His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of the American University of Sharjah (AUS), chaired the meeting of the university’s Board of Trustees held at the AUS campus on Sunday.
Sheikh Sultan assessed and approved resolutions concerning the operation and progress of the university. He also appreciated the board members for their support and the faculty and the staff for their hard work.
The board evaluated the improvement on enrollment and acknowledged the high academic qualifications of the incoming class. The AUS research agenda, the involvement of nearly 200 faculty members in funded research projects progress was also reviewed.
Bedour Al Raqbani, an accomplished leader in business and civic organisations was appointed to the university’s Board of Trustees during the meeting. She will be the first AUS graduate to join the Board of Trustees.
Speaking on the occasion, Professor Kevin Mitchell, Chancellor of AUS, said: “AUS benefits tremendously from the guidance and support of His Highness and the Board of Trustees, which has resulted in enrollment success for the Fall 2019 semester and a highly qualified incoming freshman class. The university continues to advance a research agenda that builds on the strengths of faculty members across a number of disciplines, from conducting scientific research leading to new discoveries to engagement in creative activity that is recognised by peers.
“AUS is distinguished by the range of academic opportunities that students have because of the intense engagement of faculty in teaching and research. Faculty are pursuing work that is of critical importance to the region and beyond, including renewable energy, water scarcity, the uses of digital media, migration, and the preservation of heritage.”
Professor Mitchell added, “AUS graduates have distinguished themselves in their respective fields in the UAE and beyond, and the university is proud of the appointment of alumna Bedour Al Raqbani to the Board of Trustees.”
Chancellor Mitchell also thanked the members of the board for their dedication and commitment to AUS.
According to Wam, Sheikh Sultan launched the new College of Engineering and Science building at the AUS, on Sunday.
The Ruler of Sharjah unveiled the curtain to mark the official opening of the College of Engineering and Science, where he then toured the building’s scientific and research facilities, laboratories and classrooms.
Students of the college were there to explain to Sheikh Sultan researches and experiments done in the laboratories. The experiments carried out in the laboratories make learning easier for the users by linking the theoretical sciences and practical applications.
The new four-storey building comprises of 35 research and teaching laboratories, 24 classrooms, including seven smart classes, among other facilities.
The launch of the new college building is in line with the university’s plan to provide education at the highest levels in various fields of engineering and science.
In line with the University’s commitment to sustainability principles, the building is eco-friendly. It received two certificates from the Pearl Rating System, the first system in the Arab world to assess the sustainability of buildings and residential communities.
The new building, with its large and modern areas and diverse technologies, will contribute to the launch of new training programmes in various fields.
The opening ceremony was attended by the heads of government departments in Sharjah and a number of members of the Board of Trustees of the American University in Sharjah, members of the administrative and teaching staff at the university.