ASCE Delegation Visits Abu Dhabi University to Share Recommendations and Highlight Future Prospects

The Civil Engineering Department in the College of Engineering at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) recently welcomed a delegation from the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) led by the ASCE president Ms. Robin Kemper to its main campus in Abu Dhabi. A part of being one of the largest and oldest Civil Engineering professional societies, the ASCE is responsible for developing the ABET’s program criteria for Civil Engineering accreditations. The delegation met with students and faculty in the Civil Engineering Department and shared their recommendations and thoughts on potential future accreditation requirements and upcoming prospects in the industry.

Along with Ms. Kemper, the delegation included Dr. Elias Boutros Sayah, ASCE Region 10 Director Elect, Professor Abdul-Rahim Sabouni, President of ASCE-UAE Section, and Professor Gajnan M. Sabnis, Vice-President of ASCE-UAE Section.

The event was organized by Dr. Reem Sabouni, ASCE’s Student Chapter Faculty Advisor and Associate Professor in ADU’s Civil Engineering Department, as part of the leading efforts of ADU to provide its students with interaction opportunities with practitioners and professional societies locally and internationally. The event was attended by Professor Waqar Ahmad, Chancellor of ADU, along with Dr. Hamdi Sheibani, Dean of the College of Engineering.

The President of the ASCE said she was thrilled with the warm welcome she received from the Civil Engineering Department, as well as the interesting exchange she had with the ASCE ADU Civil Engineering students. She was joined by Dr. Elias who said he anticipates substantial growth in the employment prospects of civil engineers worldwide. He also highlighted the high employability rates that civil engineering graduates at ADU enjoy over their peers in the UAE.

Dr. Elias praised the exceptional performance of the Department’s trainees and graduates who have entered the professional sphere and attributed it to the outstanding quality of education and dedication of ADU’s faculty.

During the event, the ASCE delegation highlighted the shift towards performance-based methods in education rather than component-based. The ASCE President also discussed the opportunity for utilizing the abundant talent pool of professionals within the industry with whom students can interact and learn from during their undergraduate and graduate studies, noting that civil engineering graduates are highly sought-after due to the increase in the number of infrastructure projects and activities worldwide.

The ASCE ADU Student Chapter board election results were announced during the event. Following this announcement, Ms. Robin Kemper, President of ASCE, greeted the newly elected members of the ASCE Student Chapter Board and provided counsel on ways to become listed amongst the leading ASCE Student Chapters worldwide.

The ASCE delegation also took a tour of the campus to learn more about the University’s facilities, research projects, and community engagement initiatives.