In a first for GCC, MISTI Program to be launched in Bahrain

Manama, Dec. 11 (BNA): Riffa Views International School (RVIS) and the American University of Bahrain (AUBH) have announced their partnership with MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives (MISTI) to host a program that will bring cutting-edge robotics to Bahrain. Set to start in January, MIT students and alumni will lead a high school workshop at RVIS, followed by a similar program at AUBH for university students. Each organization will invite a select number of students from across Bahrain to participate in the program. The initiative is part of MIT’s global outreach program and will be the first of its kind in the GCC region. The MIT teaching team will utilize the tools and creative workspaces in the RVIS Innovation Center and AUBH’s newly opened D-Lab to run the workshops. Throughout their time, participants will also have the opportunity to engage with MIT and Harvard researchers who are at the forefront of innovation in their fields. "This program will introduce students of Bahrain to cutting edge technology, and will help create a network of potential MIT connections," Marwa Al Alawi, Maryam Al Jomairi and Latifa Al Khayat, MIT students and alumni, and co-founders of the MISTI - Global Teaching Labs (GTL) program in Bahrain, said. "Beyond this program we also hope to build a network of MIT and Bahraini faculty, aware of the potential collaborations, as a basis for eventually launching a Bahrain-based research seed fund." Associate Provost and MISTI Arab World Faculty Director Professor Philip S. Khoury said they "are very excited to launch MISTI’s first program in Bahrain and hope that this first step will lead to deeper collaborations between MIT and Bahrain." Jo Garrahy, RVIS Head of School, said the opportunity represents RVIS’ 15-year commitment to excellence and leading the future of learning. "As a community we are excited for this partnership with MIT and the opportunities it brings to RVIS students and the Kingdom of Bahrain," she said. AUBH Provost Dr. Jeff Zabudsky said the "partnership is an exciting milestone as it creates opportunities for the next generation of local and international students to experience a world-class learning experience." This partnership will be the first in the Gulf and align with RVIS’ and AUBH’s vision of leading the future of learning and Bahrain’s focus on education and innovation. The program is also supported by the U.S. embassy in Manama, a longtime partner in education and talent development in Bahrain.