Professor Ghassan Aouad speaks to us today about brand and reputation in the Middle East, and how to strategically translate these onto a competitive, global stage.
With over twenty years of experience in university leadership positions and a strong global presence on social media, Professor Ghassan seemed like the obvious choice to talk to us about leadership priorities for brand and reputation activities. He brings a wealth of expertise and experience to his current role as Chancellor of Abu Dhabi University – an institution that has just celebrated its twentieth year.
Professor Ghassan, thank you for speaking with us today. We’d love to start by asking what your priorities are as an institution?
“When I first started in this role 18 months ago, my priority was to provide a top learning experience for our students. Of course, you want to build a reputable institution, but reputation is about other quality measures besides the obvious academic focus. If you have a quality faculty, staff, students, industry partners, academic partners, accreditations, and so on, then by default, you are building a good reputation for your university that will attract the best students, faculty and staff.
Students want to go to a high achieving university and our global awards, accreditations, and consistent high-ranking position demonstrate that Abu Dhabi University is a pioneer. For a university that is only 20 years old, we have achieved an astounding amount. Our emphasis on quality across all areas informs our strong reputation.”
“Our strong reputation comes from the quality of our leadership and the various initiatives we are implementing and drawing attention to.”
What challenges have you faced as a young university?
“Abu Dhabi University has worked hard to build a national and international reputation outside of the region. Our global reputation and marketing are part of our strategic plan and our commitment to building a name for ourselves.
But now, we must increase our presence.
We have started to invest more in our social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn. I personally post almost on a daily basis and I am one of the top Arab creators on LinkedIn. At a university level, we are promoting more of our achievements and have begun to publicise workshops as part of our ‘Investing in Our Community’ series. We also post about upcoming public lectures, community clubs, and groups. Abu Dhabi University’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Hamad Odhabi, leads on a new initiative around the sharing of information. I’ve hosted two of these sessions, one on the art and science of leadership, which was attended by over 500 people, and another on what it takes to succeed in a PhD.
In addition, we have used our social media presence to build partnerships and support other institutions in their initiatives. We have had a number of opportunities in the areas of research, technology, staff and faculty that have developed from just one response to one of our posts. One example of this is the launch of Abu Dhabi University’s Global Engagement Program (GEP) – a network of lecturers from international universities that now has more than 3500 members who share and collaborate on research interests.
So, our strong reputation comes from the quality of our leadership and the various initiatives we are implementing and drawing attention to. As well as online, we are developing our presence in person, and contribute as many speakers as we can at various conferences around the world.”
“The cultural differences between the Middle East and the UK mean that Middle Eastern universities have a different identity.”
In your experience, what have been key differences between building a strong university brand in the Middle East and the UK?
“There’s no question about the fact that you’ve got to take the cultural differences into consideration. The physical location and resources can of course enhance the overall brand, but it’s also about the university’s personality, the culture, and the value system, so that when individuals come and visit you, they learn about the people and community that surround the university and not just the physical campus.
The cultural differences between the Middle East and the UK mean that Middle Eastern universities have a different identity. But cultural differences also exist within the same country. In the UAE, we are driven by excellence and innovation, and this comes from the very top. They want us to do better, excel, and be number one. This puts us under pressure, but it also motivates us. We want to think outside the box and be known for our uniqueness and I can feel this. It’s manifested in our students’ achievements, winning competitions, and doing things in a different way. Every country has its own culture, but so does every organisation, and this feeds into a unique identity and personality.
Achieving and maintaining high standards through international accreditations is vital. While UK institutions have long-established reputations, Middle Eastern universities are rapidly gaining recognition by adhering to international accreditation standards, thereby enhancing their credibility and attractiveness to global students and faculty.”
“I am inspired by individuals and our students the most.”
“At Abu Dhabi University, it is easy to develop a brand as we have such a supportive board, a visionary chairman, and committed faculty and staff. You can compare institutions now by the quality of education, and of course, this is measured in different ways. For example, At Abu Dhabi University, they will gain a business degree that is accredited by AACSB and EQUIS. We are differentiating ourselves by focusing on quality, and every institution in the Middle East has to adhere to this high standard.
Yes, we are relatively young, but the amount of effort, the transformation and the push by the ministry, the commission for academic accreditation, and by ADDK – it’s incredible. We are really working hard and are driven by a collective vision. We are committed to quality, our students, and finding the resources. Our brand is being built on quality and excellence and this informs our reputation.
We are now entering into partnership with institutions who are in the top 200, and they would not enter into partnership with Abu Dhabi University if we were not performing WELL.
We are gaining global attention.”
Where do you get your inspiration from?
“I am inspired by individuals and our students the most. Just this morning, I met with one of our students. Usually, they interview me, however this time, I interviewed a student from our Mass Communications program, her name is Nancy. She was absolutely brilliant – perfect English, very articulate, so competent and capable, and she inspired me. So, inspiration comes from various individuals you meet throughout your life. Of course, you can be inspired by other institutions – maybe where you studied, where you worked, or where you gained experiences. I’m also inspired by the leaders of the UAE because the UAE has become amongst the best countries in the world after 60 years of development and this is evidenced by a multitude of international benchmarks.
As I said, there’s this feeling of innovation, excellence, safety and I encounter this everyday across the UAE. The whole country and its leadership provide me with great inspiration.
When you have the right holistic mindset and leadership, I believe that anything is possible.”
If you are ready to take the next steps to improve your university’s global ranking and reputation, contact us at The Brand Education. We’re always happy to hear from you.
