UPP director Dr. John Aydelott during an orientation session

The UPP instructors arrived to Riyadh, as scheduled, to attend the Faculty Orientation Program developed by UPP senior administrators and consultants. The intensive orientation program is designed to familiarize faculty with UPP’s curriculum and allow them to work towards its smooth implementation. It includes several workshops and roundtable discussions on effective teaching techniques, student assessment and subject integration. “I'm pleased with the positive attitudes, with the expressions of appreciation for the preparations that have been made for everyone, and with the cooperation. Things seem to be going well” said UPP director Dr. John Aydelott, “we are all very excited about being able to be a part of this innovative educational program designed to unleash the powers of creative thinking”.

On Wednesday, September 5, the faculty was invited to dinner at the Eleven A Restaurant at Al Faisaliah Tower. Guests included UPP Liaison, Mr. Fadi Dahhan, as well as Mr. Bob Craver, the newly appointed AMIDEAST representative to Riyadh. Despite their hectic schedule and overcoming jetlag, the faculty is now all set to welcome incoming students on September 8.

The UPP faculty was recruited after an extensive, worldwide recruitment effort spearheaded by AMIDEAST to identify qualified, committed educators. Selected from among a pool of hundreds of applicants, all UPP teachers are native speakers of English, hold at least their master’s degrees in their teaching areas and several have doctoral degrees, and all have extensive classroom experience. Their areas of expertise include English as a foreign language, math, biology, chemistry, physics, computer skills, and academic study skills.