International minds, global impact: AUS' Engineering Training with EADIC

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) College of Engineering (CEN), in a strategic collaboration with EADIC, a renowned postgraduate institution known for its engineering and architecture e-learning programs, recently conducted a five-day executive education course. Titled "Project Planning and Scheduling," this course was a part of a week-long program aimed at in-depth training in construction project planning and scheduling.

The training course, led and facilitated by Dr. Sameh El-Sayegh, Professor and Head of the AUS Department of Civil Engineering, welcomed a diverse group of 20 professionals from various countries, including the USA, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Argentina, India and Spain. 

Dr. El-Sayegh noted: "The diverse professional backgrounds of our participants enriched the learning experience for everyone, providing an excellent platform for the exchange of knowledge and practices in construction project planning and scheduling."

Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN, reflected on the partnership's significance.

"By partnering with EADIC and welcoming international professionals to this course, AUS has taken a meaningful step in sharing knowledge of our outstanding faculty and the resources of our state-of-the-art laboratories to international experts on a global platform. This initiative marks our first executive education offering to South America, symbolizing our commitment to extend educational opportunities far beyond our regional boundaries. We anticipate the inclusion of more international countries in such programs," he said. 

The course covered a comprehensive range of topics such as effective planning and scheduling techniques, project management principles, cost estimation, work breakdown structures, project scheduling, network modeling and hands-on experience with Primavera Project Management (P6) software. 

Ricardo Carraminaña, CEO of EADIC, said: “At EADIC, we are deeply proud to be allies of the prestigious American University of Sharjah. This collaboration represents a lasting and significant bond. We are excited to be collaborators in international weeks and to jointly develop new internationally-focused educational programs. This strategic partnership will reinforce our mission to drive the professional development of engineers and architects, providing them with enriching opportunities and international perspectives. We are committed to working hand in hand with the American University of Sharjah to offer quality education and foster knowledge exchange in a global environment. Together, we are ready to make a difference in the education and growth of future leaders in the field of engineering and architecture.”

Further enhancing their educational experience, participants visited a mega museum construction project in Abu Dhabi, showcasing the advanced use of building information modeling and various digital construction tools by ALEC Engineering and Contracting, the leading construction group in the Middle East. The visit included a presentation on ALEC's innovative digital construction techniques and a site tour featuring hands-on experiences with cutting-edge tools like virtual reality and augmented reality, highlighting their practical applications in the construction industry.

“My experience at AUS exceeded my expectations; the kindness, the support and the hospitality of all AUS staff was unmatched. Dr. Sameh is very interesting, he is good at explaining the material, he is knowledgeable and made it sound very easy to grasp all the new concepts. As a professional with more than 25 years of experience, this course helped me stay up to date with construction project management. This program helped me familiarize myself with the English technical terms that I can apply as my work is expanding internationally,” said Jose Vladimir Martinez Paulino, Project Director in ARES Enterprise, General Manager of Infrarq Civil SRL and Transport Infrastructure Consultant at the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Public Works and Communications.

The AUS Department of Civil Engineering offers a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in civil engineering, along with a Master of Science in Construction Management. For more information on the College of Engineering and its advanced degree programs, visit www.aus.edu/cen.