The College of Science, represented by the Department of Earth Sciences, organised a graduation ceremony for students who completed the joint training programme with Rihal and Halliburton. The event was held at Al-Fahm Hall in the Cultural Centre under the patronage of Dr. Tariq Muhiuddin Ghulam, Assistant Dean for Training and Community Service at the College. The ceremony was attended by a number of academic staff and university officials, as well as representatives from several private-sector companies.
The ceremony opened with a speech by Dr. Mohammed Abdulsamad El-Ghali, Head of the Department of Earth Sciences, who welcomed the patron and guests. He highlighted the importance of the training programme as a genuine practical experience that enables students to translate their academic knowledge into hands-on field expertise within a realistic research and professional environment. He noted that the programme plays a key role in shaping students’ professional identities and reflects effective integration between academic institutions and the industrial sector, stressing that excellence has become a defining standard in these vital fields.
In his address, Azzan bin Qais Al-Kindi, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Rihal, explained that the company is now among the leading players in the technology sector. He noted that the training programme covered advanced areas such as machine learning, data processing and related fields, and was designed to prepare a select group of future leaders for the industrial and technological sectors. He emphasised that investing in human capital is a cornerstone of the programme.
Ahmed Naiem, Senior Regional Manager at Halliburton, pointed out that AI skills have become essential in addressing today’s complex challenges, given their effective role in supporting decision-making across various sectors, particularly industry and energy. He underlined the importance of the programme in consolidating impactful knowledge in this field.
The ceremony also featured a short film showcasing the various stages and agenda of the programme. This was followed by a speech from Balqees Al-Jabri, training supervisor at Rihal, who explained that participating students underwent a comprehensive learning journey that included deep learning and multiple artificial intelligence models, alongside the development of core skills such as communication, teamwork, complex problem-solving and leadership.
The ceremony concluded with the patron honouring the students who completed the training programme. Awards were also presented to the winners of the Imperial Barrel Award competition organised by the American Association of Petroleum Geologists.