University of Dubai honors exceptional students

In a continued effort to promote and encourage academic excellence, the University of Dubai (UD) held an evening ceremony to acknowledge students that displayed outstanding achievement over the 2010-2011 academic year. The students honored on Nov. 23 earned a grade-point average of 3.2 or higher and made outstanding contributions that will have a lasting impact on the university and other students.

The UD Department of Student Services holds the event annually to honor the high academic accomplishments of undergraduates in UD’s College of Business Administration and College of Information Technology programs. A total of 95 students were awarded certificates of excellence and urged to continue on their promising path by their deans and classmates.

Dr. Faouzi Kamoun, Dean of the College of Information Technology, said he is proud to recognize the honor students for having proved themselves to be of the highest caliber.

“Excellence is not just about skills,” Kamoun told the students, “it’s an attitude. You carry this attitude in school, you will carry it into your career, and I hope that you carry it throughout life.” The Dean attributed UD’s cultivation of high-quality thinkers to their school’s international AACSB and ABET accreditations, and the high standards the accreditations require.

Several honorees made the ‘Highest Honors List,’ which is comprised of students achieving a GPA of 3.8 or higher. Fatma Hussain Al Mulla, who earned a 3.97 – nearly a perfect 4 – is part of this group and will have her picture, along with 13 others, posted on the Wall of Honor at UD for one year. Al Mulla is graduating in the spring and will continue on to get her Master’s degree in Logistics and Operations Management at UD.

“I’m sure my degree will enhance my capability and make me go further in my career,” said Al Mulla, who currently works at a semi-governmental organization. When asked why she is choosing to stay at UD for her MBA, she said, “throughout my educational period here, the instructors were always very supportive and I was impressed with their high level of teaching.” Al Mulla looked optimistic as she received her certificate of excellence to the hearty applause of a packed house on Wednesday night.

“This is a special ceremony, where we get to bring the faculty of UD, the students and their parents together and acknowledge those that have demonstrated what dedication truly is,” said UD President, Dr. Omar Hefni. “These students have shown what one can achieve when they strive to be their very best and we want our community to know that we are very proud of them.”