Ethical Conduct

About Us

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/about-us/

At Ahlia University we are proud of our growing reputation as a provider of quality higher education in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the wider Gulf region. The high quality of education at Ahlia University is at the core of everything we do and the reviews by the Quality Assurance Agency continue to recognise the quality of our teaching and learning.

Established in 2001, Ahlia University was the first private University to be licensed by the Government of Bahrain. Right from the start, the founders articulated their vision of a distinctive institution of higher education to ensure that science, humanities, business and education take their rightful place in the building and advancement of our society. Ahlia University is an autonomous institution, independently chartered, funded and managed by the private sector. All the professional programmes offered by AU are recognised by Bahrain’s Higher Education Council as well as highly reputed and distinguished leading Universities in the UK and USA. The University was amongst the first Bahraini private Universities to be recognized by the Kuwaiti Ministry of Higher Education.

Ahlia University offers students throughout the Gulf and internationally, the opportunity to join a truly productive and challenging University to receive a technologically sophisticated education and a highly distinctive liberal arts education. All the courses are taught by leading faculty who possess outstanding academic credentials and have all the relevant practical and professional experience to ensure our students receive a first class education.

Our future is looking very bright. With the building of a state of the art campus underway, further development with our international partners ensuring students have the opportunity to study internationally and the highest quality of teaching and learning, Ahlia University can offer you the opportunity to create your future success with one of the most exciting and growing Universities in the Gulf.

Our Core Values

Excellence

We value excellence in all its forms, including academic excellence, research excellence, service and operational excellence

Inclusiveness

We champion inclusivity, diversity, and equity both within and outside the institution. We strive to mainstream the principle of equal opportunity in all our operations, and in relation to all stakeholders.

Integrity

We look towards integrity as being a multifaceted value that encompasses ethics, morals, respect, honesty, truthfulness and transparency. We aspire to embody and personify these attributes in all our endeavors.

Collegiality

We uphold collegiality as an important core value that epitomises the aspirational organisational culture; manifest in collaboration, cooperation, trust, and partnership.

Ambition

We cherish ambition, as inspired by our founders and their pioneering spirit. We strive to create a vibrant and dynamic learning environment for both our learners and staff to fulfill their ambitions.

Engagement

We believe in family, community, and society, and the bonds and ties that hold us together. We strive to engage, serve, and build constructive partnerships that create a positive societal impact.

Legal Affairs & Compliance Unit

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/legal-affairs-compliance-unit/

Unit Role

• Be the primary University representative in responding to and/or reporting to government investigations and queries.
• Provide in-house legal advice and counseling to the University through its administrators, faculty and staff in the course of their duties.
• Administer the University’s grievance and dispute resolution procedures.
• Provide policy/law/regulation interpretation.
• Manage actual or threatened litigation in which the University is involved.
• Provide legal advice in drafting and reviweing agreements, contracts, memoranda and other legal documents.
• Seek to ensure compliance and adherence to the legal and regulatory obligations imposed by the University, government and other oversight agencies.
• Develop and implement a University-wide compliance program.
• Work with senior management to identify compliance areas.
• Detect compliance issues and suggest corrective actions.
• Seek to ensure that all appropriate employees are knowledgeable of legal and regulatory obligations.
• Provide all employees with an opportunity to report issues of potential non-compliance in a manner that preserves confidentiality.

Equity and Diversity Among Staff

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/cms4/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ahlia_Staff_HandBook_June2024.pdf

Ahlia University strives to treat its staff fairly by maintaining a healthy, safe and productive work environment which is free from discrimination based on any other factor that is unrelated to Ahlia legitimate interests. Ahlia University shall not tolerate any offensive, intimidating or inappropriate statements or behavior undermining equity in the work environment. Harassment in all its manifestations is prohibited.

Committed to applying an effective recruitment policy that is based on the principles of equity and fairness, and equal employment opportunity, Ahlia University shall ensure to identify, efficiently and effectively, the right candidates for vacancies in Ahlia and recruitment shall be based on qualifications, experience, and merit.

Supervisors and managers are expected to ensure that work-related decisions regarding task allocation, compensation, performance evaluations, the administration of Ahlia benefits et. al. reflect principles of fairness and equity.

EMPLOYEE COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/cms4/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Ahlia_Staff_HandBook_June2024.pdf

• Every employee has the right to complain and lodge their grievance/ complaint in writing within ten (10) working days of an occurrence and/ or within ten (10) working days of the employee having reasonable knowledge of the occurrence of the event that induced such grievance.
• All grievances shall be submitted to the employee’s Dean / Director with a copy to the HR Director.
• Upon receipt of complaint/grievance the Dean / Director shall promptly address the complaint along the following lines:

– Step 1: The Dean/Director shall try and resolve the complaint at his/ her level as within a week of receiving the complaints.

– Step 2: If the complaint/grievance is not resolved, the employee has the right to submit the written complaint to the Vice-President in writing for a resolution his/her grievance. The Vice-President shall respond to the employee’s complaint in writing within one week of receiving the complaint. If the grievance still persists, the employee can submit a complaint in writing to the President.

– Step 3: The President shall personally meet with the concerned employee and settle the grievance /complaint. The decision by President shall be deemed final.

INVESTIGATION

Upon receipt of any grievance/complaint, Ahlia University shall decide to investigate internally or set up a disciplinary committee.

• Investigation of the situation or incident has to be conducted as soon as possible.
• In this investigation, the Dean/Director shall record all facts and statements of all witnesses to the event, including those of the employee concerned, and any witness the employee may wish to call.
• All statements must be recorded in the first person, and the Dean/Director shall prepare a complete report along with the recommendation of the Vice-President and Legal Counsel (if any) and submit them to the President. After review of the report by the President, if accepted, Dean/Director issues a written warning to the concerned if found guilty in the presence of the Vice-President.

Student Complaint

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/deanship-students-affairs/

All students at Ahlia University have access to a fair complaints system whereby students can file any enquiry, request or complaint they have into ADREG system.

The Inquiry/complaint system is monitored and managed on a daily basis by the Head of Dean’s office who works as a liaison between student, relevant faculty/staff members and the Dean of student Affairs.

Students may send their complaints to the Deanship of Student Affairs using the following link.

Contact Details:

Mrs. Fadheela Ahmed

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 17298963

Non Retaliation Policy

https://www.ahlia.edu.bh/deanship-students-affairs/

Ahlia strictly prohibits any form of retaliation against any employee or student who in good faith makes a complaint, raises a concern, provides information or otherwise assists in an investigation or proceeding regarding any conduct that her or she reasonably believes to be in violation of Ahlia’s Code of Conduct or policies, or applicable laws, rules or regulations.

No employee or student should be discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, intimidated, coerced, or retaliated against in any other manner as a result of him or her making a good faith complaint or assisting in the handling or investigation of a good faith complaint. Ahlia prohibits employees or students from being retaliated against even if their complaints are proven unfounded by an investigation, unless the employee or student knowingly made a false allegation, provided false or misleading information in the course of an investigation, or otherwise acted in bad faith. Employees and students have an obligation to participate in good faith in any internal investigation of retaliation.

Ahlia takes all complaints of retaliation very seriously. All such complaints will be reviewed promptly and, where appropriate, investigated.

If you believe you have been retaliated against or that any other violation of this policy has occurred, or if you have questions concerning this policy, you must immediately notify Human Resources, or your immediate supervisor/advisor. You may also contact the Unit of Legal Affairs and Compliance.

Any employee or student who violates this policy is subject to disciplinary actions.