A request from an alumnus has blossomed into a unique relationship between the University of Missouri–St. Louis and two Middle Eastern universities. UMSL serves as mentor, model and mediator to both the Modern College for Business and Science in Oman and the Gulf University for Sciences and Technology in Kuwait.
In January, a team of UMSL faculty members reviewed academic programs at Gulf University of Science and Technology in Kuwait. Team members are (from left) Alice Hall, Steve Moehrle, David Rota, Doug Smith, Michael Elliott, Kurt Schreyer, Ekin Pellegrini and Tom McPhail.
In 1992, Muneer Al-Maskery earned a doctoral degree in political science from UMSL after earning a bachelor’s and master’s degrees here. He went on to help found the Modern College for Business and Science in Oman. The Ministry of Higher Education in Oman requires new universities to have a mentorship with a U.S. university, so Al-Maskery reached out to his friend and former teacher Joel Glassman, academic director for the Center for International Studies at UMSL and associate provost of academic affairs.
“This grew into a significant institutional commitment,” Glassman said. “UMSL felt at the time that in the midst of U.S.-Mideast conflict, it was important to have a positive impact on the region.”
At MCBS, students can receive a bachelor’s degree in business administration and computer science and an associate’s degree in information communication technology, business administration and computer science. The private university also offers a certificate in English as a second language.
A few years after MCBS was established in 1996, the founders of GUST sent a delegation to private schools throughout the Middle East to get ideas and liked what they saw at MCBS. They soon reached out to UMSL for similar assistance with curriculum and organization.
Since its founding in 2002, GUST has grown to 3,500 students and offers degrees in business, English, mass communication and computer science. Through a partnership with UMSL’s Center for International Studies, the two institutions have formed a unique relationship that serves both well.
Glassman points out that UMSL does not sponsor or run either university.
“MCBS and GUST are thriving. They are autonomous. We just help them become better and stronger,” Glassman explained. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together.”
During the fall semester, three faculty members and Blood went to review the computer science degree and MBA. UMSL Chancellor Tom George even served as commencement speaker for GUST in October.
In January, nine faculty members and administrators visited GUST to review all of their programs and provide feedback. Reviewers met with administrators, department chairs, faculty, deans, students, alumni and employers – they included faculty and staff from English, theatre, dance and media studies, communication, business and CIS.
“This is an important and ongoing relationship,” said Milt Blood, academic development and cooperation specialist in the Center for International Studies at UMSL. “GUST is patterned after UMSL, so their programs are really similar. They wanted an American style university and all of their teaching is in English.”
This makes for a nice transition for GUST students who study at UMSL in the summers. About nine students come annually. UMSL also helps GUST recruit faculty from the U.S.
More information:
mcbs.edu.om/
gust.edu.kw/
