Empowering Students Through ASSET

Staying true to its commitment to student-centered learning, the Department of Economics and Business Administration (DEBA), under the leadership of Dr. Mohammed Ali Ahmed Obaid, proudly launched the Academic Support and Skills Enhancement Team (ASSET).

As the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS) pursues Institutional Standards Assessment(ISA) accreditation, DEBA recognized the importance of developing a team that will help realize the performance indicators of ISA’s Criterion 2.9 — Academic Skills Enhancement. The creation of ASSET is a proactive response to this standard, ensuring that students receive comprehensive academic support that strengthens both their learning experience and institutional outcomes.

ASSET was designed to bridge learning gaps, boost academic performance, and provide continuous academic support throughout each student’s journey. Through workshops, mentoring, and tutorial sessions, the team helps students build essential study and life skills—made possible through the voluntary commitment of DEBA-Nizwa faculty members. To date, the ASSET works with the participation of the following faculty members, who voluntarily engage students in one of the ASSET interventions- Dr. Pravakaran Vijayan, Dr. Maria Vidal, Dr. Mohammed Abdulmadhar, Dr. Anand Mayee, Dr. Jeanette Ong Lyn, Dr. Haidar Abbas, Mr. Radhakrishnan Subramaniam, Ms. Diana Fernandes, Ms. Naseema Nazeer Ahmed, Dr. Paul Sundar and Ms. Aminah Abd Razak. In the near future, Dr. Hemavathy, Ms. Habiba, Dr. Mudassir Mohammed, Dr. Ataur Rahman Farooqi, Dr. Mohammed Rafiq, Dr. Uma Maheswari, and Dr. Premkumar Arul have also signified their intentions to deliver student support interventions.

Guided by Ms. Amina Abd Razak and Dr. Maria Vidal, ASSET began its mission in Fall 2025 and has already achieved notable success. Its first two workshops—“Improving Study Skills” and “Examination Preparation Strategies”—were met with strong participation and positive feedback.

Upcoming sessions will focus on presentation skills, time management, academic writing, and stress management, complemented by ongoing tutorial support for courses that students find particularly challenging.

The enthusiastic feedback from both students and faculty underscores ASSET’s impact and reaffirms DEBA’s vision of nurturing confident, capable, and high-performing learners. With ASSET, DEBA continues to champion academic excellence—contributing meaningfully to UTAS’s goal of achieving ISA accreditation.

Writeup by CEBA Media and PR Team