Dar Al-Hekma University launched the Creativity Project for the academic year 2015-2016. The project was launched recently at Dar Al-Hekma University. This project is designed to deliver university-wide transformative training program for faculty members, heads of departments and new students. The new students will receive a new workshop for four years at the beginning of each year to graduate more creative individuals. This program will be delivered to all new students by a team of international professors. The Creativity Project intends to deliver transformative and mind-changing experience through intensive participation for all three targeted groups at the beginning of each semester. The training programs are delivered by a team of international professors and top experts led by Dr. Isabel Creuznacher, who is an Associate Director of the Institute of Transformation in Business and Society at the EBS Business School in Germany, and by Janet Thomson, a Transformational Life Coach from the UK. Based on that, the leading value for this academic year in Dar Al-Hekma University is “Fostering Creativity”. “This project's goal is to change the how you teach not the what you teach, you are the expert on your field and we found the experts of classroom transformation to achieve the best classroom experience for you and for your students,” said Dr. Suhair Hassan Al-Qurashi, the president of Dar Al-Hekma University during her speech during the hour-long project introductory session in Dar Al-Hekma University's auditorium. Dr. Al-Qurashi added “The training program is designed to enable you to employ all the necessary tools and techniques with your students and staff as well as in your life. It is also a valuable experience for your professional development and will cater for your own personal growth. Therefore, your full participation in this program is crucial.” During the first two weeks of this academic year faculty members, heads of departments and new students received two training workshops. The first was “Power to Change” which was delivered by Janet Thomson. The workshop was lively and the energy level was high promising the upcoming change, according to some participants. Thomson is an esteemed television expert and a best-selling author who has a long experience is helping individuals changing their mind-sets to achieve their goals. This training was designed to help the audiences to foster the hidden power of their brains to get more out of the educational experience; this will help them to go farther. “I wanted to show faculty and students both that they have the potential to be whatever they want to be, the human brain is personal and individual and it will be programed wither you participated or not, and it is a really good idea to be the architect of that change. There are environmental and cultural things that change you, but ultimately you have control,” said Thomson. The second training workshop titled “Critical Thinking with a Creative Mind-set” was delivered by Dr. Isabel Creuznacher and Ute Thumm. The main focus of the workshop was to provide and illustrate more creative ways to tackle the classroom experience. These methods are developed to engage the students so they become an integral part of the teaching journey and set the environment for them to flourish, be more creative and strengthen their entrepreneurial personality. “We learned a lot about the Saudi culture and the challenges they face, but the optimism that each teacher has and the need to be involved to raise the new generation really hit the standards. The teachers were here with their soul and their heart and were really diving into the subject and this is not just a job for them they are here to get the best out of their students, it was an amazing experience,” said Creuznacher. Added Ute Thumm, who is a managing director in Thumm & Partner and a trainer in the second session, “I am really impressed with the mission of Dar Al-Hekma University and what is done here, so the faculty as well as the students can live-up to the mission. I was impressed by the readiness of the faculty to participate, contribute and invest time even at the beginning of the semester when they know there is a lot of work ahead.” “The workshops were very well received by all faculty members. They offered a great opportunity to further develop creativity and positive thinking. I am sure that Dar Al-Hekma University will continue to grow for the benefit of our students and the wider community,” said Dr. Karima Saci, the chair of the Banking and Finance Department who attended both workshops. “Our president is a leader with passion for unique advancements, she is investing in an institute that will breed holistic entrepreneur women, training the staff and the faculty in parallel to the students will make Dar Al-Hekma University the creative educational hub and we shall continue to flourish. When your employer insists on developing you, you will continue to grow,” said Reem Altorki, an assistant professor in the General Education Department. “In the next ten years, 60% of jobs will require creative thinking. Therefore, the Arab world needs to begin focusing on creative thinking, innovation, and encourage inventors. Moreover, the education institutions in the Arab world need to train students on how to use the full potential of their brains,” says Dr. Manahel Thabet one of, if not the most, intelligent people among the Arab population, and has an IQ of more than 168, putting her in the top 0.1 percent of the world. Dr. Thabet was one of the engines that guided Dar Al-Hekma Creativity Project announcement during the graduation ceremony back in June, 2015. Since that announcement, the university has been working vigorously to have this ambitious project launched at the start of this academic year 2015-2016.
