Peer Tutoring Earns Popularity
Panorama
Music to Our Ears
Mind Over Matter
1259 Students Graduate in Second Phase
News Update
Dietary
Supplements:
Risks and Benefits
Department of Public
Relations and Information
Sultan Qaboos University
Issue 300
View Point
Key to Success
What are the prospects of having a career for those who studied arts and humanities in the universities? As the world gets bigger and the world’s problems become more complex, employers seek more critical, comprehensive,
and creative leaders. And the arts and humanities provide such leaders.
Mohamed Salem Al Ghailani
Editorial Supervision
Santhosh Muthalath
Senior Editor
Sara Al Gheilani
Nasebah Al Muharrami
Translation
Najah Al Harthi
Design & Layout
Photography Dept., CET
Photography
Salim Al Sudairi
Circulation
SQU-info
In article which appeared in Huffington Post, Christine Henseler, Professor
of Spanish and Hispanic Studies and Chair of the Department of Modern
Languages at Union College, New York says: “A 2012 survey of employers
conducted by the Association of American Universities indicated that, 73
percent rejected the trend towards narrow technical training and wanted
colleges and universities to place more emphasis on critical thinking and
analytic reasoning. Another study found that, 78 percent of employers preferred job applicants knowledgeable about global issues and societies and
cultures outside the U.S.; 80 percent found written and oral communication
key; and 82 percent favored those with civic knowledge, skills, and judgment essential for contributing to the community and progress of the society.”
These surveys are well-substantiated by leading professionals from all
fields who underline that many of these skills are found in students with
strong backgrounds in English, foreign languages and literatures, the visual
and performing arts, music, philosophy, history, or classics, among others.
In 2001 Google was hiring 4,000-5,000 students with a background in the
humanities or liberal arts. Because, they believe that developing user interfaces, for example, was at least as much about knowing how to observe
and understand people as about pure technological skill. CEO’s of successful businesses, leading scientists and medical professionals, entrepreneurs
and computer programmers are not interested in hiring students with only
narrow, tech- or profession-based degrees. Many hi tech multinational companies based in US, feel that recent graduates lack knowledge to “analyze
large amounts of data or construct a cogent argument”. Because, they report, ‘”It’s not a matter of technical skill,” but rather “of knowing how to
think.”
Getting a job is not about focusing solely on what you want to do, but looking at the broader picture. Hence it is worth thinking about including the
arts and humanities in your education. They just might be the key to your
success.
@SQU-info
Horizon invites contributions from SQU members of staff and faculty. Contributions in the form of
articles, news, travelogues, stories of unique and interesting experiences, encounters, etc., are welcome. Contributions may be edited for the sake of clarity and length. Please send your contributions
to horizon@squ.edu.om preferably, as MSWord attachments. Authors will be suitably credited.
The views and opinions expressed in the articles published in this newsletter are those of the authors
and are not to be construed as the official views of the publication. Horizon is published three times a
month by the Department of Public Relations and Information, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 50,
P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Phone: +968 24141045
E-mail: horizon@squ.edu.om
30 November 2014
P2
Fax: +968 24413 391
Website: www.squ.edu.om
News Update
1259 Students Graduate in Second Phase
The graduation ceremony of the 19th batch of master’s students and the
25th batch of bachelor’s students from the colleges of Education, Arts &
Social Sciences, Law, and Economics & Political Science, at Sultan Qaboos
University (SQU) was held on Sunday, 23 November 2014, under the patronage of H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Zubair bin Ali, Adviser for Economic
Planning Affairs to His Majesty the Sultan. A total of 1259 students from
the four colleges graduated in the second phase. The number of graduates
from the College of Education is 418; the College of Arts & Social Sciences
is 329; the College of Economics & Political Science is 381; and, the College
of Law is 131.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud Al Bimani, the Vice Chancellor of SQU, said that the contemporary world is facing several social,
economic and cultural changes, which makes it imperative to have more
studies and intensive research by academic and research institutions.
“SQU seeks to achieve a leading position in research output on different issues of strategic importance to the Sultanate, and to evolve suitable
solutions”. Underscoring the importance of research in educational and
economic fields, the Vice Chancellor noted that among the six research
projects funded by the His Majesty during the last academic year, four
have been allotted to the College of Economics & Political Science and the
College of Education.
“The Department of Tourism of the College of Arts & Social Sciences, received academic accreditation from UNWTO for its undergraduate program, thus becoming first academic department in tourism to get this accreditation (TedQual certified program) among universities in the Middle
East. The College of Education has received academic recognition for six
of its academic programs by specialized professional organizations under the umbrella of the US based National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education,” Dr. Al Bimani said.
As a result of academic tie up between SQU and the National Defense
College, under the Ministry of Defense, this phase of the ceremony includes the graduation of the first batch of Master’s graduates specialized
in Security and National Defense Strategic Studies, produced by the College of Arts & Social Sciences at SQU. In the first phase of the 25th graduation ceremony of SQU, held on 16 November, a total of 1260 graduates
from the colleges of Medicine & Health Sciences, Nursing, Agricultural &
Marine Sciences, Engineering, and Science, had received their certificates.
Student Chapter Bags SEG Summit Award
The Geophysics Student Chapter at Sultan Qaboos University has received the Summit Award by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists
(SEG) and this is the highest rank at the SEG student chapters from all
over the world. SQU Student Chapter is the only student chapter from
the universities in the Middle East that got such a prestigious award. On
behalf of SQU Geophysics Student Chapter, Dr. Hesham El-Kaliouby, the
Faculty Advisor, received the award during the SEG meeting held in Denver, Colorado on 29 October, 2014. It is worth mentioning that SQU hosted
the second Middle East SEG student symposium (26-29 April, 2014), in
which the Earth Science Students’ team won the first place in the Challenge Bowl competition of the Middle East, and the first places of the best
oral and poster presentations.
Dr. Hesham El-Kaliouby said that “two of the undergraduate Earth Science students participated in the Final Challenge Bowl competition at the
USA representing the Middle East. They did their best but could not make
it to finals this time as the competition was very tough and all the other
teams were graduate (M.Sc. and Ph.D.) students. This competition was a
great exposure for SQU students to participate for the first time to gain
the experience to share it with their colleagues to encourage them to participate in future competitions. The students (Mus’Ab Mansoor Al Hasani
and Sawaa Khamis Al-Sawaei) also attended the SEG meeting held in
Denver, Colorado, along with Dr. Hesham El-Kaliouby, in which they
had the chance to participate in different students activities like career
panel, networking event and resume writing workshop. They also had
the chance to attend the technical sessions and meet professors from all
over the world and get in touch with the industry through the exhibition area to know the latest development in geophysical technologies”,
he said.
P3
30 November 2014
Insight
Dietary Supplements:
Risks and Benefits
By: Dr. Amanat Ali
Department of Food Science
& Nutrition, CAMS
Dietary supplements are the products intended for ingestion, which contain one or more dietary ingredients (such as vitamins, minerals, amino
acids, herbs or their extracts) and are designed to be taken in addition to
usual daily food consumption for additional nutrients or perceived health
benefits. They are available in many different forms such as tablets, capsules, soft gels, liquids, or powders. Some may help to ensure the adequacy
in dietary intake of essential nutrients; while others may reduce the risk
of certain chronic diseases. Dietary supplements are used for many different purposes; mainly either to improve or to maintain overall health. They
may be added to the diet to provide support to the immune system, to
reduce the risks of illnesses and age-related conditions as well as to accelerate the healing process during illness. More than 50,000 different types of
dietary supplements are currently produced worldwide to meet the consumer’s needs with an estimated industrial worth of about US$ 100 billion.
The most commonly used dietary supplements are multivitamin–mineral
products, calcium supplements, Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids/
fish oil, and various forms of botanicals. Worldwide most of these products
are treated as food and are not strictly regulated except to label them for
ingredient composition and claimed health benefits. The manufacturers
and marketers of dietary supplements generally make exaggerated claims
about their efficacy and health benefits, which may not be credible and can
often be misleading. They portray them as “magic bullets” or “panacea”
with all curative powers against all ailments.
The data from various epidemiological studies suggest that the people
who consumed more antioxidant rich foods like fruits and vegetables had
less incidence of cancer as compared to those eating energy-dense processed foods. This resulted in great interest to explore the potential health
benefits of dietary antioxidants in disease prevention. Studies have shown
that oxidative stress is the first step involved in the mutagenesis, carcinogenesis and degenerative processes during ageing. Dietary supplements,
in particular the vitamins and minerals supplements, are taken as a source
of antioxidants to protect against the free radicals, which damage the DNA
molecules and cause oxidative stress. However, these effects may quickly
dissipate as after quenching the damaging free radicals these antioxidants
are not recycled. Some antioxidants however, may have the opposite effects and may lead to disease progression.
Most of the cancer patients perceive that dietary supplements can work as
anticancer and anti-toxicity agents. Although vitamin E and beta-carotene
reduce toxicity from radiotherapy among patients with head and neck cancer, they were found to increase the recurrence, especially among smokers.
Similarly, selenium that is a naturally occurring element has shown strong
antioxidant properties. Some laboratory studies suggested that selenium
could inhibit the growth of cancer cells. The data from various other clinical studies indicated limited evidence that people having higher levels of
selenium in their diet or in their body tissues had a lower incidence of
cancer. The effective use of dietary supplements depends on the average
dietary needs and prevalence of certain health conditions of individuals.
30
20 November 2014 P4
The dosages of nutritional supplements can vary widely, depending on
the type of product and individual needs. Dietary supplements may yield
some benefits in patients if tailored to an individual’s background diet,
genetics, tumor histology, and treatment protocols. Overall the strength
of scientific evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and
harms of dietary supplements in the prevention of cardiovascular disease
or cancer. Dietary supplements cannot substitute for a diet that is not nutritionally balanced. Generally, nutrients from food sources are more efficiently utilized by the body than the isolated substances. Adequate and
nutritionally well-balanced diet containing a variety of wholesome foods
is important even for those considering the use of dietary supplements.
In recent years much of the research focused on quality control aspects
including identification, characterization and authentication of active ingredients, contaminants and adulterants as well as on the efficacy and safety aspects of these supplements. The concentration and quality of active
ingredients can differ from product to product. The purchase and use of
these dietary supplements is therefore solely buyers/consumer’s responsibility as there is no guarantee about ingredients composition and their
efficacy given on the label. There is also lack of quality research and supporting scientific data on the effectiveness and side effects of dietary supplements. Some dietary supplements, in particular those containing herbal
extracts may create harm related to their rapid absorption in a short period
of time. Other quality issues are related to adulteration and contamination,
or due to adverse interactions with foods and prescription drugs. The dose
utilized as well as the long term side effects have also not been well studied. Establishment of an optimal intake level remains a key challenge in the
use and development of dietary supplements. A high intra-individual variability exits in the utilization of dietary supplements with respect to their
bioavailability, efficacy and safety, This further complicates the identification of dose-effect relationships. Overconsumption of dietary supplements
should be avoided to prevent unfavorable interactions and adverse effects.
Dietary supplements should not be used to treat the diseases.
Dietary supplements are often utilized as a short cut to substitute the optimal healthy nutritional practices. As compared to healthy populations,
the people suffering with various chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes more frequently use these dietary supplements as complementary and alternative therapies without bringing
them to the notice of their physicians. Consumers can however, make wise
choices for nutritional supplementation by consulting some trained health
professional such as nutritionist and physician. From a scientific perspective however, there is no substitute to an adequate, well-balanced healthy
diet based on a variety of foods. By selecting a variety of antioxidant rich
foods the body can have a continued antioxidant protection throughout
the day. The people should therefore apply appropriate healthy dietary
practices with sufficient physical activity level to keep themselves healthy
and protect against the occurrence diseases.
Mind Over Matter
Music to Our Ears
The Department of Music & Musicology at Sultan Qaboos University
seeks to foster and disseminate music aesthetic values in the Omani society, to promote music and artistic perception, and to contribute to the
development of the status of music in the Sultanate. That is music to our
years! High quality music, a main component of people’s identity and
an indicator of their development, has been part of Omani culture since
time immemorial. Music has a tremendous impact on people which goes
beyond mere soothing or stimulation of emotions; it contributes to the
development of the perceptive and mental potential of the individual,
helps refine tastes, and defines personality traits.
Dr. Majid Al Harthi, Head of the Department of Music & Musicology at
Sultan Qaboos University said that teaching music in tertiary institutions
is a pressing need. “It is a constitutive factor of students’ cultural identity
and personality at a critical stage of their development. The openness of
university systems and programs on artistic specializations is therefore
an act of guidance and awareness raising which triggers an influential
generation of musicians that reconciles science with arts and personal
skills” he said. Thus, the Department is committed to a musical education opened on other cultures with a view to consolidate musical bilingualism. In this respect, the Department attaches a great importance to
Arab music without negating western music which is systematically explored to guarantee the acquisition of more than one musical language at
the same time. The Department fosters the values of diversity and difference and is committed to highly qualified and experienced teaching staff
from different schools and tendencies: east oriental, west oriental, east
European, west European. This orientation stems from the conviction
that music is an international language, and Arab music is not isolated
from other musical languages.
Dr. Majid Al Harthi further says that the Department’s mission is to provide a rigorous university-level academic program in the field of music
and musicology, covering its various branches such as music, musicology, performance: playing on instruments, singing and ethnomusicology.
The Bachelor degree program in Music & Musicology aims to provide the
students with both theoretical as well as practical background that is academically sufficient and practically adequate. Besides, the program aims
to equip the students with the necessary advanced technical and professional skills in the various areas of sophisticated musical performance.
The program aims also to meet the needs of the Sultanate of Oman for
qualified teachers who are technically and academically capable of teaching music in public schools. It also supports those who take music as a
passion and would like to become music professionals in future.
In the words of Prof. Anvar Kacimov, Dean of the College of Arts & Social
Sciences at SQU, who is an ardent lover of music, the Music and Musicology Department at the University is doing extremely well in training
Omani students who acquire advanced technical and professional skills
in the various areas of sophisticated musical performance and advance
to be qualified instructors, technically and academically capable of
teaching music in public schools. “Both SQU students and instructors
in music have a nice tradition to give regular public concerts at the SQU
Staff Club. The one that was held in Decembe 2013 fascinated the SQU
audience”, he said.
“Classical or folk music has an enormous invigorating and mobilizing
effect. My grandfather, an artillery lieutenant in World War II, remembered how his battery staff was routinely recuperated by the rear miniorchestra, performing during the intermissions between barrages and
attacks of German tanks. Another grandfather of mine, a cavalry general, said that from the experience of WWI and two other wars he was
engaged in, the brigade would not fight well without the sound of
the refulgent trumpets and the wounded would not recover fast without
songs and folk music played in the hospitals. We, Russians, have a saying
“If to perish, then with music”, Prof. Kacimov said. In his experience, any
kind of stress that we all experience at our workplaces and in families are
healed by good music.
“The harmony, rhythm, beauty of music transforms into the perfection
of Mercedes engines, sophistry of Shell enhanced oil recovery techniques
and aroma of the Nestle chocolate. Einstein wrote: “If I were not a
physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live
my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.” The modern
civilized world is intertwined in art, science and technology, their practical outcomes are amalgamated”, Prof Kacimov added.
In his view, SQU, as a comprehensive university, is really lucky to have
professionals in Art in general and musicians in particular, whose performances the society adores. Oman is fortunate to have Royal Opera House
at a driving distance from any Muscat premise. Reciprocally, the local
engineers, mathematicians, physicists, agricultural and fishery scientists
all who benefit from this artistic proximity, collegiality are expected to
excel in their own fields by producing harmonically designed buildings, perfect equations and theorems, delicious fruits and vegetables”,
he concluded.
As many as 20 musicians and music instructors from different parts of
the worlds, mostly from the Eastern European countries, are part of the
Music and Musicology Department at the College of Arts & Social Sciences at SQU which is headed by Dr. Majid Al Harthi who himself is a
trained musician and an expert in musicology and ethnomusicology. Dr.
Al Harthi did his PhD from Indiana University, USA, studying the African elements in Omani Music.
P5
30 November 2014
News Round Up
Book on Using Technology
in Language Teaching
Swansea University VC
Visits SQU
Cambridge Scholars Publishing, UK, has recently released a book titled “Using Technology in Foreign Language Teaching” edited by Dr. Rahma Al-Mahrooqi, Director of SQU’s Humanities Research Center and Associate Professor in the Department of English of the College
of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University
(SQU), and Dr. Salah Troudi from the University of Exeter.
This book explores the conditions under which technology can best be utilized in teaching a foreign language,
so that its potential benefits are harnessed and the obstacles tackled. It seeks to debate the issue of IT integration
in language teaching with the intention of discussing its
advantages and disadvantages from the point of view of
actual users and professionals from different contexts.
There are thirteen chapters in the book. Each is unique
in its own way, but all examine IT use in general and in
countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,
Oman, Iran, and Malaysia. The book will hopefully be
a useful resource for foreign language professionals, researchers and postgraduate students.
Commenting on the relevance of the common topic of
the book chapters, Dr. Rahma Al Mahrooqi said: “Language learning is a complex and challenging endeavor.
For students to achieve the desired proficiency in a foreign language, their institutions need to invest time,
effort and huge resources in order to cater for different
learning styles. To be cost effective, language-teaching
institutions strive to provide intensive foreign language
instruction to reduce the time period needed to learn
the target language. This explains the keen interest in
combining different methodologies with instructional
technologies that promise to motivate learners and to
respond effectively to their needs. In fact, generally,
technology use in learning environments has presented
itself as a necessity for continued lifelong learning with
research suggesting that institutions that lag behind in
integrating technology might not be well-equipped to
meet the needs of knowledge based societies”.
Dr. Rahma al Mahrooqi has 21 years teaching experience
at SQU. She has taught a variety of courses in language
communication, research and sociolinguistics seeking to
inspire and transform her students by example. Salah
Troudi is an academic at the Graduate School of Education at the University of Exeter.
30 November 2014
P6
Prof. Richard B. Davies, Vice Chancellor of Swansea University, UK, recently
visited Sultan Qaboos University and held discussions with H.E. Dr. Ali bin
Saud Al Bimani, Vice Chancellor of SQU, and H.H. Sayyidah Dr. Mona bint
Fahad Al Said, Assistant Vice Chancellor for International Cooperation. The
two sides explored areas of potential partnership between the two universities
in terms of collaborative research and student and staff exchanges.
“We are interested in strategic partnership with foreign institutions that have
common interests. We look forward to have research partnership with Sultan
Qaboos University in several research areas including oil and gas, alternative
energy, water desalination and other relevant in Engineering and Science.
Swansea University has a long tradition in Engineering and Science research,
dealing with several multinational companies. We also look forward to expand our Languages, Translation and Communication faculty by adding Arabic language in the programs offered. We also offer new master’s program in
Islamic Law and Finance. I hope that these are promising areas for collaboration with SQU”, Prof. Richard Davies said.
UNCTAD Chief Received
Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and accompanying delegation visited
SQU recently. The delegation was received by Prof. Taher Ba Omar, Academic
Affairs Advisor to the Vice Chancellor, and other SQU officials at the Main
Library. The delegation visited the Main Library and the Omani Studies Centre
located at the Cultural Centre of the university. This was followed by a lunch
attended by senior officials and academicians at the university.
During the meeting, the Secretary General and SQU officials discussed on the
possibilities of academic ties between the University and UNCTAD. UNCTAD,
which is governed by its 194 member States, is the United Nations body responsible for dealing with development issues, particularly international trade
– the main driver of development. In addition, UNCTAD offers direct technical
assistance to developing countries and countries with economies in transition,
helping them to build the capacities they need to become equitably integrated
into the global economy and improve the well-being of their populations.
Panorama
Peer Tutoring Earns Popularity
The Language Centre at SQU has been practising Peer Tutoring for four
years. It is a system where students are tutored by senior year students
who have successfully completed a peer tutoring training course and are
then able to tutor other students. The number of peer tutors has increased
each year to reach its current total of 34. In the coming fall semester, the
Tutorial Centre will have 40 peer tutors to support their juniors. By keeping a good number of peer tutors on duty, the Centre makes sure adequate
tutors available for tutees.
Commenting on the selection procedure of peer tutors, Alexandra Craig,
Coordinator of the Tutorial Centre, Student Support Unit, at the Language
Centre, said that potential student tutors write a letter of application and
are interviewed by the coordinators of the Tutorial Centre and the Writing Centre. “If successful, they attend a one day training at the start of
the semester. During the same week there are more training sessions to
familiarize the new peer tutors with materials and protocol; these are run
by experienced peer tutors. Throughout the semester there are evening
sessions on tutoring. Each new peer tutor has a mentor--an experienced
peer tutor-- who observes them twice and guides them through a series of
readings and reflections”.
“The peer tutoring system enables the students get one to one attention
on all aspects of English within a safe learning environment. Some students have specific grammar questions, others practice spoken English
and others work on presentations. All tutees self-select to attend. At the
start of each semester peer tutors visit lab sessions of students who are in
the first level of foundation classes. They talk to them about the Centre
and explain how students can make an online booking for an appointment”, she said. Last academic year around 2500 appointments were held
in the Tutorial Centre. Students vote with their feet; they would not come
back if they did not think it was worthwhile.
“Since its inception, every semester the Tutorial Centre, as well as the
rest of the Student Support Unit (SSU), has grown in response to demand
from students”, Ms. Craig said. “It has developed not only in terms of the
number of peer tutors we recruit, students we see and the rooms we use
but also in terms of our client profile, booking system, materials, and peer
tutor mentoring. Previously, the Tutorial Centre catered only to students
in the first levels of the English Language Foundation Programme (FPEL).
Now it is open to everyone in FPEL, although we advertise specifically to
students in the first levels of foundations. However, students from credit
programmes, Master degrees and those studying for their PhDs have
heard about the help available so visit, register and attend sessions”, she
said.
According to Ms. Craig, “The peer tutors are the best resource in the Tutorial Centre due to their knowledge of English, study skills, awareness of
student problems with English and the challenges of being a student. This
year peer tutor mentoring has also been implemented for the first time in
the Tutorial Centre. This has been to augment the training they already receive. With the mentoring programme, experienced peer tutors are paired
with the new peer tutors. The mentor supports the mentee during and
after their tutorial sessions. They also meet once every two or three weeks
and hold guided discussions on tutoring. As well as the coordinator, the
new peer tutor also has someone they can trust to support them. At the
start and end of a semester, the mentor will observe the new peer tutor.
The observation is implemented in a way that the one being observed
feels relaxed and knows that the observer is there to help and learn. All
peer tutors (both the mentor and mentee) have said that they enjoyed and
learned from the experience. It should reflect on the quality of the tutoring”, she added.
Peer Tutoring Symposium
Based on the success of last year’s the first “Oman Peer Tutoring Symposium”, the Student Support Unit (SSU) at the Language Centre held
the Second “Oman Peer Tutoring Symposium” with the support of the
Oman ELT Conference. According to Alexandra Craig, the Peer Tutoring
Symposium was conceived to create a chance for peer tutors from around
the Sultanate to meet and share ideas. It was thought that the peer tutors
needed to network and learn more from their peer tutor colleagues in
other universities. The symposium was funded by the ELT conference;
60 peer tutors from around the Sultanate were given free entry to the two
day conference, with an emphasis on attending the peer tutoring symposium. TAKATUF Scholars funded the flights for 5 Dhofar University
students to come to Muscat. Ms. Craig said that many ELT teachers who
attended the ELT conference also attended the symposium as they were
interested to learn how they could use peer tutors in their establishments.
During the first symposium peer tutors from The Arab Open University, Dhofar University, Nizwa University and Sultan Qaboos University
joined to share best practices and start a dialogue. Each university showcased its centre and participated in creating vision and mission statements
for an Oman Peer tutoring Network (OPTN). This year, those statements
will start to be fulfilled.
During the symposium, Dr. Lynne Ronesi from American University of
Sharjah University and Dr. Qassim Al Mamari from Sohar College of
Applied Science were the keynote speakers who shared their knowledge and experience on education and in tutoring to help inspire and
educate the audience. Peer tutors from Dhofar, Nizwa universities and
SQU presented workshops on a variety of aspects of peer tutoring. Workshops included how to make tutees relaxed within a tutoring session to
allow them to learn within a safe environment, as well as tips on tutoring speaking and reading. The day was rounded off by the current representatives of the OPTN (Oman Peer Tutoring Network) informing the
attendees about how to stay in contact and new university representatives
were elected.
P7
30 November 2014
Straight Talk
Horizon: Do you accept international students in your institute?
Prof. Maekawa: The Graduate School of Interdisciplinary News
Prof. Toru
Maekawa
Prof. Toru Maekawa is the Director of the Bio-Nano Electronic Research Centre, Toyo University, Japan. The Centre
carry out advanced research on nanoscience & nanotechnology, bioscience & biotechnology, and nano-bio fusion science and technology, educate young graduate students via
advanced research and encourage international activities.
Prof. Maekawa and accompanying delegation visited Sultan
Qaboos University recently to explore research partnership
with different departments at the College of Science and the
TRC Chair in Nanotechnology.
Science, started in 2007, offers “Bio-Nano Science Fusion Course,”.
For doctoral program, we accept motivated students from all over
the world and educates and creates advanced researchers in bionano science with the support of 10 eminent visiting professors
from different parts of the world including Nobel laureates. The
master’s program was opened in 2011. This course provides the
masters students with workshops on advanced equipment and
web educational programs as well as lectures and master research
courses. We started trans-departmental “Bio-Nano Science Fusion
Course” for undergraduate students in 2007.
Horizon: Can you say a few words on nanotechnology research
facilities at Graduate School?
Prof. Maekawa: I could say that the Bio-Nano Electronic Re-
search Centre at Toyo University is the leading institute in Japan
in the field of nanotechnology innovation and research. At the
Centre we do fundamental research related to nanotechnology,
biotechnology and bionano fusion technology. Our researchers
are involved in the development of high efficiency nano-electron
devices, discovery of extremophiles and their application in bionanotechnology, and development of nano-biomedical sensors and
devices. Our Centre has nano-electronics super clean rooms and
biotechnology class rooms and has introduced high tech equipment regularly for conducting advanced research and education
following our short and intermediate term strategies. As a result,
the Centre was selected as Nanotechnology Support Centre in 2007
by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Sports, Science
and Technology (MEXT). Our facilities and equipment are open to
any researchers from other universities and industries.
Horizon: Could you please outline the international cooperation
of the Bio-Nano Electronic Research Centre?
Prof. Maekawa: The Centre has been collaborating with over-
seas research institutions and the industry. We have 27 visiting researchers at our Centre and 10 visiting professors at the Graduate
Scholl of Interdisciplinary News Science. The Centre and the Graduate School have organized international symposia and seminars
at overseas institutions and have exchanged academic agreement
with 16 universities and 7 companies for the development of collaborative research and educational programs.
Horizon: What was the mission of your team’s visit to Sultan Qaboos University?
Prof. Maekawa: As Sultan Qaboos University is a leading higher education and research institution in the Middle East, which offers a variety of academic programs and delivers research in science and technology, we value any partnership opportunities with
this university. We look for collaboration in research and exchange
of students and researchers between the two institutions to begin
from very near future. We believe in bottom up approach in establishing research collaboration. At SQU, we met the Vice Chancellor
and other senior administrators and faculty members at the College of Science and the Research Council Chair in Nanotechnology.
The discussions with individual researchers and students were
highly productive and we hope to establish partnerships with Sultan Qaboos University in near future. Dr. Salim Al Harthy from the
Physics Debarment, College of Science at SQU is the focal point for
establishing ties with Sultan Qaboos University, and he has been
really supportive and encouraging. SQU is the first university in
the Middle East that the Bio-Nano Electronic Research Centre is
approaching for academic and research collaboration. I would also
like to mention that our near future directions and strategies include development of international academic exchange and double degree programs for young researchers.
30 November 2014