The American University of Bahrain (AUBH) today marked its first Bahrain National Day, since the University’s opening last September. AUBH held a festival of traditional entertainment and activities for Students and Staff. The University has also sponsored the Southern Governorate’s decorations initiative and the Capital Governorate Festival at the Water Garden. The festival will see 60 young entrepreneurs showcase projects and business ideas, along with family entertainment and prizes, followed by a fireworks display.

The University’s purpose-built campus in Riffa was decorated in red and white, and festivities were kicked off with a traditional Bahraini Lewa band. Traditional delicacies such as khobaz regag, khanfroosh, and legamat were also served, with students being able to try their hand at crafts including basket weaving from palm branches. Dr. Susan E. Saxton, who participated in the activities along with the students, commented: “My first National Day in the Kingdom - and the first National Day for our University – was made even more special by the coinciding win of Bahrain in the Gulf Cup, so it was impressive to see the level of our Students’ national pride, with even our non-Bahraini cohort supporting their adopted country. As Founding President, I feel privileged to have been a part of this inaugural festival, and I look forward to many more.”

The National Day festival comes in the wake of the announcement from AUBH that four out of eight members of its senior management team are Bahraini women, which was announced to mark the recent Bahrain Women’s Day. AUBH honored its female members of Staff and Faculty, thanking them for their contribution to the national economy and their passion for their roles since the University opened in September 2019.

Dr. Susan E. Saxton joined AUBH as Founding President in 2018, bringing over 25 years of educational expertise, with a focus on transformational leadership, corporate strategy and academic program management. With the primary goal of providing a holistic experience that stretches beyond classroom learning into real-world application, Dr. Saxton was personally responsible for much of the onboarding of AUBH’s senior management team through a globally renowned educational recruitment specialist.

AUBH is the first private, American-style university in the Kingdom of Bahrain to offer a world-class educational experience. AUBH was established in line with the Kingdom’s plans to upscale the country’s academic quality and advance its status as an educational role model for the Arab region. With a strong emphasis on employability and cultural awareness, the AUBH experience is unique to this region. It combines dynamic instruction, hand-picked faculty, personalized mentorship, state-of-the-art premises and a multi-cultural, thriving campus to help students achieve their career goals and transform into well-rounded, work-ready professionals.