Mission
The aims of the Board are to provide an independent, expert review and critique of the academic activities of the Department in such a way that improves the quality of teaching, research and services. In addition to that, it enhances the visibility of the Department in the engineering community.
Board Terms of Reference
The Board will accomplish its mission by carrying out the following functions:
1. Review the program educational objectives to ensure that they meet the industrial needs as well as ABET Engineering Criteria.
2. Evaluate strengths, merits, and weaknesses of the current curriculum in the context of the Department mission and program educational objectives.
3. Provide recommendations to the Department on all matters related to the curriculum to improve the relationship between academic and professional practices.
4. Review student performances relative to the program outcomes from an industrial point of view and propose strategies for continuous improvement of the program.
5. Help in identifying opportunities for student’s involvement in research and capstone projects.
6. Review the Department activities and plans related to research, consultancy, and short courses and make recommendations.
7. Help in identifying opportunities for faculty research and development.
8. Help in soliciting funds for scholarships and endowments.
9. Help in placing students for the working experience program.
10. Provide assistance towards the review of student work and the collection of assessment data.
11. Enhance the visibility of the Department in the engineering community
Process
The process is consistent with the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) regulations. In the event of a conflict between this process and the SQU regulations, the provisions of the SQU regulations will prevail.
Membership
ECEIAB shall consist of a maximum of seventeen (17) voting members, members from external organizations and three members form the ECE Department including the Head of the Department. These members are recommended by the Department Board and approved by the University - Administration. It should be comprised of noted professionals who hold leadership positions in their respective organizations. Qualifications include preferably a degree in Electrical Engineering, rich professional experience, knowledge of current industrial needs and practices, and a strong desire to help improve the Electrical & Computer Engineering Programs at Sultan Qaboos University.
Membership appointments are for renewable three-year terms and may be renewed subject to the commitment and involvement in activities and meetings. The Department, through the office of the College of Engineering Dean, selects and invites individuals to join the Board and extends notice of release based on the ECEAB decisions. Candidates may be recommended by the Department Board members as well as by other sources. The members shall provide adequate representation from the major organizations that employ our students as well as other Department stakeholders. However, Board membership shall not be limited to graduates of the Department, but may include individuals who are or can be active in their support to the Department.
The officers of the advisory Board will be Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary. The Chair of the Board will be the head of the Department while the Vice Chair shall be from the industry elected by the members of the ECEIAB at the Fall meeting of each year. The Secretary of the Board shall be a faculty of the Department. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Board and serve as a spokesperson for the Board. The Vice Chair shall perform all the functions of the Chair in his/her absence or other duties as assigned by the Chair.
No remuneration for participation is given and members or their sponsoring organizations are encouraged to cover any travel and loading expenses associated with board activities.
Committees
In order to ensure the active participation of all members of the ECEIAB, committees are formed to perform certain major functions related to the mission of the Board. All members are encouraged to participate on at least one committee with opportunity to rotate to other committees based on committee needs and individual interests. The committees are formed for one year and are expected to report their activities at the next ECEIAB meeting.
An ECEIAB member will chair each committee. Faculty members will be assigned to the different committees and a faculty contact focal point will be designated for each committee to coordinate related Department activities. Additionally, ECEIAB members may be invited to serve as specialists on committees as the needs arise. The following three committees will have specified roles and responsibilities, in keeping with the mission of the ECEIAB. The number and types of committees may change as different needs arise.
Curriculum and Accreditation Committee:
This committee is responsible for:
1. Reviewing the educational objectives of ECE programs as well as recommending suitable educational outcomes and indicators.
2. Proposing strategies for establishing smart classes and updating labs in such a way that they meet the needs of the profession in Oman.
3. Helping the Department in establishing all the processes required to attain ABET accreditation.
4. Soliciting sample industrial materials for use in course work such as drawings, case studies, and final year and design projects.
Industry Outreach Committee:
This committee is responsible for:
1. Identifying opportunities for student research, Final year projects and faculty research, and development.
2. Helping in placing students for working experience program
3. Helping in promoting the visibility of the Department in the engineering community though the promotion of faculty consultancy, and short courses.
Sponsorship and Endowments Committee:
This committee is responsible for helping the Department generating funds for scholarships, hosting conferences, procuring gifts and awards (including equipment), and endowments to support program and faculty development
Meetings:
Regular meetings of the ECEIAB shall be held twice (2) a year on the SQU campus, normally in September and March. The Chair in consultation with ECEIAB members will decide the date of the meetings. The Fall meeting will be designated as the Annual Meeting of the ECEIAB. The annual meetings are for general reporting, assessment, and planning. Moreover, additional meetings or visits are also arranged for interviewing students, mentoring, and for project evaluation and assessment. The Chair may also call special meetings at any time. A simple majority of the members of the Advisory Board shall constitute a quorum.
Minutes Reporting:
The Chair and the Secretary of the Advisory Board is responsible for preparing the minutes of the meetings of the Board and highlighting action items for members of the Board and the chair. The Chair of any established committee is responsible for preparing the minutes of their activities and highlighting their suggested action items for members of the Board and the Chair. The secretary will submit to the Chair the minutes within seven (7) days after the last meeting, for revision and comments. The secretary will furnish electronic copies of final version of minutes to all members of the board within fourteen (14) days, for comments on the minutes. In case of no comments received by the members within two (2) weeks, the minutes will be considered as approved. The Chair will make available hard copies of the final version of the minutes, to the ECEIAB members, Dean, and Assistant Vice President for Science Colleges of SQU within 30 days before the next meeting. As required, the Chair will arrange for the Board members to meet with the Dean, and high –level University Administrators.
BOARD MEMBERS
The following names are proposed as external members:
|
Name |
Affiliation |
|
1 |
Mr. Abdullah Al-Badry |
Mazoon Electricity Company |
|
2 |
Mr. Abdullah Al-Kaabi |
Sohar Refinery Company |
|
3 |
Mr. Ahmed Al-Subhi |
AES Barka S.A.O.C |
|
4 |
Mr. Ali Al-Mashrafi |
Oman LNG |
|
75 |
Mr. Hilal Nasser Al-Habsi |
Oman Refinery |
|
6 |
Mr. John Cunneen |
Authority for Electricity Regulation |
|
7 |
Mr. Matar Saif Maray Al-Mammary |
Royal Palace Office |
|
8 |
Mr. Mohamed Hamoud Issa Al-Kindi |
Oman - Tel |
|
9 |
Mr. Said Al-Shidhani |
Telecommunications Engineering Company |
|
10 |
Mr. Saif Al-Summry |
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) |
|
11 |
Mrs. Ibtisam Barakat Al-Riyami |
Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) |
|
12 |
Mrs. Nashia bint Saud Al-Kharusi |
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) |
The following names are internal members:
|
Name |
Affiliation |
Position |
|
Dr. Adel Gastli |
ECE |
Chairman |
|
|
ECE |
Internal Member |
|
|
ECE |
Board Secretary |