First Dean appointed at American University of Mongolia

Dr. Thomas Alibrandi assumes his new post as Dean of the School of General and Continuing Education of the American University of Mongolia in January, 2016, becoming AUM’s first dean and its highest ranking academic officer. Dean Alibrandi will be responsible for all aspects of the university’s current academic mission. Dr. Alibrandi worked previously at the American University of Sharjah, UAE, where his responsibilities were similar in scope. He brings extensive academic administrative experience to AUM, having served as Department Chair at Lake Tahoe Community College, having taught and developed curricula at several colleges and universities in the US and abroad, and having worked for the US Department of State and the University of California Santa Cruz as an English Language Training Specialist in numerous countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Austria, and Mexico. He received his Ed.D. in International and Multicultural Education, with a Minor in Language Acquisition, and his MA in Teaching English as a Second Language, both from the University of San Francisco. Dr. Alibrandi has published 15 books, three of which were adapted for movies, one of which won an Emmy award. For more information, visit http://aum.edu.mn/

“I feel privileged to be able to help move AUM forward and achieve its goals for the Academic Bridging year and first two years of study,” said Dr. Alibrandi.  “As the first Dean appointed at AUM, I understand the critical need to ‘get it right’ from the very start, if we are to build on and sustain our reputation for quality.  Setting up a US-style academic program in English for Mongolia’s next generation of leaders, and providing opportunities for the public to continue their education, is an exciting challenge. Further, our plan is to attract highly qualified faculty to AUM to help carry out this vision.” Dean Alibrandi’s duties include the Academic Bridge Program, which prepared students for AUM’s demanding curriculum, through the first two years of study. This includes: integrating curriculum design and content; assessing learning outcomes; making faculty appointments; overseeing faculty professional development and conducting reviews; and ensuring student and faculty satisfaction. Dr. Alibrandi is also responsible for developing Continuing Education programs, and for overseeing the activities of the English Language Institute. He will also oversee the development of short-term certificate courses and courses for part-time students, some of which will lead to an AUM degree.