As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, universities must adapt and chart a clear path forward to ensure their success in the years to come. A well-designed strategic plan can provide a roadmap for achieving key objectives, from attracting and retaining top talent to fostering innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. This strategic plan sets out a vision for our university that is grounded in our Strategic Themes of Student Success, Excellence, Sustainable Growth, and Distinctiveness. Through a collaborative and inclusive process, we have identified strategic priorities and actionable goals that will guide our efforts to enhance the impact and reach of AUBH, and position us as a leading force in higher education in the GCC and MENA regions. Our strategic plan is a living document that will evolve and adapt as circumstances change, but it will remain firmly anchored in our commitment to be recognized as a dynamic center of learning and excellence equipping leaders to achieve their aspirations, affect economic and social transformation, and forge a better and more sustainable future for Bahrain and beyond.
As the landscape of higher education continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, universities must adapt and chart a clear path forward to ensure their success in the years to come. A well-designed strategic plan can provide a roadmap for achieving key objectives, from attracting and retaining top talent to fostering innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. This strategic plan sets out a vision for our university that is grounded in our Strategic Themes of Student Success, Excellence, Sustainable Growth, and Distinctiveness. Through a collaborative and inclusive process, we have identified strategic priorities and actionable goals that will guide our efforts to enhance the impact and reach of AUBH, and position us as a leading force in higher education in the GCC and MENA regions. Our strategic plan is a living document that will evolve and adapt as circumstances change, but it will remain firmly anchored in our commitment to be recognized as a dynamic center of learning and excellence equipping leaders to achieve their aspirations, affect economic and social transformation, and forge a better and more sustainable future for Bahrain and beyond.
Vision
The American University of Bahrain will be internationally recognized for quality and innovation in learning, the success of the leaders it graduates, and its positive impact on social and economic transformation.
Mission
Our mission is to provide transformative, flexible, and innovative learning opportunities to position graduates to launch and sustain satisfying and successful careers. We will foster learner success by promoting interdisciplinarity and entrepreneurial endeavors, providing analytical and technical skills necessary to thrive in the digital economy, and engaging with our communities to foster respect, positive impact, and social responsibility.
Strategic Theme One: Student Success
Progression and Completion:
- Centralized Advising, Peer Tutoring, and Support Centers.
- Monitor underperforming and at-risk students by using data-driven diagnostics and placement.
- Develop a high-impact First-Year Experience program.
- Enhance, Elevate, Thrive, and Lead Programs.
Career Development and Placement
- Develop an effective career center staffed with an industry liaison.
- Embed communication/presentation, soft skills in all courses.
- Require meaningful internships, co-ops, work-based learning, apprenticeship.
- Promote career enhancing activities (career fairs, workshops, etc.)
Vibrant Student Life
- Develop student housing.
- Build out and support intramurals, intervarsity athletics.
- Provide more student-club opportunities.
- Open up campus to the community (events, speakers’ series, concerts).
Engagement
- Engage local communities for feedback and advice, and to honor Bahrain heritage.
- Promote community engaged teaching, applied research, and encourage student and staff volunteering around programmatic and interdisciplinary clusters.
- Effectively utilize industry advisory committees and councils.
- Engage local communities for feedback and advice, and to honor Bahrain heritage.
- Promote community engaged teaching, applied research, and encourage student and staff volunteering around programmatic and interdisciplinary clusters.
- Effectively utilize industry advisory committees and council.
Improve Financial Assistance for Low-Income and Underserved Populations
- Launch a need-based scholarship capital campaign.
- Establish work-study/part time jobs for students.
- Provide more financial aid, student loans with zero interest/convenient installments.
- Increase merit-based scholarships.
Strategic Theme Two: Excellence
Masterful Teaching Focused on Learning Outcomes
- Emphasize teaching excellence in faculty advancement evaluations.
- Provide effective ongoing professional development for faculty in teaching and learning.
- Utilize effective and diverse teaching methods (flipped classroom model\modern pedagogies/effective use of technology/science of learning).
- Utilize assessments for learning.
Interdisciplinarity
- Offer interdisciplinary courses (team teaching).
- Provide a more holistic curricula and student experience.
- Redesign GE/liberal education to maximize impact.
Student-Centered Learning
- Increase electives to enrich the student learning experience.
- Provide students with timely and effective feedback.
Attract and Retain Excellent and Diverse Faculty and Staff
- Develop a long-term faculty and staff hiring plan that is executed in a timely manner.
- Implement measures to ensure equitable and reasonable distribution of workload.
- Develop a professional development plan for faculty/staff.
- Offer competitive compensation packages.
Operational Effectiveness
- Ensure fit for purpose facilities used efficiently to deliver over a broad set of strategic goals.
- Maintain commercial relationships with high levels of integrity and trust.
- Manage budget allocation through priority measurement and advancement towards achieving strategic goals.
- Develop and implement effective internal communication strategies.
- Align administrative and academic operations and resources to achieve the university mission and institutional maturity.
Strategic Theme Three: Sustainable Growth
Strategically Grow Enrollments in Alignment with the LRP
- Develop a Strategic Enrollment Management Plan (SEM).
- Develop Academic Program Planning Matrix and timeline (IEP, degrees, certificates, etc.).
- Maximize Saudi Market Penetration and Conversion.
Diversification of Revenue
- Build a Center for Preparatory Studies for underprepared students.
- Develop education modalities for non-traditional learners once receiving HEC Approval.
- Develop Center for Lifelong-Learning and Applied Research (CLAR). Concentrated, short courses, executive education, training, etc.
- Be a leader in the GCC for online and hybrid programmatic options.
International Engagement and Partnerships
- Maximize CSUN relationship.
- Partner with other reputable and international institutions for student pathway programs.
- Enhance relationship with regulatory bodies.
Strengthen Marketing and Brand Awareness
- Develop an Integrated Marketing Plan.
- Profile our world-class faculty through all platforms. Identify growth markets and create engagement plans to build awareness.
Strategic Theme Four: Distinctiveness
Entrepreneurial Education
- Work with partners to create a world-class university ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship.
- Design and implement a Center of Excellence for Entrepreneurial Education.
- Create an interdisciplinary pathway for students to learn skills related to entrepreneurship.
Liberal arts education with professional focus.
- Liberal arts education blend with professional focus.
- Incorporate best practices around presentation / communication skills.
- Achieve strategic disciplinary accreditations (ABET, AACSB, etc.).
Flexibility/Modularity
- Create selected degrees as an assembly of micro-credentials.
- Development of badges, certificates for Industry 4.0 fields.
Sustainability + Social Responsibility
- Develop a solar field for energy conservation and education.
- Develop course/programs in Sustainability and social responsibility.
- Commit to effective on-campus sustainability practices.
