AUS, Transgulf to boost industry-academia collaboration
American University of Sharjah (AUS) has formalised a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with Transgulf Readymix Concrete Company as part of the AUS College Engineering's (CEN) Al Nukhba Programme.
The MoA represents an important advancement in promoting collaboration between industry and academia, emphasising research, development, internships and hands-on training opportunities for AUS students, preparing them to excel in their careers and contribute meaningfully to their fields.
The collaboration with Transgulf will enable CEN students to acquire essential industry experience, meeting course requirements through internships and structured field excursions. These programmes aim to offer practical insight into Transgulf's activities, allowing students to gain a more profound understanding of real-world applications in the cement products and construction industries, AUS said.
Moreover, the partnership will include shared research and development initiatives focused on the design, manufacturing and supply of ready-mix concrete, tackling current issues within these sectors, it said.
'Our partnership with Transgulf Readymix reflects our ongoing commitment to connecting academic achievement with professional expertise,' stated Dr Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN. 'With this collaboration, we will provide our students with hands-on learning experiences that combine practical skills with theoretical instruction. Through internships, fieldwork and collaborative research, this partnership supports our mission to nurture skilled innovators who engage in applied projects, address real-world challenges and develop creative solutions that meet critical local needs while contributing to the UAE's and GCC's economic and industrial advancement. Together, we will enable our students to emerge as leaders in engineering and technology, in harmony with the country's vision for a sustainable, innovative future.'
'Transgulf is honoured to be part of the CEN Al Nukhba Programme, collaborating with faculty from the AUS College of Engineering to provide students with in-action opportunities to explore engineering applications in the ready-mix concrete industry and its critical role in construction delivery. Aligned with the UAE's vision, we are committed to inspiring future engineers and transforming the construction industry through innovation and the adoption of sustainability initiatives and artificial intelligence. Transgulf's internship programs go beyond civil and materials engineering, offering practical exposure to industrial fields including supply chain management, manpower planning, predictive maintenance, renewable energy, waste management and digital engineering. In this partnership, AUS and Transgulf are paving the way for the next generation of technical talent to build a brighter, smarter and more resilient future," said Yasar Abualrous, General Manager of Transgulf Readymix Concrete.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Is the Vanguard 500 Index ETF the Smartest Investment You Can Make Today?
The Vanguard 500 Index ETF is a low-cost way to track the S&P 500 index. The S&P 500 is a simple way to track the broader U.S. stock market. The index trades at lofty levels today, but remains a great long-term strategy. 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard S&P 500 ETF › So far, 2025 has been a very volatile year for the stock market. The S&P 500 index fell into a correction early in the year and then quickly climbed out of that drawdown. While the recovery was nice to see, it also means that the S&P 500 index is back near its all-time highs. Is the S&P 500-tracking Vanguard 500 Index ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) the smartest investment you can make today? The Vanguard 500 Index ETF is an exchange-traded fund (ETF). Much like a mutual fund, it allows many investors to pool their assets so they can hire a professional money manager to invest for them. The biggest difference is that mutual funds can only be bought and sold at the end of each trading day, while ETFs can be bought and sold all day long, just like a stock. As the Vanguard 500 Index ETF's name hints, it is an index fund that tracks the S&P 500. This index is the generally accepted benchmark for U.S. stocks. However, the index is really meant to track the U.S. economy. The 500 or so stocks in the index are selected by a committee, not for investment merit, but based on how well the overall collection of stocks represents the economy. The mix shifts and adjusts over time. The index is market-cap weighted, meaning the largest companies have the biggest effect on performance, just like in the broader economy. As for costs, the Vanguard 500 Index ETF has an ultra-low expense ratio of 0.03%. That is roughly one-third the cost of the first-ever S&P 500 index-tracking ETF, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF. Since the Vanguard 500 Index ETF and SPDR S&P 500 ETF do the exact same thing, that cost advantage makes the Vanguard 500 Index ETF the smarter choice. There are clearly better and worse times to invest in the S&P 500 index. Right now, with the market near all-time highs, is probably a worse time. There's a good chance that buying today will mean sitting on some near-term capital losses in the not-too-distant future. But that doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't buy the Vanguard 500 Index ETF if you have some cash to put to work today. Notice the 2020 recession and bear market in the above chart. At the time, there was a massive amount of uncertainty because of the coronavirus pandemic. Yet, just five years or so later, the market has not only recovered all the ground it lost, but has moved notably higher. That drop just looks like a random bit of noise. Even if you'd bought the Vanguard 500 Index ETF right before that deep price decline, you would have made out OK. Stitching the view to the SPDR S&P 500 ETF because it has been around for longer allows an even greater appreciation of the S&P 500 index's historical growth. As the chart below shows, the recession and bear market after the turn of the century and deep downturn during the Great Recession also look like mere blips in 2025. This is the big point here. Buying the market has worked out well over time, even if you timed the purchase (shockingly) poorly. The key is to stay invested for the long term. Even better would be to reinvest your dividends so you can compound your returns. And even better still would be continuing to add cash at regular intervals to benefit from dollar-cost averaging. The big-picture goal is to start investing and keep investing for as long as possible. If you do that, history suggests you'll end up just fine. For some investors, the fun in all of this is picking individual stocks. But there are far more investors who don't want to do that because it is time-consuming and difficult. For investors who want to keep their investing lives simple, the Vanguard 500 Index ETF is a wonderful choice. That's as true today as it was just before the pandemic, the Great Recession, and the crash. Focus on the long term and just get started! Before you buy stock in Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $669,517!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $868,615!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 792% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 173% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Reuben Gregg Brewer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is the Vanguard 500 Index ETF the Smartest Investment You Can Make Today? was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Western Telegraph
18 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
Marks & Spencer reopens website for orders after major cyber attack
The retail giant said shoppers are now able to buy a selection of its best-selling fashion ranges and new products for home delivery to England, Scotland and Wales. In a statement published on social media, M&S managing director of clothing, home and beauty John Lyttle said: 'More of our fashion, home and beauty products will be added every day, and we will resume deliveries to Northern Ireland and Click and Collect in the coming weeks. 'Thank you sincerely for your support and for shopping with us.' M&S has reopened its website for online orders for the first time in over six weeks (M&S/PA) It followed a major cyber attack in April that has seen the group face heavy disruption. M&S halted orders on its website over the Easter weekend, and was also left with some empty shelves after being targeted by hackers. Customer personal data – which could have included names, email addresses, postal addresses and dates of birth – was also taken by hackers in the attack. M&S revealed last month that the hack was caused by 'human error', and would cost it around £300 million. Chief executive Stuart Machin said on reporting annual figures in May that hackers gained access to the company's IT systems through a third party. He said at the time: 'We didn't leave the door open, this wasn't anything to do with under-investment. 'Everyone is vulnerable. For us, we were unlucky on this particular day through some human error.' While its 565 stores have been able to remain open and trade throughout, contactless payments were impacted initially – while there was also some stock availability issues as it had to temporarily switch to manual processes following the attack. M&S said the incident is likely to drag its group operating profits down by around £300 million this year, but it expects this to be reduced through cost management, insurance and other reactions. The company suggested it could reduce the impact of the attack by as much as 'half'. Shares in M&S lifted 3% in Tuesday morning trading. The website has been open for browsing only since the hack, with the group confirming last month that online sales and profits in its fashion, home and beauty business have been 'heavily impacted' by the disruption. Mr Machin recently said the problems may not be fully resolved until July.
Daily Mail
18 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Kimberley Walsh shows off her figure in a plunging bikini as she lounges by the pool during girls trip to Ibiza
Kimberley Walsh showed off her figure in a plunging bikini as she lounged by the pool during a girls trip to Ibiza. The singer, 43, looked incredible in the white two piece while she sipped on cocktails with her friends. In a series of photos shared to Instagram on Monday, Kimberley later changed into a brown bandeau set to top up her tan. She captioned the update: 'A weekend away with my girls we've waited 6 years for and it was good for the soul. Spending quality time like this is SUCH a treat. 'We laughed till we cried, reminisced and I loved every second of it. I am SO lucky to have these ladies in my life.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Elsewhere, Kimberley described how 'crazy emotional' it was for Girls Aloud to go on their reunion tour last year, without their bandmate Sarah Harding. The iconic girl band was made up of Kimberley, Nadine Coyle, Cheryl, Nicola Roberts and Sarah, until her tragic death from breast cancer in 2021, aged 39. In May last year, the group returned to the stage for the first time in 11 years to go on a huge UK tour, where their late bandmate was kept as the focus throughout. The show included songs dedicated to Sarah, as well as emotional montages of the late star and a rendition of I'll Stand By You featuring her vocals. In a new interview, Kimberley has admitted that paying tribute to Sarah night after night was 'gut-wrenching' and that reuniting the band without her felt 'so emotional'. The mother-of-three even revealed that during the rehearsals for the show the group had 'let it all out' so that they could be strong enough to get through the live shows. However, she added how important they all knew it was to follow Sarah's wishes and show how she was an integral part of the band, admitting that despite it being 'tough' for them, they wanted to be able to honour and remember their friend. Speaking to The Sun, she explained: 'She wanted us to do it. She made it clear when she was here, but equally we felt it isn't Girls Aloud without her. She's such a massive part of it, so we wanted to keep her part of it. We're trying to keep her spirit alive.' She continued: 'There wasn't just one moment of her, we made the whole show have a thread of her throughout. And at times we were like: "Is this actually too sad?" Because for us it felt just gut-wrenching. But then, equally, she deserved that time and for people to remember her.' Kimberley said the end result was 'crazy emotional', but described hearing Sarah's vocals in arenas as 'epic' and confessed celebrating their bandmate alongside the fans had ended up being a 'cathartic' experience for the group. She said: 'It's been cathartic for all of us to have that time and to almost grieve with the fans. They've grown up with us. 'And there's no denying that her energy was really missed on stage. But I think everybody could feel that she was still very much intertwined within the show and the band.'
