University and Industry: Bridging the Gap | Ali Al Soufi | TEDxSakhir

In Bahrain as well as in many other countries in the region academics seem to be isolated from the real world. They are content with teaching theories and doing research in their small laboratories. Moreover, the private sector does not trust academics and prefers to engage with other business entities to get the solutions they need to improve their businesses. Dr. Ali AlSoufi (PhD in computer science from Nottingham University, UK) decided to challenge the status quo. Having worked in the private sector before joining the University of Bahrain as an Assistant Professor in IT he knew that his fellow academics needed to learn marketing skills. In his talk in TEDxSakhir Dr. Al Soufi tells the audience how he embarked on an exciting journey of establishing a team of students and professors to create highly advanced mobile applications and sell them to corporations in the country. Dr. Ali Al Soufi is an assistant professor at the University of Bahrain. He earned his PhD in computer science in 1994 from Nottingham University, UK. Dr. Al Soufi has worked for Bahrain Telecom Co. for eight years as a Senior Manager of Application Programme, and since 2009 he is a PT consultant for Bahrain e-Governement Authority in the area of Enterprise Architecture, Strategic ICT Planning and Governance. Dr. Ali Al Soufi’s specializes in Strategic IT Planning and Governance, IT project management, Enterprise Architecture, and Information Systems in Organizations. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx