This service is provided by the Deanery of Student Affairs aiming to help struggling students overcome their difficulties and reach the required academic level. Our main target group are students with receptive and cognitive special needs, such as students with visual and/or auditory disabilities, ADHD or on the spectrum. The service is provided under the umbrella of their medical coverage. No extra fees are required. As such, all referrals have to come through the Dean of Student Affairs according to the following procedure:
Students who are already diagnosed with sensory, cognitive, behavioral or other psychological problems, have to present their medical reports to the clinic for validation. The Clinic, in turn, refers them to the Student Affairs Deanery, for the dean to approve their referral for psychological assessment to suggest an individual intervention plan that may be carried out over a set number of sessions, in addition to a letter of recommendations issued to their respective faculties stating the nature of their problem and suggesting the necessary modifications as of how to present the learning material, tools needed and how to set up the exam rooms, in order to facilitate their learning process.
The service also covers Walk-In students, who happen to experience different stresses or problems due to the change of environment or the nature of their studies, such as students who face problems adjusting to the academic environment, and students who lack good communication, time management, planning, and learning skills. These students usually are directed to us either by their academic advisors or by some friend in the grapevine. For these students, the procedure differs slightly. Instead of a standardized test, a screening test is first administered to decide the type and severity of the symptoms and whether there is a need for an official psychiatric diagnosis to decide if the student is suffering from an underlying psychological disorder, or if he/she is just going through a transient mismanagement phase. Upon the results of the screening test, the decision is made of the next step; we get the approval for either to refer the student to the neuropsychologist at Academy’s Clinic or we decide on an intervention plan carried out by the clinical psychologist over a course of about 12 sessions, to enhance the skills the student needs to take control over his/her circumstances.
In both cases, attending the intervention sessions is optional to the students, and does not affect their academic evaluation in any way. Yet, as we try to adjust the appointments according to their timetables and exam schedules, most of them tend to comply.
Interviews, assessments, and intervention sessions are administered in a secluded environment respecting the student’s privacy.
Assessments, screening tests, intervention plans, and sessions are all done by a certified trained clinical psychologist
The diagnostic assessment tools used are the Arabized version of internationally standardized tests such as Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRDS/ Ham-D), Sorensen Self-Esteem Test, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-Bocs). Other self- reporting screening tests or subtests, assessing certain aspects or symptoms of the disorder may.
be used or translated from local or international published studies .These screenings MAY NOT be used as diagnostic tools, but ONLY as guidelines to structure the necessary intervention plan, focusing on how the symptoms are manifested in their daily life showing symptoms such as mood swings, motivation, eating and sleeping disorders, social withdrawal, memory problems, impulsivity, emotional reactions, personal interactions, and negative thoughts or emotions such as fear, anger, worry, and grief.
Based on the results of these assessments and the outcome of the initial clinical interview that precedes them, we draw an individual intervention plan for each student according to his needs. The intervention plan for psychological disorders is mainly structured using the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy approach (CBT). Yet, along the course of therapy, we may also borrow some techniques from other approaches such as (DBT), (EFT), (NVC), Mindfulness and Schema Therapy (ST) if needed according to the progress of the student.
For cognitive and sensory deficits, the intervention plan is structured differently as it focuses on enhancing the weakened skills of the student, and strengthening the strong ones. Thus, it includes visual and auditory perception exercises, attention, focus, and memory trainings, understanding semantic formation, eliciting underlying information, and analytic and deductive thinking skills.
Over the past five years, we have served over 150 students, most of them have already graduated, or are about to.
???? Psychological Support Services System for Academy Students:
Based on the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport's commitment to providing psychological and social care for its students, and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), the Deanship of Student Affairs, through the Psychological Support Services Department, provides an integrated system of psychological and awareness services that contribute to building a healthy and balanced university environment.
The Psychological Support Service began in the 2018/2019 academic year. Its primary goal was to raise psychological awareness among faculty members about learning difficulties, their types, and how to deal academically with students facing educational challenges. Introductory lectures were organized at the Abu Qir, Miami, and Smart Village branches, and these activities were documented with photos.
In the following academic year, 2019/2020 (the second semester), two awareness lectures were delivered on addiction from a psychological perspective in cooperation with Dr. Mohamed Abu El-Maati, a neuropsychiatric consultant at the Academy's clinics at the time, was part of a joint project between the Academy, Alexandria University, and the Anti-Addiction Fund, with the aim of strengthening the role of peers in prevention and awareness-raising.
Currently, the department is preparing a series of specialized lectures addressing the most prominent psychological challenges faced by young people in the university environment, such as adaptation, time management, emotional regulation, social phobia, and exam phobia. This is in addition to ongoing collaboration with Dr. Nourhan El-Barbary, Head of the Central Unit for Supporting Special Needs, to prepare training lectures for faculty members and shadow teachers, focusing on psychological and cognitive approaches to dealing with students with special needs.
On an individual level, the department provides students with free and completely confidential counseling sessions aimed at helping them cope with the pressures of daily life and developing self-regulation and positive communication skills. In cases where symptoms of illness require medical intervention, students are referred to the Academy's specialized clinics. Approximately 25 students have benefited from this service since its launch. Many have graduated, and some continue to communicate regularly with the department to support their continued personal and psychological development.
The responsible psychologist emphasized that all services provided are completely free of charge and require only the student to contact us to schedule an appointment in advance, without any financial or administrative obligations. This reflects the Academy's commitment to providing psychological support as an essential part of its comprehensive student system.
This initiative is a pioneering model in promoting mental health within Egyptian and Arab universities and underscores the Academy's commitment to achieving a balance between academic growth and students' psychological well-being, supporting its strategy of empowering youth and developing their capabilities in a comprehensive manner.
Contact Us
Dean for Student Affairs – Alexandria Students’ Affairs Building at Abu Qir
Telephone :03-5611815
Ext: 1660fax- 03/5622525
Email: students.affairs@aast.edu
