The International Students Association (INSA) in collaboration with the program in Middle Eastern Studies at American University of Sharjah (AUS) hosted the first Gulf-wide undergraduate student conference entitled "Change and Development in the Contemporary Middle East," yesterday, December 9. The conference involved undergraduates from Texas A & M Qatar and AUS, who presented papers on a variety of themes concerning the Middle East. 

The conference was a student initiative supported by the AUS Department of International Studies and the program in Middle Eastern Studies. The two keynote speakers were Dr. Khaled Adham, Professor of Architectural Engineering at UAE University, and Dr. Isa Blumi, Associate Professor of History at Georgia State University and a visiting professor at AUS this semester.

According to Dr. Stephen Keck, Head of the AUS Department of International Studies, "What makes this conference unique is that it was envisioned, developed and largely spearheaded by students in the Department of International Studies. We think that the successful execution of this event has been a valuable experience for both our students and faculty. Furthermore, we anticipate that we will have similar conferences in the future. The event also serves as an outstanding example of both student leadership and what can be achieved when students work closely with faculty." 

The inaugural address, entitled "Notes on the Spatiality of the Egyptian Revolution: Urban Space and Urban Violence," was delivered by Dr. Khaled Adham, while the keynote address "Deconstructing the Arab World as History: Resisting Narratives to Rethink the Past," was given by Dr. Isa Blumi.

The AUS Department of International Studies offers a Bachelor of International Studies degree with concentrations in international relations, international economics, Arab studies in a global context, and Western studies.