HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTORATE - IMPORTANT CONTACTS

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The Human Resources Directorate works closely with all colleges, business units, faculty and administrative staff of Ahlia University. The mission of the directorate is to ensure adequacy and optimization of human resources and excellence in employee performance in order to support the overall, Mission of Ahlia University; to attract a highly qualified, diverse workforce and retain it through a stable and credible work environment; to provide equal opportunities for development and growth; and ensure delivery of exemplary customer service through modern human resource management techniques and methodologies. The main functions of the directorate are organized in three main divisions: The Employee Relations, The Recruitment & Selections and Training, Development & Performance Management.

The Employee Relations division deals with, but is not limited to: Payroll, Compensation & Benefits, Leave Management, Grievances and Disciplinary Code, Information Systems, Employees’ Contracts, interpretation and administration of Policy & Procedures.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND REVIEWS

Performance management is an essential process to ensure appropriate performance of all units and employees leading to the achievement of the strategic goals of the university. Performance management complements the implementation of the university strategic plan. Faculty evaluation and performance appraisal of administrative employees are an essential process in performance management. Performance Management aims to enable every employee to consistently perform as expected and excel in his/her performance.

Excellence in performance leads to providing better quality service to all stakeholders, faster response, less mistakes, and less conflicts. In addition, Performance management aims at recognizing and identifying distinguished performers. The system of performance management involves: clear performance expectations through formulation of individual objectives that are in line with the departmental/directorate or unit objectives, provision of support and resources needed, clear and immediate feedback to the employees to enable them to improve their performance and an overall performance management review. Performance Management is an on-going process that should contribute to building of a high performance culture.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR ACADEMIC STAFF

The University conducts an annual evaluation for each faculty member. The evaluation involves several components aimed at evaluating faculty performance in all aspect of academic work. Major components of faculty evaluation include:

’ Student Online Evaluations of Instructors

’ Peer Evaluation

’ Chairpersons’ and Deans’ Evaluations

’ Graduate Studies and Research Evaluations

’ Quality Assurance Evaluations

’ Vice-President for Academic Affairs’ Evaluations

’ Community Engagement Evaluation

For more information, please refer to your department chairperson.

For more information about faculty evaluation contact Director of Centre of Evaluation and

Measurement at 17298999 ext. 8668.

PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL FOR PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Performance appraisal is an integral part of the performance management process. Appraisal is done at the end of each year with the purpose of measuring employee performance and encouraging employee development. Findings are used to evaluate merit pay, opportunities for advancement and professional development. It is important to consider the employee’s level of demonstrated performance during the specified review period and how it relates to the definitions of performance ratings, as well as the degree of applicability to the job. The appraisal measures selected traits including aspects such as professional knowledge, quality of work and productivity. Overall rating should reflect and describe the employee’s performance.

For more information about performance appraisal and management contact Moosa Al-Jamri at 3531

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Professional development at Ahlia University is recognized as an integral part of overall organizational development. It is recognized as central to the enhancement of the quality, effectiveness and outcome of the university programs. Ahlia University acknowledges that employees are the most valuable asset and as such their continuous professional development is crucial to successful achievement of strategic goals.

Ahlia University is strongly committed to the professional development of the employees of various categories. The university is also committed to adhere to the standards set by the Higher Education Council (HEC) to spend a specific amount of its net revenue on professional development activities. This is manifest in its strategic plan as professional development is recognised as one of the important areas of consideration at strategic, operational, departmental and individual levels. By training, developing, coaching and mentoring of various categories of employees, Ahlia University promotes excellence to ensure maximum impact on student learning.

Professional development also demonstrates a strong commitment of the University to develop and retain talented employees, encourages a culture of continuous learning and incremental performance improvements: and supports the employees to reach their full career potential.

Professional development in Ahlia University follows a systematic approach from the identification of professional development needs to the delivery of well-designed developmental activities that are aligned with those needs. Annual Professional development plan preparation and implementation is coordinated by the HR Directorate. All employees are encouraged to participate in the needs identification, suggestion of professional development activity, or participating in delivery of a professional development activity.

Professional development activities range from one hour symposium, interactive workshops, local or international conference, to educational opportunity toward a higher degree. Provision of professional development activities is done both internally through various colleges or centralized through HR directorate department and externally through collaboration with other institution or external provider. A request for professional development activity is to be done through Training Request Form available in the Web page of the HR accessible through the University Website: www.ahlia.edu.bh.

For inquiries about professional development activities please contact Mr. Hussain al Majid at 17313538 or ext. 3538 for faculty development and Mr. Mousa Aljamri at 17313531 or ext. 3531 for professional staff development.

 

Equal Opportunity

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/equal-opportunity/

Since inception, Ahlia University has championed equal opportunity and women empowerment. This is manifest in the University’s core values: Excellence, inclusiveness, integrity, collegiality, ambition, and engagement.

What do we do about inclusiveness?

We champion inclusivity, diversity, and equity both within and outside the institution. We strive to mainstream the principle of equal opportunity in all our operations, and in relation to all stakeholders.

In 2017, Ahlia University established an Equal Opportunity Committee as part of the university’s formal governance structure. The committee is chaired by the President and oversees/advises on all issues relating to the principle of equal opportunity.

 

EOC Purpose

To mainstream the culture and practice of equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusivity across the University in line with the Bahrain Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goal 5.

Equal Opportunity Plan

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/equal-opportunity/

Equal Opportunity Plan Aims

To promote the principle of equal opportunity through gender-responsive policy design that achieves coherent linkage with the national legislative/policy framework within the context of multilevel (international, nationally, organizational) policy frameworks on inclusion, equal opportunity and women empowerment.

’         To empower women by integrating their needs in development programs.

’         To foster a safe and supportive work environment that ensures work-life balance, life-long learning, and competitiveness for women.

’         To collaborate with allies and partners to mainstream the culture of equal opportunity to society at large.

’         To support national strategies as a progressive and model organization for women.

Initiative 1 :

 

’         Develop a systematic and sustainable approach to equal opportunity and women empowerment through institutionalization of practice.

’         Create a centralized advisory body to oversee progress and institutionalize practice

’         Employ a targeted approach vis-’-vis professional development, capacity-building, and up-skilling programs to redress gender imbalance issues

 

Initiative 2

’         Leverage partnerships for knowledge sharing and exchange of best practice in the areas of equal opportunity and women empowerment.

 

’         Organise conferences/symposia with a focus on equal opportunity and/or women topics

’         Develop a common understanding and framework with local and international partners on topics related to equal opportunity and women in STEM

 

Initiative 3

’         Champion the principle of equal opportunity through awareness campaigns, activities, and events.

’         Plan and organise women-focused events for students and staff

’         Develop gender-responsive policies that foster work-life balance and life-long learning

’         Develop and utilise data collection instruments to gauge and measure awareness/impact

 

In the course of student participation in the educational life at the university, academic and non-academic, Ahlia University is committed to a discrimination-free learning environment for all students -- regardless of race, color, gender, religion, nationality, sect or disability -- . based on principles of fairness and equity.

’         To foster a safe and supportive work environment that ensures work-life balance, life-long learning, and competitiveness for women.

’         To collaborate with allies and partners to mainstream the culture of equal opportunity to society at large.

’         To support national strategies as a progressive and model organization for women.

 

 

Equity and diversity policy of Ahlia University

 

As a higher educational institution, Ahlia University is committed to maintaining equity amongst its diverse community of students, faculty, and staff. The University ensures that all members of the unıversıty communıty are treated equitably and with respect ın accordance with Equity and diversity policy of Ahlia University’[1].

 

 

Figure 1. Equity and diversity policy, taken from’[1]

 

Ahlia University from the admissions and registration department maintains as its main objective to welcome all student applications. In order to do this, the university bases its admissions policy on merit, the university has a limited number of available places which will be occupied seeking equality between men and women.

 

Ahlia University has the Center for Measurement and Evaluation (CME) responsible for policy-making on diversity, equity, inclusion and rights on campus; This is done from the collection of information in questionnaires, interviews, and the subsequent interpretation of the results to produce information of high value for Ahlia University. That allows maintaining the principles of equity and diversity through CME.

 

One of the most recent news related to the issue of diversity and equality established at Ahlia University is from Bahrain, who under the leadership of His Majesty the King, represents an advanced model to achieve equal opportunities, this was developed in 2020 where the promotion and consolidation of the principle of equal opportunities between the sexes took place, through modern legislation and laws:

 

 

Figure 2. taken from [2]

 

Figure 3. taken from [3]

Figure 4. Directorate of Admission and Registration, taken from [4]

 

Centre for measurement & evaluation

The responsibilities of the Centre for Measurement & Evaluation (CME) include the creation of policies, the generation of questionnaires and interview surveys, the distribution, collation and interpretation of the results of these questionnaires and any other forms of qualitative and quantitative measures that can help collect and produce data that are important to Ahlia University’[5].

 

In this case, they are in charge of carrying out the process of measuring the application, admission and completion rate of women who want and study at university, in order to generate possible analyzes and with this generate strategies, if required to include better for women in the education.

 

The Centre is monitoring the views of alumni and alumnae on the quality of their educational experiences at Ahlia University. Surveys is conducted to gauge the adequacy of the infrastructure, for pilot projects envisioned for the future and any other issues that the Management or the Centre Members view as noteworthy. The data is used for the purposes of improving the quality of teaching and learning, for the evaluation of faculty and staff (including self-assessment), and for gauging the opinions of the faculty and other employees on issues that the Management deems important. The Centre is supervised by an Academic Council consisting of seven members and chaired by Prof. Kailash Madan, Adviser to President for Measurement and Evaluation.

 

Figure 5. Taken from [5]	Figure 6. Taken from [5]
Figure 7. Taken from [6] Ahlia has a ’Directorate of Student Services & Activities’, where they are in charge of [7]: The Directorate of Students Activities and Services in the Deanship of Student Affairs assists non-Bahraini students towards finding an appropriate accommodation throughout the duration of their study programme. Ahlia University constantly monitors the student’s accommodation in order to make sure the student is safe and comfortable.   Transport The Directorate of Students Activities and Services in the Deanship of Student Affairs provides limited transport facilities for students studying at Ahlia, specifically students living in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Further, non-Bahraini students living in the kingdom of Bahrain are given guidance regarding the available transport system in Bahrain.   Student activities are an important aspect of the student’s university life. Activities provide the student with a lot of benefits and enjoyment. These activities strength the students association with their university and fellow students.   Further, these activities provide opportunities for students to develop their hobbies and interests, which will polish their personalities and help them utilize their free time wisely. All students have the right to participate in such activities which are normally coordinated and advertised by the Directorate of Students Activities and Services, within in the Deanship of Student Affairs.   The Student Council plays a major role in deciding the types of activities, and their coordination.   Figure 8. Directorate of Student Services & Activities, taken from [7] One of their special tasks is to have a special contact with people with disabilities [8]   Figure 9. Commitee of special need, taken from [8]

NON RETALIATION POLICY

Ahlia strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against any employee or student who in good faith makes a complaint, raises a concern, provides information or otherwise assists in an investigation or proceeding regarding any conduct that her or she reasonably believes to be in violation of Ahlia’s Code of Conduct or policies, or applicable laws, rules or regulations’[9].

 

No employee or student should be discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, intimidated, coerced, or retaliated against in any other manner as a result of him or her making a good faith complaint or assisting in the handling or investigation of a good faith complaint. Ahlia prohibits employees or students from being retaliated against even if their complaints are proven unfounded by an investigation, unless the employee or student knowingly made a false allegation, provided false or misleading information in the course of an investigation, or otherwise acted in bad faith. Employees and students have an obligation to participate in good faith in any internal investigation of retaliation’[9].

 

Figure 10. Image from’[9]

 

Equal Opportunity Committee Decision

 

Figure 11. Equal opportunity committee decision, take from [9]