Northwest Georgia Technical College President Craig McDaniel (from left), Chair of Community Engagement Mohana Al-Dulami, Dean of Academic Development Sumaihan Al-Rashidi, Ahmed Al-Shoaibi and Associate Professor of Finance Nourredine Khababa listen to Dean of Health Technologies Frank Pharr as he talks about a training dummy during a tour of the school. (Daniel Varnado / Rome News-Tribune)
FILE - King Faisal University Vice President for Development and Community Service Ahmed Al-Shoaibi gestures as he talks during a visit to GNTC. (Daniel Varnado / Rome News-Tribune)
King Faisal University, one of the largest universities in the country, is a four-year institution that has a new two-year community college in the plans.
Looking to accept students within a year or so, the representatives spoke with GNTC officials to gain insight from the college’s success in Georgia.
Ahmed Al-Shoaibi, vice president for development and community service at KFU, said his institution found GNTC to be one of the best community colleges in Georgia and hoped to collaborate with their established programs and experienced faculty.
“We decided not to start from scratch but to go and visit and try to find someone that has the knowledge and experience,” Al-Shoaibi said.
The tour included the health department where the representatives were shown how students learn in medical environments and also have the opportunity to learn how EMS personnel work in a life-sized ambulance setting.
According to Al-Shoaibi, KFU is interested in setting up a faculty exchange as well, where GNTC professors would teach or lead a research project at their university for a semester or quarter.
“We need to have the experience that some institutions have here and we want their help,” Al-Shoaibi said.
GNTC President Craig McDaniel said he hoped to extend a partnership with KFU.
“We have been very successful in this community bringing in new jobs,” McDaniel said. “We’re honored that they’ve selected us.”
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