President’s Blog

A recent piece in Times Higher Education raised a concern that deserves attention. As AI becomes more common in universities, we risk something important. Not a loss of control or academic integrity—but a loss of purpose. Learning isn’t supposed to be easy. At Euro University of Bahrain, we’ve said from the start that students don’t always want difficulty. But they often need it. Because real learning happens in the struggle. In the pause. In the moment something doesn’t come easily, and you have to work it through. That’s how judgement is formed. That’s how confidence grows. AI can help. But if we use it to smooth over every challenge, we’re not helping students learn. We’re helping them avoid the very process that builds their understanding. Learning isn’t simply finding the answer. It’s practising how to work through the question to discover the answer for yourself. …

One of the realities of higher education is that students arrive with very different expectations. Some are focused on the long-term. Others are trying to get through the next step. Some want a full experience. Others are simply looking for a recognised degree and a clear outcome. None of that surprises me. It’s not our job to label those motivations as right or wrong. But it is our job to be clear about what kind of institution we’re building. At Euro University of Bahrain, we’ve made deliberate choices—about our curriculum, our teaching and the wider student experience. That includes structured internships from the first year, real-world projects and teaching that encourages reflection and independent thinking—not just to reinforce theory, but to prepare students for the kinds of decisions they’ll face beyond the classroom. It’s designed not only for those who arrive seeking challenge and growth, but also for those who …

Good teaching isn’t about transferring knowledge from one person to another. It’s about encouraging the learner to pause, to re-examine and sometimes to rethink what they thought they already knew. That kind of education isn’t always easy. It asks students to reconsider what they know, not just to remember it. And that can be uncomfortable. But if we want to prepare young people for a world that is fast-changing, ambiguous and often contradictory, then we have to help them develop the confidence to sit with uncertainty. We have to prompt curiosity, not just deliver conclusions. At Euro University of Bahrain, this is part of our academic culture. Yes, we want our students to succeed in their assessments and careers. But more than that, we want them to ask better questions and to develop the critical judgement to navigate complex realities. That takes time, patience and a very human kind of …

This week, something quietly powerful took place in the heart of Bahrain Bay. In a district built around investment, capital and long-term economic vision, education walked through the front door—sat at the table—and began a conversation about access, structure and possibility. Together with Mrs Ameera Alabbasi, Director of Individual Banking at Khaleeji Bank, I had the privilege of signing an MoU that lays the foundation for a new Sharia-compliant educational financing solution for EUB students and their families. Also present at the signing were Mr Salman Aljanahi, our Chief Operating Officer and a son of EUB’s founder, Dr Ahmed AlJanahi, and Ms Dalal Buasalli, Product Development Specialist at Khaleeji Bank. Salman’s leadership was central to making this partnership a reality—from first conversations to final agreement. It reflects the same vision his family has championed from the start: one where education isn’t just a destination, but a bridge to opportunity, contribution …