Doctoral students enrolled in the Learning Difficulties and Developmental Disabilities Programme, specialising in Autism, at the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU), organised a meeting at Hala Café, affiliated with the Alia Centre for Autism in Bahrain. The event was supervised by Dr Wid Hussain Daghustani, Associate Professor of Special Education and Programme Coordinator, as part of the field applications course within the training programme.

During the visit, the students were acquainted with vocational rehabilitation programmes for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and interacted with students as they worked in the café. The students also gained insight into the nature of vocational training programmes designed to equip trainees with life skills, handicrafts, and computer skills, thereby preparing them to enter the local workforce with the necessary competencies and training.

In a related context, the doctoral students, as part of their training programme, visited the Al Rashad Centre for Vocational Rehabilitation to learn about vocational programmes serving individuals with autism aged between 9 and 19 years. Activities at the centre included handicrafts, agriculture, pottery, woodworking, and the creation of traditional heritage boxes.

Previously, the doctoral students conducted a workshop targeting teachers, focusing on social stories, as part of the culmination of the field training organised by the department at the Abdullateef  Al Fozan Centre in Al Khobar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Dr Daghustani affirmed that the objective of these visits and field applications is to broaden the horizons of postgraduate students through direct exposure to field practices in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorder, thereby refining their academic and professional skills. She added that these visits, meetings, and workshops form part of a series of field activities organised by the programme to strengthen cooperation between the University and specialised institutions caring for individuals with autism, positively contributing to the development of students’ skills and advancing the educational and social sectors.