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UOB Offers 41 Postgraduate Programs in 8 Colleges

The University of Bahrain (UOB) announced the opening of receiving applications for admission to postgraduate programs for the first semester of the academic year 2020/2021, indicating that the application process shall be through the University's website and shall continue until the end of next August.

It’s worth mentioning that currently postgraduate studies include 41 programs in various disciplines, including 30 master's programs, 9 doctorate programs, and two higher diploma programs in eight Colleges of the National University.

The Dean of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at UOB, Dr. Mohamed Redha Qadir stated that “The University continues to fulfill its mission to advance graduate studies, spread the culture of scientific research, and encourage research and development, in order to create the appropriate conditions and atmosphere for the optimal investment of resources, in a way that helps in achieving Bahrain’s 2030 Economic Vision .

Also, the Dean called on people wishing to enroll in a graduate studies program to enter the page of the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research on the University's website, where they will find any information and explanation they need on the programs, and how to submit their applications, step by step.

The postgraduate programs included eight colleges at the University, as the College of Information Technology offers master’s in information technology, master’s in electronic security, master’s in software engineering, and doctorate in philosophy in computing and information sciences.

While the College of Engineering offers master’s in chemical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, engineering management, electrical and electronic engineering, doctorate in philosophy in chemical engineering, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, engineering management, and electrical and electronic engineering.

Also, the College of Science offers a master's degree in applied physics, mathematics, nutrition and food systems, environment and sustainable development, life sciences, and big data science and analysis, while offering doctorate in environment and sustainable development, and higher diploma in weather forecasting.

Furthermore, the College of Business Administration announced the launch of a master’s degree in business administration, human resource management, finance, accounting, finance and Islamic banking.

As for the College of Arts, it offers higher diplomas and master’s in Arabic language, master’s in media, higher diplomas and master’s in applied studies in English, and higher diplomas and masters in family counseling.

Moreover, the College of Law offers master’s in philosophy in public law and private law, doctorate in philosophy in public law, and doctorate in philosophy in private law.

Also, the College of Health and Sports Sciences offers master’s in physical therapy, adult health nursing, mental health, and nursing and midwifery.

Finally, Bahrain Teachers College offers a postgraduate diploma in education.

Dr. Mohammed Redha Qadir indicated that some of the master's programs offered don’t require the applicant to have a bachelor’s degree in a particular discipline. For example, a master’s in media can accommodate media graduates as well as graduates of languages ??and linguistics, legal sciences, economic sciences, sociology, and psychology. Also graduates of bachelor’s in nutrition and life sciences, chemistry, food science and technology, health sciences, and related life sciences can enroll in master’s in nutrition and dietetics, and master’s programs in the College of Business are available to graduates of all majors.

UOB Publishes the First Joint Scientific Research in Cooperation with the British University of Oxford

In cooperation with the University of Oxford in Britain, researchers at the University of Bahrain (UOB) published the first joint scientific research in the Desalination Journal, which is considered one of the most prestigious scientific journals in the field of water desalination.

The research focused on the most important methods used in treating sea water desalination membranes using reverse osmosis technology, and finding effective solutions to extend the life of these membranes, in order to reduce the energy used in desalination, as it’s one of UOB’s concerns, to improve the efficiency of technologies used in the desalination process.

Reverse osmosis is a process in which water moves from the highest concentrated solution to the lowest concentration solution, through a semi-permeable membrane using pressure, and it is a process used to purify water by its passage through several stages after which the water would be separated from other salts and minerals.

However, the reverse osmosis technology used in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf region suffers of certain properties such as high salinity and large biological activity, which affect the efficiency of these membranes and increase the operational cost of these stations.

Therefore, the study sheds light on the most important characteristics of the membranes used in desalination technology, whether used in desalination of sea water, groundwater or water treatment in general, and results of the study showed that nanomaterials - such as mixed polymer compounds - significantly improve the performance of the desalination process. Also, the study sheds light on the scientific gaps that lead to not currently use nanotechnology on a larger scale in the manufacture of these membranes.

Participants in the research included each of Researcher and faculty member in the Physics Department at the College of Science at UOB and PhD student in Environment and Sustainable Development Basma Al-Najjar, Oxford student researcher Chris Peters, and Associate Professor at the University of Oxford in Britain, Dr. Nick Hankins.

Through its joint research cooperation with the University of Oxford in Britain, UOB seeks to reach the best effective and feasible solutions in the field of addressing the deterioration of the efficiency of membranes in water desalination, increasing its life span and reducing the energy used in this treatment.

It’s worth mentioning that the research cooperation agreement between UOB and the University of Oxford in Britain began in April 2018 and will extend for four years, as UOB has given directions for conducting its research related to water desalination systems with the University of Oxford in Britain and a number of prestigious universities interested in this field, in addition to having research partnership with governmental and other interested private entities.

Low Rate of Breastfeeding Among Working Mothers

A Study at UOB Recommends Re-Reviewing the Law on Maternity Leave and Breastfeeding Hours

24 February 2020

A study conducted at the University of Bahrain (UOB) recommended that the law on maternity leave and breastfeeding hours should be re-reviewed in the Kingdom of Bahrain, after the study confirmed the low rate of breastfeeding among working mothers, which is lower than the rate recommended by the World Health Organization.

The study was under the title "The Effect of Maternity Hours and the Obstacles to Exclusive Breastfeeding Among Working Mothers in Bahrain", which found that one of the main obstacles to continuing the breastfeeding process is the low level of breast milk production after returning to work, and the lack of a sufficient break to pump breast milk in the workplace, the lack of places designated for that, and the denial of maternity hours, stressing that pumping breast milk at home increased the chances of continuing the breastfeeding process after returning to work, recommending the necessity of providing facilities for that, such as establishing private places at work to support breastfeeding to help mothers continue the breastfeeding process.

The study found that 34.7% of mothers still practiced breastfeeding before returning to work, and that 16.6% of the study sample continued to breastfeed after returning to work, while 42% of mothers used mixed feeding, and 41.5% of mothers completely stopped breastfeeding after returning to work.

Also, the study showed that mothers who started work after maternity leave (60 days) or after 3-4 months, are 7.2 times or 3.5% more likely to use mixed feeding as compensation for breastfeeding.

The study was conducted by the researcher in the Department of Life Sciences at the College of Science at UOB, Zainab Ali Zuhair, as part of the requirements for obtaining a master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, and it was applied to 386 working Bahraini mothers, who had children between the ages of two months to 24 months.

The discussion committee consisted of the head of the Disease Control Department in the Public Health Department at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Adel Salman Al-Sayad, as an external examiner, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the College of Science at UOB, Prof. Mohammed Salim Akhter, as an internal examiner, as well as Dr. Khadija Abdullah Zainal and Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at UOB Bahrain Prof. Dr. Mariam Ahmed Al-Mannai as supervisors.

Sustainable Development Goals

3 Good health and well-being

4 Quality education

17 Partnerships for the goals

Key words

Re-reviewing the law on maternity leave and breastfeeding hours in the Kingdom of Bahrain, a study at the University of Bahrain, low rate of breastfeeding among working mothers, the World Health Organization, reduced breast milk production, Department of Life Sciences in the College of Science, University of Bahrain

UOB and the British Embassy in the "Waste Management Forum":

We are Facing Challenges, and We Have to Cooperate Within Strategic Plans to Address the Increase in Waste

Bahrain Produces 1.8 Million Tons of Waste Annually, Being the Highest in the Gulf

Important Initiatives by the "University"

The President of the University of Bahrain (UOB), Dr. Riyad Yousif Hamzah, stressed the importance of focusing on global solutions that are being adopted to address the danger of waste on the environment, and ways to reduce the quantities of waste produced annually in order to reduce its negative and destructive effects. Pointing out that the waste problem is a global challenge that researchers and experts worldwide work to find the optimal way to manage it.

In cooperation with the British Embassy, UOB ??organized the "Waste Management" Forum, which was held on Sunday (16 February 2020) at the E-Learning Center at the UOB in Sakhir, in the presence of the British Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain Rudi Drummond, the CEO of the Supreme Council for the Environment Dr. Mohamed Mubarak Bin Daina, and a number of researchers, those interested and University faculty members, with the participation of a number of speakers from prestigious and distinguished British universities in the field of waste management, in addition to speakers from UOB and a number of private universities in the Kingdom.

The British ambassador reviewed the United Kingdom's experience in facing the risks of increasing the amount of waste and possible solutions to reduce its quantities, stressing the importance of joint cooperation between the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Bahrain towards finding solutions for waste management.

For his part, the Executive President of the Supreme Council for the Environment Dr. Mohamed Mubarak Bin Daina explained how problematic waste is in Bahrain, the local challenges in facing the escalating increase in the amount of waste, and methods of treating or disposing of it according to its type.

Moreover, the Head of the Physics Department at UOB, Dr. Hanan Mubarak Albuflasa stated that “The Kingdom of Bahrain produces 1.8 million tons of waste annually, which is the highest in the Gulf,” indicating that there are four companies accredited by the Supreme Council for the Environment to sort waste, and treat and recycle it as much as possible.

Furthermore, Dr. Albuflasa referred to the initiative of UOB to become a zero-waste university, meaning the total elimination of waste, pointing to the University provision of a number of special containers for waste sorting, including those for papers, plastics and metals, with the hope of spreading a greater number of these containers all around the University and especially in gathering spaces, aiming to spread the culture of sorting and reducing the volume of waste production. Also, she stated that "UOB has a huge number of students, so if we succeed in educating such student population, we have succeeded in sending a clear message to the community on the importance of preserving the environment and eliminating waste."

Furthermore, she added that "There are initiatives and personal efforts made by individuals in the community to sort waste, which shows that a culture of waste sorting is present in Bahraini society."

And during the forum sessions, speakers discussed the most important methods used in managing waste of all kinds, and the possibility of applying them in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The President of UOB: Master’s in Big Data Meets the Needs of the Labor Market

The second Big Data Forum was organized earlier this week by the College of Science and the College of Information Technology at the University of Bahrain (UOB), which serves the Big Data Master’s Program offered by UOB in cooperation with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in the United Kingdom.

The President of UOB, Dr. Riyad Yousif Hamzah, stated: “Big Data Master’s program meets the needs of employers in the Kingdom of Bahrain and contributes to providing the labor market with highly qualified outputs capable of adding value to projects and big data research.”

And during his speech at the opening ceremony of the Second Big Data Forum on Monday (10 February 2020), Dr. Hamzah stressed that UOB sees great importance in making use of the scientific expertise and research at LJMU in the development of the academic aspect of the Big Data Master’s program, indicating the importance of this program in facing challenges and solving problems efficiently and effectively.

Also, he pointed out that the Second Big Data Forum represents an opportunity to exchange views through discussions between academics, experts and specialists in the applied field of big data science, which is one of the sciences and pillars of the fourth industrial revolution and is adopted in all of today’s businesses, whether in the public or private sector.

Furthermore, the President of UOB expressed his pride at UOB being a pioneer in embracing this program in Big Data Science and Analytics "as the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Bahrain and at the regional level as well."

Moreover, Prof. Hamzah added that “This unique program comes within the framework of UOB’s 2016-2021 plan to offer multidisciplinary postgraduate programs, which are based on applied learning.

Stressing that UOB has the ability to use and analyze data, and it provides the opportunity for students and companies to use data as a source of innovation and redesign, noting that the adoption of this program by LJMU gives graduates credibility and reliability.

For his part, the United Kingdom Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Roderick Drummond, praised in his speech the existing cooperation and exchange of scientific expertise in the field of big data applications between UOB and LJMU.

Drummond stressed the importance of this cooperation for UOB, as it will obtain practical possibilities that contribute to the development of the master's program in Big Data Science and Analytics in various fields such as: health, education, transportation, social media channels, and others that shall serve the community.

The Forum was attended by more than 150 academic and specialized professors, and it aims to provide an opportunity to exchange views on recent challenges and trends in relation to big data, through communication between academia and the applied community in both of the public and private sectors.

Also, the United Nations Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program in the Kingdom of Bahrain Amin El Sharkawi represented by Egan Sharchenova spoke at the opening ceremony of the Big Data Forum, as well as the Technical Executive Director of the Health Project at the Supreme Council of Health, Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa and the Managing Director of the Economic Development Board Dr. Simon Galpin.

The Forum was held under the sponsorship of the President of UOB, Dr. Riyad Yousif Hamzah, and it hosted two keynote speakers, the first lecturer in applied mathematics at LJMU Dr. Sandra Martore, as well as the Professor of Information Systems Department at King Saud University Dr. Hmood Al-Dossary.

Moreover, UOB professors presented 11 projects that contribute to the development of public services in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and these projects shed light on public health applications, transportation, education, and social media channels.

A Study at UOB Recommends Hospitals to Obtain A Human Milk Analyzer

9 February 2020

A study conducted at the University of Bahrain (UOB) advised medical centers for premature babies (newborns) to acquire a human milk analysis device in order to fortify milk in accordance with the recommendations of the European Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN).

The study was under the title "The Impact of Human Milk Composition on Growth and Weight Gain in Premature Babies" and it found that infants who were fed milk with protein and carbohydrate levels that are recommended by ESPGHAN and a lower-than-average total fat percentage, led to a better increase in babies' weight.

Also, the study found that the protein content in the milk has a significant relation to the type of delivery, as the percentage of protein in the milk samples of mothers who give birth in a normal delivery is higher compared to the milk of mothers who give birth through cesarean section.

The study was conducted by the researcher and student in the Department of Life Sciences at the College of Science at UOB Batool Abdulwahab Ahmed as part of the requirements for a master's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, which also found that premature babies fail to achieve the recommended growth rates, even though the energy value was higher that the assumed value, which is positively related to the total amount of fat that the child gets, as the fat percentage is negatively related to the child's age and birth weight.

The study analyzed milk samples from 14 mothers and premature infants at Salmaniya Medical Complex, Bahrain Defense Force Hospital and King Hamad University Hospital, through which protein, total fat and total carbohydrates were analyzed, in addition to the daily measurement of weight and weekly measurement of head circumference and height for 17 infants (gestational age less than 32 weeks at birth, or birth weight less than 1500 g), after which, growth rates were calculated.

The discussion committee consisted of the Associate Professor and the Head of the Pediatrics Department at the College of Medicine at the Arab Gulf University Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Amin Mohammed as an external examiner, the Assistant Professor in the Department of Life Sciences at the College of Science at UOB Dr. Simone Perna as an internal examiner, and the Associate Professor in the Department of Life Sciences in the College of Sciences at UOB Prof. Afnan Mahmood Freije as a supervisor.

Sustainable Development Goals

3 Good health and well-being

4 Quality education

17 Partnerships for the goals

Key words

Medical Centers for Premature Babies, Human Milk Analyzer, ESPGHAN, The Impact of Human Milk Composition on Growth and Weight Gain in Premature Babies, Protein Content in Milk, Caesarean Section, College of Science, University of Bahrain 

Under the Title "Practical Applications of Big Data"

UOB Holds the Second Big Data Forum in Cooperation with the British LJMU

Under the patronage of the President of the University of Bahrain (UOB), Prof. Riyad Yousef Hamzah, the Colleges of Information Technology and Science at UOB announced their organization of the Second Big Data Forum on the tenth of next February.

This forum comes within the activities of the Master program for Science and Analysis of Big Data, offered by UOB in cooperation with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in the United Kingdom, which recently approved the program to be the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The forum focuses on practical applications of big data in various fields such as: health, education, transportation, social media channels, and others that serve the community.

It is intended that the Forum’s speakers will focus on the title “Practical Applications of Big Data”, in addition to the presentation of a number of UOB professors from various colleges of their proposals for graduation projects to Master’s students, which will contribute to providing ideal opportunities for students to discuss their proposals with specialists and those interested in this vital and important field.

UOB Honors the Civil Defense Directorate for the Continuous Cooperation with the University

In the office of the President of the University of Bahrain (UOB), Prof. Riyad Yousif Hamzah at the University campus in Sakhir, Prof. Riyad recently received the Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Civil Defense Brigadier Hamad Al-Kaabi, the Director of Operations Col. Mohammad Al-Ghadeer, Commanding Captain Mohammed Abu Al-Fath, Captain Eng. Qassim Al-Khalagi, and a number of officers and members of the Department of Disinfection and Dealing with Hazardous Materials at the General Directorate of Civil Defense.

President Hamzah honored the employees of the General Directorate of Civil Defense and several employees of the Security Department and the Department of Chemistry at UOB, in appreciation of their constructive and joint cooperation during the current year 2019. Expressing his gratitude for all their support and cooperation with the University, and the University's desire to have further cooperation in the field of training because of its positive impact on the members of both the University and the Civil Defense Directorate.

Moreover,  Prof. Hamzah stated that: “The cooperation between UOB and the General Directorate of Civil Defense has been fruitful and has been continuing for many years, as many joint activities have been implemented with the aim of developing work in laboratories,” referring to the contribution of the General Directorate of Civil Defense in following up the safety requirements in the laboratories and storages of the College of Science and presenting a training course for college technicians on safety procedures to be followed when transporting liquid chemicals, in addition to carrying out a joint field exercise with members of the Chemistry Department to ensure that both parties are prepared to deal with emergency chemical accidents, appraising the "distinct response".

With the Participation of more than 200 Public School Students

College of Science at UOB Celebrates the Arab Chemistry Week with Entertaining Scientific Experiments

On Wednesday (30 October 2019), the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science at the University of Bahrain (UOB) celebrated the Arab Chemistry Week, in the Department of Chemistry at the University campus in Sakhir, in conjunction with the celebrations of universities and institutes specializing in chemistry in the Arab world. The celebration was held for the second year in a row at the College and was attended by professors and students at the College of Science of all its scientific departments, in addition to more than 20 government secondary schools.

It’s worth mentioning that the Arab Chemistry Week is celebrated every year in the last week of October, to raise awareness of chemistry and to influence the new generation to love it.

The head of the Chemistry Department, Dr. Laila Mohammad Al-Shaqri, stated: “More than 200 students from public schools participated in the event, not to mention the professors and students of the University’s College of Science,” pointing to the live fun scientific experiments in which the students participated, and through which they benefited in a practical way to gain scientific information related their daily life. And she added: "Participants learned about the amount of sugar in juices, calories in foods, and the effect of drinking tea immediately after eating on the body's ability to absorb iron, and measuring the proportion of vitamin C in drinks". Noting that one of the most important goals of holding Chemistry Week is to communicate with the community and introduce it to the importance of chemistry science in life, introduce high school students to the essence of this science, and to attract them to specialize in it in university.

For his part, the head of the scientific committee organizing the event, Professor of Physical Chemistry, Dr. Sadiq Mahdi Al-Alawi, stated that during the current academic semester, the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science published 10 studies in scholarly scientific journals, most of which are American and European journals of participating professors and students and related to the technical aspects of natural products such as energy extraction, production of biofuels from the kernel of food, utilization of minerals available in natural products such as fenugreek, green leaves (cilantro) and soil, and research related to the carbon footprint that is related to high temperatures.

Furthermore, Dr. Al-Alawi pointed out that the aim of Arab Chemistry Week is to educate the public in general, and school and university students in particular, about the importance of chemistry, as it is one of the constantly changing and vital sciences that touches on all aspects of life, due to its association with food, clothes, and even the air we breathe and the ground we walk on. Indicating that the entertaining scientific experiments provided by the Department of Chemistry at UOB to the visitors introduced them to the role of chemistry in their lives in a smooth manner.

Also, it is worth noting that the Arab Chemistry Week was launched at the meeting of the thirty-third session of the Supreme Council of the Union of Arab Chemists, which was held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April 2014. As the Supreme Council had taken its decision to choose June 14 as the Arab Chemistry Day, which is the day of the anniversary of the founding of the Union of Arab Chemists.
However, on the Council’s meeting on March of the following year (2015) in Tunis, the Council decided to make it a full Arab week of chemistry instead of one day, to give the opportunity to chemical associations, chemical unions, university departments, institutes and schools to celebrate this week, increase awareness on chemistry and to make the new generation love chemistry. And so, it was decided that the last week of October of every year would be an Arab Chemistry Week. 

Several Scientific and Technological Solutions Presented to Address Environmental Problems

“Science" of UOB Concludes "Environment and Sustainable Development" Week

The College of Science at the University of Bahrain (UOB) concluded the activities of the "Environment and Sustainable Development Week" with a workshop on environmental challenges and climate change, which was held by the President of the Middle East and North Africa Studies Center for Sustainable Development, Prof. Dr. Manfred Lang.

Prof. Lang addressed three main axes in the workshop, which are the causes of climate change, the implications thereof, and innovative solutions to reduce or stop the negative impacts. Moreover, the panelist presented many examples of scientific and technological solutions that can be applied in the Kingdom of Bahrain in this regard.

Also, several PhD students in the environment and sustainable development participated in the workshop by presenting their projects that focused on finding innovative solutions to reduce environmental problems in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Furthermore, a discussion session was held within the week, which led to the need for cooperation and close connection between state institutions, citizens, and decision-makers for the success of the national strategy for eliminating environmental problems in the Kingdom of Bahrain.