The American University of Bahrain (AUBH) welcomes Dr. Bradley J. Cook as its next President, starting in the summer of 2022 and succeeding Dr. Susan E. Saxton. Dr. Cook joins AUBH with more than thirty years of distinguished international and regional experience in higher education across the U.S. and the Middle East.
Dr. Cook is an accomplished leader that has contributed to exceptional student outcomes and institutional development. Having spent considerable time in the Middle East in his early years, he holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Middle East Studies from the University of Oxford, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Stanford University. He is deeply committed to supporting the development of Bahrain and the region and delivering high quality higher education.
Speaking on his appointment, Dr. Cook commented: “I am honored to join AUBH at this exciting time and look forward to working closely with the university’s leadership to spearhead its continued development and achieve its noble mission to students as well as the wider community and region.
Dr. Cook joins AUBH from Snow College in the U.S., where he has been serving as its 17th president since 2019. He led it through record growth and other successes including the best ranking in the State of Utah by US News and World Report and 7th best public college in the West. In 2020, Snow College was ranked number one nationally in its class for student success. Earlier in his career, Dr. Cook served as provost at Southern Utah University (SUU) during a period where it achieved record high student success rates, created over 25 new academic programs and centers, and elevated SUU’s academic reputation as one of the premier public regional universities in the Intermountain West. Dr. Cook has also previously served as president of the Abu Dhabi Women’s College and worked at the American University in Cairo (AUC). Additionally, he served as a Commissioner for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, a highly reputed U.S. institutional accrediting body.
AUBH Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Hisham Al-Saie stated: “We are incredibly pleased to have Dr. Cook join us to lead the university through its next phase of growth, and are confident that he will be an effective ambassador of our shared values and our deep commitment to students, Bahrain, and the region.”
“President Cook went above and beyond in his role to serve Snow College and its community during his tenure with the Utah System of Higher Education,” said Harris H. Simmons, chair of the Utah Board of Higher Education. “The American University of Bahrain is acquiring a most capable leader who led Snow in many great achievements and will be missed among his friends, colleagues and students across Utah. We wish him the very best in his new role.”
Esol Education has joined the American University of Bahrain (AUBH) as a strategic partner, supporting the university’s development and participating in its governance. Esol Board Members serve on the AUBH Board of Directors, participating in the university’s strategic planning and decision making processes. Esol’s role in AUBH will be its second collaboration with Elm Education, the Bahrain-based education investment platform, with the organizations having already partnered on the establishment of American School of Bahrain (ASB), opening in September 2020.