classic interpreted by Umm Kulthum in Maqam Saba. The findings challenge the idea that sadness in music is universal, suggesting instead that music-based interventions must be culturally grounded. Sharing these results in Jordan — home to one of the region's oldest music therapy degree programs — was deeply meaningful. It reflects my aspiration to foster lasting regional collaborations that bridge science, heritage, and care, and ultimately serve children with special needs through more inclusive, culturally informed therapeutic practices.'These collaborations are closely linked to Dr. Bendriss's broader research interests in neurodevelopmental disorders and the sensory dimension of the gut-brain axis. They also build on the momentum of her continuing professional development course, 'Training in Music-Based Interventions,' the region's first accredited program of its kind. The course featured Ms. Rula Barghouthi, a music therapist from the Orient Spirit Development Organization, and equips healthcare professionals with tools to help individuals build self-esteem, express emotions, and address speech and motor deficits associated with conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, autism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The growing significance of WCM-Q's commitment to advancing neuromusicology is further affirmed by the official recognition of music therapists under Qatar's art therapy license.
Al Bawaba
29-06-2025
- Al Bawaba
American University of Ras Al Khaimah scores high in sustainability, with lowest Greenhouse Gas emissions among UAE universities
The sprawling 1.6 million sq. ft. campus of the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is on track to achieve the sustainability goals set out in its five-year Sustainability Action Plan (SAP), with initial reports showing that it has the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions among UAE universities. According to the findings of the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emission Report conducted by ZeeDimension consultancy for the university, AURAK's total GHG emissions are significantly low when evaluated against those of other universities. Further, according to published data from UAE universities, AURAK exhibits the lowest GHG emissions per capita of 3.67 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO₂e), in contrast to three other top universities whose emissions ranged between 5.68 to 7.59 MTCO₂e. The university has set an ambitious target to reduce Co2 emissions by 20% by 2030. This reduction will be achieved through the use of vehicles that rely on alternative energy fuel sources, reduced reliance on on-site backup generators, and the expansion of renewable energy sources on campus, such as solar-powered lighting and heating systems. Prof. Stephen Wilhite, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success and Provost at AURAK, says: 'We take sustainability very seriously at AURAK. We committed to aligning our sustainability actions with the Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through extensive use of solar energy, adoption of clean transportation, adherence to green building regulations, implementation of circular waste systems, and integration of agriculture with nature-based solutions.' Prof. Tahseen Anwer Arshi, Associate Provost for Research and Sustainability, and Director AURAK's Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, said: 'Our Sustainability Action Plan is a blueprint for reducing our carbon footprint, contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action. The findings of the Greenhouse Gas Emission Report validates our commitment to be active contributors to international efforts to reduce global warming. In addition, we are engaged in cutting edge research that focuses on finding alternative solutions to environmental conservation.' AURAK has also aligned its strategies to the Green Building Standards set forth by the RAK Municipality's "Barjeel" regulations. Accordingly, we aim to reduce embodied carbon in the primary materials used in new construction and major renovations on our campus. One of the significant initiatives outlined in AURAK's sustainability action plan is to enhance biodiversity on campus and improve the quality of life for the university community. The university has embarked on a public-private partnership to create a biodiversity hub -- a forest-centric sustainability space that will function as a central hub for research in agriculture and biodiversity, focusing on the evaluation of technologies and systems that harness wastewater and solar energy to promote a circular economy. AURAK has also set up the Ras Al Khaimah Center for Outdoor Comfort (RAKCOC), which develops innovative solutions that can enhance outdoor comfort and quality of life while promoting energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact. In addition, AURAK has partnered with the Emirates Environmental Group to collaborate on several recycling initiatives on campus. The university has also raised staff and student awareness of environmental and social sustainability and has organized several training programs and competitions in collaboration with Deloitte and Supluss to promote green skills.
