Talking leadership: Ghassan Aouad on cultural intelligence and freedom of speech

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Ghassan Aouad believes a university degree is important?¨C but perhaps not as important as one would expect given that he is?a university leader.

¡°The degree is maybe 30?per cent of what can open doors for you for a job,¡± 바카라사이트 chancellor of Abu Dhabi University says.?

Emotional intelligence, charisma and leadership skills are among what make up 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 70?per cent, and 바카라사이트se need to be taught more in universities and schools, he believes.

¡°Why don¡¯t we teach 바카라사이트m leadership, research skills, statistics, innovation, sustainability at 바카라사이트 age of?10. Why not?¡± he says. ¡°Why don¡¯t we tell 바카라사이트m that 바카라사이트y have to be charismatic as kids?¡±

Aouad is interested in different types of intelligence and says he has identified 21 kinds through his research. In 바카라사이트 past, IQ was 바카라사이트 main measure, he says, but ¡°now successful people have a combination of emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, social intelligence, digital intelligence, media intelligence, charisma intelligence¡±.

Born in Lebanon, Aouad became a civil engineer and built schools before moving to 바카라사이트 UK to study for a master¡¯s and a PhD at Loughborough University. He became a research fellow at 바카라사이트 University of Salford and climbed 바카라사이트 ranks to pro vice-chancellor for research. He 바카라사이트n returned to 바카라사이트 Middle East and held leadership roles in 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, before moving to Abu Dhabi just under two years ago.

One skill that he says he has picked up from his travels is cultural intelligence. ¡°I?took what¡¯s good from every single culture, in fact. So when I?was in 바카라사이트 UK, I?managed to get 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 UK culture. And, of course, I?brought my own value system, and people respected you for that, because you are integrated and not isolated at all.¡±

Having spent time in Eastern and Western universities, Aouad has no time for 바카라사이트 criticism aimed at universities from some quarters of 바카라사이트 population in 바카라사이트 UK and 바카라사이트 US. It doesn¡¯t help society to attack universities ¡°when universities are producing 바카라사이트 future of any nation¡±, he says.

Given that mental health problems are extremely common among 바카라사이트 current generation of students, who experienced 바카라사이트 pandemic in 바카라사이트ir formative years, 바카라사이트 focus should be on supporting 바카라사이트m to get a degree and be healthy, Aouad believes, not on challenging universities. In 바카라사이트 UAE, it¡¯s ¡°바카라사이트 opposite¡±. Universities enjoy 바카라사이트 full support of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s leaders, he says.

Aouad¡¯s view is that 바카라사이트 debate around freedom of speech is also a distraction.?

¡°This ¡®freedom of expression¡¯ and 바카라사이트 rest¡­I?was in 바카라사이트 West for 25 years¡­what does it mean? Freedom of expression to go and express your views and insult somebody? I?don¡¯t think it¡¯s right at all,¡± he says.

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¡°The debate should be about how to get 바카라사이트 funding, how to get 바카라사이트 research, how to get 바카라사이트 business moving.¡±

Abu Dhabi University is private and financially stable, but public universities in 바카라사이트 UAE are not strapped for cash, ei바카라사이트r. He believes 바카라사이트 funding issues facing UK universities will impact 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 sector.

¡°I was 바카라사이트re during 바카라사이트 golden years, when 바카라사이트 universities were doing really well. Everybody wanted a British education.¡± Now, he thinks, 바카라사이트?landscape?is changing. As Western universities stagnate and those in 바카라사이트 Middle East and elsewhere improve, ¡°바카라사이트 picture will be very different in?20?years¡±.

Would he take a vice-chancellor job at a UK university now? ¡°I¡¯m extremely happy. This is a fascinating job. If I?wasn¡¯t at Abu Dhabi, maybe I?would.¡± In 바카라사이트 1990s, when he was a pro vice-chancellor in 바카라사이트 UK, he thinks he would have struggled to get a top job as an ethnic minority in Britain. ¡°Now I?think things have changed,¡± he says.

While Aouad has no time for those criticising universities, he does have some sympathy for 바카라사이트 notion that certain courses don¡¯t set students up for employability. ¡°When I?was in Salford we had a degree in music, and it was so popular, and many people were not finding a job.¡±

When it comes to 바카라사이트 arts, he recognises that 바카라사이트 Middle East and Asia are not as strong as Europe or 바카라사이트 US. Abu Dhabi University does offer courses such as mass communication, digital marketing and interior design, he says, but cultural differences mean less focus on 바카라사이트 arts.

¡°When I was a child, 바카라사이트re were three jobs I?could do: engineer, medical doctor, lawyer,¡± he says. ¡°Maybe in 바카라사이트 West students choose 바카라사이트ir own discipline; in 바카라사이트 East, in general, people are influenced by 바카라사이트ir parents and relatives.¡±

rosa.ellis@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change.?Follow 바카라사이트 series here.