Absolutely nobody can deny the Egyptian success stories when it comes to academic research, In all fields of knowledge, from astronomy to artificial intelligence, there is no shortage of Dr. Essam Heggy’s or Dr. Rana El Kaliouby’s raising the Egyptian flag proudly all over the globe. There’s a reason almost 400 Egyptians were a part of Stanford University’s list of the world’s most-cited researchers.
What makes these success stories all the more impressive is the sacrificial effort put forth by all these individual overachievers to overcome the challenges imposed by our homeland’s educational system. Yes, there are challenges and it is no good hiding them.
Even if we put socioeconomic challenges aside, the educational system itself needs to be rethought out. For starters, we need to retire examination-focused rote-learning and make a lot of room for critical problem-solving.
Thankfully, plenty of educational institutes have answered our nation’s calling for a reform of education. And we, at The Knowledge Hub-Coventry, are honored to be among those taking the lead.
But, say this is your first time hearing about The Knowledge Hub Universities. Then, you are owed a proper introduction!
The Knowledge Hub Universities is a multidisciplinary higher education institute aiming to bridge the gap between theory and practice while encouraging a culture of innovation. At TKH, we know our students possess the commitment and character to become future leaders. They just need to be taught via advanced learning methodologies.
We provide that at TKH by hosting top-ranking international universities at our campus. The first of these universities is the UK’s Coventry University. Students enrolled in Coventry University programs at TKH receive identical curricula and learning experiences as their counterparts in the UK.
The progressive pedagogy courtesy of Coventry University coupled with the state-of-the-art TKH campus equal unparalleled college experiences. Collectively, we call that #TKHCoventryStyle!
Now, let us take a deeper look at what #TKHCoventryStyle entails:
1- #TKHCoventryStyle = Bachelor Degrees from a 178-Year Old World-Renowned University
Shortlisted for university of the year in some and ranked as the #26 university in the UK in others, Coventry University is critically acclaimed in various 2021 university guides. Founded in 1843, Coventry University has been consistently scoring for several points, such as student satisfaction and research quality.
Yet not only is Coventry University a globally recognized name, but also its students are known to graduate with the skills required to excel at their careers. Coventry University has over 235,000 alumni, among whom are some who work for gigantic corporations, such as Marvel Studios, BMW, and Jaguar.
2- #TKHCoventryStyle = Activity-Led-Learning
Above, we quickly mentioned the challenges facing higher education in the country. Now, let us dig into the specifics. According to a 2019 report from WENR, a thought-leading organization and a trusted source of information about international higher education, Egyptian graduates today are missing major skills required for immediate employment.
In part, that is due to outdated curricula utilized at Egyptian universities. But as we just highlighted, TKH uses Coventry University curricula. These curricula are regularly refreshed to ensure that they are modern, robust, innovative, and relevant to students’ future careers.
It is not just the curricula though that need updating, though. According to the same report, learning methodologies need updates as well. That is why at TKH, under Coventry University’s tutelage, we utilize activity-led-learning techniques.
Pioneered by Coventry University, activity-led-learning focuses on students’ practical skills, challenging them through activities that help them put what they study into full use. Such activities include real-life case studies, cutting-edge laboratory work, and field trips, among others.
For instance, just in the past 4 months, students from different faculties have been on field trips to the Okasha Institute of Psychiatry, Ghabbour Auto factory, Energya Cables, and the Iconic Tower in the New Administrative Capital. During each of these field trips, they got to see for themselves how what they are learning translates into practice.
3-#TKHCoventryStyle = A Focus on Collaboration
Another integral aspect of activity-led-learning is collaboration. At TKH, we devote utmost effort to preparing our students for a post-graduation world where teamwork is the norm and no longer optional. And statistically speaking, there is a reason all leading companies today favor collaboration.
A Stanford University study recently revealed that the mere perception of working as a part of a team enhances collective performance. “The results showed that simply feeling like you’re part of a team of people working on a task makes people more motivated as they take on challenges,” said the researchers.
But, are group projects not a part of all college assignments now? Well, the key is in implementation and teaching students how to collaborate effectively. Without careful planning on the part of instructors, group work can rather cause damage, such as time loss, imbalance of power, and the emergence of “free riders”. On the other hand, proper collaborative work promotes positive interdependence, mutual motivation, and a sense of belonging.
Because our students’ feedback is critical to us at TKH, we recently surveyed them on which skills they learned at TKH they thought were most valuable to their future careers. We were glad to see that learning to work as a part of a team won the vote. It shows us that TKH students enjoy and learn from group projects instead of fearing or being disinterested in them.
4- #TKHCoventryStyle = Caring for Students’ Character & Well-being
There are more and more global concerns about students’ mental health today. Many studies in different countries have found alarming numbers of students suffering from burnout; an actual psychological condition arising from a feeling of being overworked that can lead to reduced academic performance or go as far as cause suicidal tendencies.
To minimize college burnout cases, we focus on quality and not just quantity of education at TKH-Coventry. And when our students are out of academic chores, we use different strategies to guide them into using their free time to build their characters and prevent burnout.
Among these strategies is instilling a sense of purpose in our students. We do so by encouraging student organizations on TKH campus. As Coventry University has over 100 student organizations, we have been helping TKH students launch their own organizations from the get-go. Some of our brightest student organizations include our Student Union, Roboclub, and For A Cause.
Another strategy against burnout is letting our students know they can always be heard at difficult times. Our academic staff are always reachable for guidance and we also have a dedicated team for mental well-being available on campus.
If we are to sum up what #TKHCoventryStyle is, let us first reflect on the starting points of this article. Yes, there are many successful figures to look up to who graduated from traditional Egyptian educational institutes. But, these individuals had their tough battles with plenty of circumstances to make it to the top.
#TKHCoventryStyle gives you the ultimate chance to bet on yourself and leave nothing to circumstances. You have modern curricula, innovative learning methodologies, and continuous support from an educational institution that genuinely believes in your abilities and wants you to succeed.
To learn more about TKH-Coventry Bachelor programs, visit: https://tkh.edu.eg/programmes/
