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Cooperative Education Program |
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Introduction: |
Among
the programs included at Prince
Sultan University is the
cooperative education program
(CO-OP), which aims to associate
modern academic studies with the
business sector. The program
emphasizes the students' theoretical
studies and fuses them with the
practical environment during the
training period that they spend in
selected institutes and
corporations, allowing them to gain
hands-on experience in a realistic
atmosphere. The object of this
practical stage is to perfect the
students' skills and to relate
principles and perceptions to the
practical field by allowing them to
acquire new skills, getting them
used to creative thinking and
permitting them to practice problem
solving and decision making. This is
all achieved through first-rate
preparation and effective means of
communication for the sake of
establishing profound skills in
information science, practicing
proper ethics, discipline,
self-confidence and cooperation with
others; in addition to respecting
superiors and being considerate to
inferiors.
This program fulfills the aims that the
university has for this program in introducing
our dear students to the meaning of a practical
life, thus preparing them for a more successful
future. It also provides institutions and
corporations involved in this program with
highly educated technicians in the modern
science field and who are motivated to work and
offer their best, which has its positive effects
on general performance and production. This in
turn, is a promotion to the ongoing efforts of
our beloved country in the process of mass
development.
Also, we would like to take this opportunity to
thank those who have contributed to the idea of
establishing the cooperative education program
and everyone who sought to make it possible. |
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Terminology: |
| These terms, mentioned in related texts, will be
identified with following definitions: |
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- Cooperative Education:
It is the process of associating the
students' academic education with practical
skills and experiences with the aim of
connecting the students' theoretical, academic
attainments with practical, authentic reality.
This is achieved during a specified training
period at institutes and corporations in one of
the major sectors.
- The Department Coordinator:
she is a chosen employee from the department
who is obligated to become an informative agent
between the cooperative education program and
the department.
- The Academic Supervisor:
she is chosen to supervise students seeking
cooperative education and to evaluate their
performance through a previously designed plan
which includes calls for inspections on
location.
- The Training Supervisor:
she is an employee at the institute where the
student receives his training who is in charge
of supervising the student. This supervisor is
chosen by the institute.
- The Evaluation Scale:
Weak (less than 60), Pass (61-70), Good (71-80),
Very Good (81-90), Excellent (91-100). |
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Qualifications
Required to be Accepted in the Cooperative
Education Program: |
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Every student at Prince Sultan University (from
the Department of Computer Science and
Information or the Department of Finance,
Marketing and Accounting) is to approach the
department coordinator and apply for the program
provided that the following requirements are
met: |
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1- |
Obtaining permission from the
department in which he is studying. |
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2- |
Completing all required courses at
the university must be completed. |
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3- |
Registration in intended courses for
students seeking cooperative
education must be according to
specialization. |
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Duration of the Program:
The program takes place over a period of (28)
weeks which is equivalent to (10) accredited
academic hours.
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Top |
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Methods in
Determining the Participating Organizations in
the Cooperative Education Program: |
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The cooperative education administration is
responsible for specifying each student's
direction for cooperative education. The
training will take place at the location of the
selected organization whether it is: |
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a - Inside the
Kingdom b - Abroad |
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Cooperative Education Courses:
In an effort to relate cooperative education
courses to the educational system at Prince
Sultan University they have been divided as
follows:
First: Department of Computer Science and
Information : |
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a- Cooperative education for computer science
(CS492)
b- Cooperative education for information systems
(IS492) |
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Second: Department of Finance, Marketing and
Accounting :
a- Cooperative learning in finance (FIN492)
b- Cooperative learning in marketing (MKT492) |
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Top
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Cancellation or Alteration of Scheme in the
Cooperative Education Program:
This is done according to the regulations
related to the cooperative education program and
the customary procedures followed at the
university. |
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Implementing Cooperative Education and the
Required Forms Commitments required by
the student (prior to the training period): |
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The trainee must first discuss the following
points with his academic counselor and consent
to abiding by them:
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1- |
To
understand the objective of the
training period. |
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2- |
To
learn about the organization in
charge of the training program and
specify the available fields they
have to offer during the training
period. |
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3- |
To know
the name(s) of the superior(s) with
whom he will be dealing with during
training. |
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4- |
To
learn about the tasks that will be
assigned to the trainee by the
organization or chosen by the
trainee himself, provided that they
are harmonious with the objective of
the training period and are related
to the student's major at the
university and its fields of study. |
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5- |
To
identify the demands of the training
course / project. |
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6- |
To
learn about the skills and knowledge
required of the trainee. |
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7- |
To
constructing a training plan for the
trainee. This is done by the
academic counselor, the training
supervisor and the trainee. |
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8- |
To
assigning a time schedule that
determines when the trainee should
be able to accomplish the tasks
assigned to him. This should be done
after discussion with the academic
counselor. |
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9- |
To
pinpoint the benefits that the
trainee will obtain during the
training period. |
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10- |
To
write a complete CV that includes
all the information, skills,
expertise, and hobbies. (Form number
A0004) |
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Commitments
required by the student (during the training
period): |
student is required to consent to the
following point during his period of training:
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1- |
Attending the entire duration of the
training program (28 weeks) at the
organization chosen for him or
agreed upon by his department. A
student is not allowed to transfer
to another organization until he
receives permission from both his
department and the organization
itself. |
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2- |
Always
remember that you are representing
the university at the organization
you are training at. Thus, you
should be careful to arrive on time
and follow all the rules required at
your place of training. |
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3- |
Make
sure that the tasks assigned to you
are particularly related to your
major. |
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4- |
Make
sure that there is a training
program especially planned so that
you can obtain the utmost benefit of
the experience. |
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5- |
Try to
learn how the basics of the job are
conducted at the organization you
are training at. This can be
achieved by asking questions. |
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6- |
Supply
the academic counselor with a final
report on the training plan before
the end of the first week of
training. |
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7- |
Supply
the academic counselor with regular
reports according to the specified
dates and instructions stated in the
previously made schedule.
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8- |
Write a
daily report on all that has been
achieved; to help with: |
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a- |
filling
out the daily record form (form
S002) in order to show the assigned
daily tasks and to submit it to the
academic supervisor when he pays a
call. |
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b- |
writing
the final report on all that has
been achieved during the program
which will be presented to the
department to be discussed. |
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9- |
The
trainee alone is responsible for
making sure that the reports have
been sent by the organization |
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10- |
Collecting the information and
necessary items to write the
cooperative education report
according to its specified rules.
Examples of these are: |
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a- |
names
of resources, books, articles, web
sites |
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b- |
Reports: whether they are analytical
reports, reports concerning designs,
or visitation reports. |
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c- |
Records
of different meetings. |
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Top |
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Commitments required by
the student (after the
training period):
A trainee is required to
visit the academic
supervisor at the beginning
of the academic term which
follows the end of the
training period to discuss
the first draft of the
cooperative education report
and to find out the deadline
for handing in the final
draft and the date of the
oral exam.
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Commitments required by the
training organization:
The organization is required
to:
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1- |
Supply the
university with
regular reports
about the
student's
performance. |
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2- |
Allow the
student to stay
in touch with
the university
as well as
allowing
administrators
from the
university to
visit the
student when
needed. |
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Commitments required by
the training organization
(during the training
period): |
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1- |
Providing each
trainee selected
with the
previously
specified tasks
and fulfilling
all the clauses
agreed upon in
the original
contract. |
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2- |
Assigning
suitable tasks
to the trainee
without taking
advantage of the
trainee in
asking him to
perform routine
tasks which have
nothing to do
with his major,
such as
assigning him to
be a telephone
operator or file
registrar or
translator …etc. |
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3- |
Providing the
administration
of the
cooperative
education
program at the
university with
the required
forms which are
as follows: |
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a - |
An initial
report when the
trainee first
receives his
work and this
should be sent
during the first
week of his
attendance. A
name of the
trainee's direct
supervisor
should be
included. (form
number B0002) |
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b - |
A report with
the attendance
record for the
trainee should
be sent in every
two weeks. (form
number B0003) |
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c - |
A second report
(an evaluation
of the trainee
every two weeks,
form number
B0004) |
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d - |
A third report
(a final
evaluation at
the end of the
training
period); this is
handed in at the
end of the
program and it
should include
an evaluation of
the trainee.
(form number
B0005) |
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4- |
Strengthening
the cooperative
relations
between the
training
organization and
the
administration
of the
cooperative
education
program by
notifying the
administration
of any
negligence in
the trainee's
performance.
Also,
maintaining the
relations
between the
university and
the its students
by allowing
supervisors from
the cooperative
education
program to
perform field
inspections to
check on the
students at
their work place
periodically and
when necessary.
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Commitments required by
the training organization
(after the training period):
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1- |
Providing
trainees who
have finished
the practical
part of the
program
successfully
with a training
certificate the
specifies the
following: |
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a - |
Name of the
position / job
that the trainee
was holding. |
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b - |
Tasks assigned
to the trainee
during the
training period. |
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c - |
Any original or
distinguishable
traits (if
noticed) in the
trainee during
the
training period. |
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d - |
Approving the
certificate with
the official
stamp of the
organization or
cooperation.
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2- |
Contributing (if
possible) in
celebrating the
success of the
graduate
trainees and
acknowledging
the outstanding
trainees at
Prince Sultan
University at
the end of each
school year. |
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The issued schedule for the
trainees' assignments:
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Week |
Assignment |
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1 |
Completing the
detailed plan,
getting the academic
supervisor to sign
it and handing it in
to the coordinator
in the department
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4 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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8 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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12 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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16 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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20 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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24 |
Presenting the
monthly report and
discussing it with
the academic
supervisor |
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28 |
Presenting two
copies of the final
report to the
academic supervisor
and making an
appointment for
discussion |
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Note: The trainee should
present two copies of the
monthly report: one via
e-mail, the second a hard
copy. |
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The academic supervisor's
evaluation of the trainee:
The academic supervisor
visits the trainee
periodically with a minimum
of one visit every two weeks
to be informed of the
progress in training and the
how committed the trainee is
to the previously set plan,
as well as discussing all
this with training
supervisor. |
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What is required from the
department coordinator and
the academic supervisor: |
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1- |
The coordinator
of the
department sends
the student to
the organization
in charge of his
training along
with the
required forms
and
instructions. |
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2- |
The coordinator
hands in a
report to the
head of the
department
containing the
number of
students who
qualify to
attend the
cooperative
education
program and the
available
training
positions so
that academic
supervisors can
be assigned to
them.
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3- |
The coordinator
passes out a
list of the
names of the
students chosen
by the
department and
the location of
their training
programs to the
selected
academic
supervisors. The
forms that
should be filled
out by the
academic
supervisor are
also included. |
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4- |
The coordinator
presents a brief
note on the
program to the
students'
academic
supervisors in
each department,
as well as the
responsibilities
that they will
be assigned to
and the required
forms.
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5- |
Each supervisor
is assigned 4
students as well
as one teaching
course (3 hours
a week) |
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6- |
The academic
supervisor at
the university
should receive
the work
initiation form
concerning the
student from the
training
organization
(form number
B0002) |
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7- |
The academic
supervisor
monitors the
trainee by
paying him a
visit every two
weeks. (form
number A0002) |
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8- |
The Academic
supervisor
should receive
notices of the
trainee's
attendance every
two weeks. (form
number B0003) |
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9- |
The academic
supervisor
should receive
an evaluation
form concerning
the trainee
every two weeks
from the
training
organization.
(form number
B0004) |
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10- |
The trainee
presents a
complete report
on the training
period a week
after it ends. |
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11- |
The department
sets up an
appointment for
the student to
present his
report as a
slide show
(power point).
The invitation
to the show
should be open
for anyone to
attend, in
addition to the
judging
committee who is
selected by the
department. |
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12- |
The judging
committee
determines the
trainee's final
grade and hands
it to the
administration
of registration.
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COOP
Program Forms |
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- Forms for the
student
1. Coop
Application Form (S01)
Arabic
English
2. Daily
Worksheet (S02)
Arabic
English
3. Monthly
Progress Report (S03)
Arabic
English
- Forms for the
Training Organization
1. Inquiry
Form (T01)
Arabic
English
2. Work
Plan (T02)
Arabic
English
3. Attendance
Report (T03)
Arabic
English
4. Monthly
Evaluation Report (T04)
Arabic
English
5. Final
Evaluation Report (T05)
Arabic
English
- Forms for the
Academic Advisor
1. Academic
Advisor Visit Report (U01)
Arabic
English
2. Final
Evaluation Report (U02)
Arabic
English
- Additional Forms
1. Joining Form
2. Obligation Form
3. ID Student Forms
4. Co-Op Vacation Form
5. Template for CIS Department Final Report
6. Template for English Department Final Report
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