UPEI names President-designate
Frederick E. Hyndman, Chair of the UPEI Board of Governors, announced today that Dr. Alaa S. Abd-El-Aziz has been selected as President-designate of the University of Prince Edward Island.
'The presidential search committee unanimously recommended Dr. Abd-El-Aziz to the Board of Governors and I am delighted that the board has supported that recommendation,' said Hyndman. 'Dr. Abd-El-Aziz is a talented academic and a successful university administrator. His considerable accomplishments and qualifications, his infectious enthusiasm, and his collaborative experience in developing scholarship are all qualities that are essential for UPEI's continued positive development.'
Dr. Abd-El-Aziz is the Provost of the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus in Kelowna, which he joined in 2006. As Provost, he provides leadership and direction in the areas of planning, policy development, and resource management. His responsibilities also encompass the Okanagan campus' academic and research mandates. Throughout his administrative career, he has remained actively engaged as a chemistry professor and has made significant contributions to research and teaching in his field.
'I am delighted to become part of the UPEI family. I have always held a high regard for education institutions that cultivate an integrated teaching and research environment and those that are strongly tied to both the local and the global community. UPEI is an institution that excels in these areas,' said Dr. Abd-El-Aziz. 'I am looking forward to working with faculty, staff, students and the UPEI community in advancing the goals and mission of the institution and the province.'
Dr. Abd-El-Aziz received his BSc and MSc degrees from Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt, and his PhD from the University of Saskatchewan. After completing an NSERC postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Toronto, he joined the chemistry department of the University of Winnipeg, becoming a full professor in 1997. He served as Dean of Science, Associate Vice-President of Research and Graduate Studies, and Vice-President, Research, International & External Affairs.
The President-designate will visit the UPEI campus early in 2011. He is expected to assume his responsibilities as President and Vice-Chancellor of UPEI on July 1, 2011, replacing Wade MacLauchlan, CM who has led UPEI for almost 12 years. The formal installation ceremony for Dr. Abd-El-Aziz will take place during the fall semester, 2011.
The UPEI Presidential Search Committee, led by Frederick Hyndman, selected Dr. Abd-El-Aziz after a 12-month search that involved extensive outreach to students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community.
For Dr. Abd-El-Aziz's biography and more information on the Presidential Search process, click here.
