AD University raises awareness of autism

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) celebrated the winners of the fifth edition of the ‘Art for  Autism’ competition, an annual contest organized by ADU’s College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). The awards ceremony was held at the University’s main campus in Abu Dhabi on 24 April in recognition of Autism Awareness Month.

 The event was organised in collaboration with ADU’s strategic partners at Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and under the sponsorship of Joyalukkas Jewellery. Senior officials  were present at the ceremony including Salem Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of Community Relations at ADU and Fatima Al Matrooshi, Chairperson of the Emirates Autism Society, in addition to a number of ADU faculty, staff and students.

 Al Dhaheri commented, “In coordination with Autism Awareness Month, ‘Art for Autism’ is designed to educate our communities about students with learning disabilities and raise awareness  about Autism Spectrum Disorder. In line with the Year of Tolerance, ADU is highlighting the value of inclusivity through extracurricular activities and a supportive learning environment. We would like to extend our thanks to our strategic partners at ADMAF and our sponsors from Joyalukkas for their contributions in making this event a success.”

 The winners of the competition were divided into two age categories: 6-12 years and 13-25 years. For the first category, Abdulaziz Ahmad Al Blushi, Dedan Sultan Al Kleeb and Shahed  Naser Ahmad were proud winners of the first place, whereas Sara Fahad Al Ajami and Sultan Al Shamsi came in second place, while Mera Moayad Badran won third place in the same age category. In the second category, first place was awarded to Hessa abdulla Al Ameri, Asma Ishaq Al Blushi and Mubarak Ali Al Awlaqi. Yousef Osman, Rawdah Bassim and Issa Tawfeeq Almarzoqi took second place, while Noor Al Deen Anwar, Gio Abraham Maralli and Mohamad Rashid swept third place.

 The contest is held every year to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorder and is open to students across the UAE. This year, ADU received more than 126 works of art – both  2D art and digital photography – submitted by children and young people from autism centers across the UAE.

 Dr Hamdi Al Sheibani, ADU’s Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, said, “One of ADU’s key priorities is to provide students with a holistic learning experience. This takes place both outside the classroom, with competitions including ‘Art for Autism’, and in the classroom through our various academic programmes. By introducing the Master for Science in Special Education, we are tailoring our curriculum to meet the needs of our students, thereby encouraging integration and empowering all members of our community.”

 For more information about ADU’s upcoming events, please visit the University’s homepage: https://www.adu.ac.ae/home

Abu Dhabi University is a private, multi-campus University committed to meeting the education, skills and knowledge needs in the United Arab Emirates and neighbouring countries through qualifications and standards that are respected across the world.

Although young, the University is recognised as a world-class institution committed to excellence in teaching, student experience, research and corporate education. It is regularly featured in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) rankings as among the best higher education institutions in the region. It holds prestigious international accreditations for the institution as a whole, for particular fields of provision and for specific programmes. It was the first private higher education institution in the UAE and the GCC region to earn international accreditation from the Californian Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). ADU’s College of Business holds international accreditations from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the prestigious EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS). Only 1% of business schools worldwide have this double accreditation. In addition, its College of Engineering has earned accreditation from the world-renowned Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and the Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). It houses the only architecture programme to hold accreditation by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).