ISLAMABAD:
The federal government on Tuesday approved the name of Saudi educator Dr Hathal bin Hamoud Al-Otaibi as the next president of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).
He will replace Dr Ahmed Yousif Al-Draiweesh.
Dr Al-Otaibi’s appointment was okayed during a meeting of IIUI’s Board of Trustees (BoT) led by Pakistan’s President Dr Arif Alvi - the chancellor of the university.
During the 14th meeting of the BoT at the Aiwan-i-Sadr on Tuesday, President Dr Alvi said that the university was a great centre of learning which provided not only modern education but also had greater contribution in educating students about Sharia, Islamic history and culture. He directed the management of the university to set specific goals and vision, and fix a timeframe for achieving them.
He also appreciated the cooperation extended by Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) for the university. He further thanked the Al-Azhar University in Egypt, for sending 30 teachers and bearing their financial responsibilities.
Dr Alvi paid tribute to IIUI’s outgoing president Dr Al-Draiweesh, his efforts and contributions for the promotion of education.
Addressing a meeting through video-link from Jeddah, Organization of the Islamic Council (OIC) Secretary General Dr Yousaf bin Ahmed Al-Othaimeen thanked Pakistan for offering 100 scholarships for students of 15 under-developed countries. He also expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in the attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, and reiterated OIC’s support to stand by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
IDB President Dr Bandar Hajjar assured the meeting that the bank will continue to fund the Waqf project of the university.
Earlier, IIUI Rector Professor Dr Masoom Yasinzai presented the ‘Rector’s Report’ and briefed participants about the activities and the role of the varsity in promoting education in the country. The BoT expressed its satisfaction and appreciated the university’s achievements.
Later, the board unanimously approved the Dr Al-Otaibi as the new president of IIUI.He currently heads the Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University.
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Professor Dr Al-Otaibi holds a PhD in work psychology and psychology of individual differences from the University of Madrid in Spain. He is also a member of the Saudi Arabian Association for Educational and Psychological Sciences and of the Spanish Psychologists Association. He is also a member of the International Conference for Training and Human Resource.
As an administrator, he has held the position of dean at thje Institute Affairs Abroad at Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in Riyadh, while he has also served as the head of the Psychology Department of the university and the chairman of the Graduate Studies Committee in the department at teh university.
He has also served as a full time adviser in the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Higher Education, and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques program for external scholarships. Dr Al-Otaibi worked as the head of the quality committee of the Psychology Department apart from being a training consultant in human resource and a member of the curricula and curriculum committees.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2020.
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