Abu Dhabi, 21 Nov 2003—Several Kuwaiti NGOs and Charity organizations have pledged to finance well-needed projects for Amoud University including lecture halls, an auditorium, laboratories and a two-storey management building.

Returning from a four-week visit to Kuwait, Amoud University President Professor Suleiman Ahmed Gulaid said that he had fruitful talks with a number of NGOs, charity organizations, Kuwait University and officials from the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs.

Prof. Gulaid expressed the hope that all the six project proposals he submitted to the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, most of them aimed at expanding the university’s physical infrastructure, would get favorable consideration.

Talking to Awdalnews Network in Abu Dhabi where he was on transit, Prof. Gulaid said that he already had confirmed pledges for two 30-seater buses, a four-wheel drive land cruiser jeep and 50 computers and printers.

He added that he had discussed ways of establishing cooperation between Amoud University and Kuwait University and hoped to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Kuwait University in the near future.

Expressing his gratitude for the Emir of Kuwait, the government and the people of Kuwait as well as all the officials he met, Prof. Gulaid said he was overwhelmed by the warm reception and the generous hospitality extended to him during his stay in Kuwait.

On another visit to Sudan in September, Prof. Gulaid said that the trip followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Faculty of Medicine of Jazira University and Amoud University’s Faculty of Medicine, noting that the visit was facilitated by WHO.

Accompanied by Dr. Walhad, Dean of Amoud Faculty of Medicine, Prof. Gulaid said that the Jazira University agreed to give two seats of scholarship annually to medical doctors to do graduate courses, adding the first two will join Jazira soon.

He said that a Jazira Medical Faculty delegation would come on a visit to Amoud in the near future to familiarize itself with the academic activities of Amoud and to explore ways of furthering the cooperation between the universities in various fields.

The Amoud delegation also held talks with deans and faculty members of several other Sudanese universities such as Khartoum University, Al Ahfad University and Umm Durman University. It also met the Deputy Minister of the Sudanese Ministry of Health and officials from the Ministry of Higher Education, briefing them on the progress made by Amoud over the years.

On other developments of the university, Prof. Gulaid said that a two-year intensive teachers’ training program started in Amoud on 21st September with UNDP funding. The first class consists of 60 secondary graduates who came from the various regions of Somaliland, 8 students from each region, and neighboring countries.

He said after completing the two-year diploma program the teachers will go into the field and return later for another two years to complete the degree program, adding that such diploma course supplemented the degree program already in place with the Faculty of Education.

On the impact of the absence of foreign teachers who left the University following the killing of Dick and Enid Eyeington, headmaster of Sheikh Secondary School and his wife, Prof. Gulaid said that the absence of the expatriate staff had affected some departments such as the languages, medical and sciences.

He added that given the current situation he didn’t expect the foreign staff to return to the university for quite some time.

“The killings of the Eyeingtons in Sheikh and before them Dr. Annalena Tonelli in Borama have been a great set back for the image of peace and stability projected by Somaliland over the years and it will take some time to regain the confidence of international humanitarian organizations,” he concluded.

Source: ANN