AUS celebrates 25 years of excellence

This year American University of Sharjah (AUS) celebrates 25 years of academic excellence, innovative research and community impact. To mark its silver jubilee, the university will present a series of festive, reflective and scholarly activities that celebrate faculty, staff, students, alumni, and AUS business and community partners. The celebrations will run over a 12-month period.

Speaking on the occasion, Bedour Saeed Al Raqbani, AUS Board of Trustees Member, stated: “It gives me great pleasure to chair the AUS Silver Jubilee Committee. As the first alumna to join the prestigious Board of Trustees, I have always believed in the power of giving back merged with community engagement. Our committee’s main aim is to engage the entire community (faculty, alumni, students, administrators and friends of AUS) in a yearlong celebration. We are commemorating the achievements of the university, celebrating its growth, sharing its story, and bringing our community together in a series of activities throughout the Academic Year 2022–2023. His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has created a legacy in education in our region by forming  University City. We will continue to celebrate His Highness’s vision, legacy and the fantastic efforts of the AUS community in this celebration—for AUS, by AUS, 'because tomorrow matters'.”

Dr. Susan Mumm, Chancellor of AUS, said the success of the past 25 years is the fulfillment of the vision of the university’s founder,  His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS

“This institution was built on a single vision by His Highness. Our pioneer students, faculty and staff took hold of this vision and set upon shaping the community through science, art, education and research. As we celebrate the first 25 years of AUS, it is important that we recognize the commitment and hard work of our AUS community in making this vision a reality,” said Dr. Susan Mumm, Chancellor of AUS.

“Today, this vision continues to be lived out in our lecture halls, studios, laboratories, classrooms and offices on campus, and indeed around the world, as proud AUSers carry on the legacy of His Highness,” she said.

Looking ahead to the next 25 years, Dr. Mumm said AUS is driven by its belief in its motto, that “tomorrow matters”.

“We want to build on our successes to secure a better tomorrow for all. AUS has impressively carved a place for itself in the world as a highly reputed academic institution and research center, nurturing graduates of the highest caliber. We are committed to investing in the future of students who are academically curious, possess a global mindset, and are eager to make an impact on the world around them,” said Dr. Mumm.

“Under the patronage of His Highness, we are confident that our institution will continue in this trajectory of excellence, as our talented students, ambitious alumni and world-class faculty contribute to the betterment of our communities and participate in the UAE’s development agenda,” she said.

AUS has been ranked among the top 10 Arab universities by QS Arab Region​ University Rankings for the past seven consecutive years (2022), and is one of the top 50 universities under 50 years of age according to QS World University Rankings (2022). With 70 percent of first-year students receiving a scholarship for outstanding academic achievement, AUS continues to attract and retain talented students to its internationally accredited undergraduate American-style liberal arts programs, as well as its strong master’s and PhD program offering. 

The academic and research strata AUS has achieved reflect the caliber of its faculty, who are leaders in their fields, producing significant research and engaging with bright young minds to solve some of the region and the world’s most pressing challenges. As one of the top three universities with the highest percentage of international students (according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021), AUS is well-known for its culturally diverse campus and vibrant student life.

“After I finished high school, I found in AUS a perfect place to pursue my higher education because it offered the best of two worlds—high academic standards and a rich and diverse extracurricular life. I am proud to see AUS celebrating 25 years of graduating innovative professionals. AUS pushes its students to be the best they can be and provides them with the guidance and tools to excel in the real world. I see AUS continuing its legacy and I cannot wait to see where it will be in the next 25 years,” said Layan Al Sourani, President of the AUS Student Council for Academic Year 2022-2023.

Heading the global markets division of the Royal Commission for AlUla in Saudi Arabia is AUS pioneer alumni Ansar Babu. Having graduated from AUS with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing and management in 2001, Babu said on the occasion: 

"I want to congratulate the entire AUS family on this occasion for building a legacy that has been transformative to this region. I was fortunate to be part of the first set of students who graduated from AUS in 2001. I now reflect upon the thousands of students who have since followed and are now established leaders, professionals and entrepreneurs in the UAE and all over the world. It feels very humbling to look back at where it all began. AUS had a tremendous impact on me. When I joined, I was an introverted boy who was not sure about his place in the world. During my four years of study, I tapped into numerous opportunities and interacted with diverse cultures which helped realize my true potential and shape the person I wanted to be,” said Babu. 

“Today, I have built a career in the specialization I chose, published a book, and regularly speak at forums and mentor students in university on how to shape their future. Sometimes my parents still wonder how their introverted kid transformed! I think the cornerstone of the success of AUS alumni is the uncompromising quality of education, which comes from the expertise of its fantastic faculty, the university infrastructure and the network of partners it has established. This stems directly from the vision of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS," he said.

The AUS Silver Jubilee celebrations will encompass a wide range of activities, from concerts and events to creative collaborations and academic conferences. This will include a special concert featuring music, dance and theatrical performances presented by students in the Performing Arts Program of the College of Arts and Sciences with funds going towards the AUS Silver Jubilee Scholarship Fund; a range of fun and engaging virtual and on-campus events organized by the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs (OAAA) to raise the equivalent of 25 scholarships for 25 AUS students to go towards the AUS Silver Jubilee Scholarship Fund; student podcast interviews with prominent industry leaders about the impact AUS has made over the past 25 years; and special performances and celebrations during the popular AUS Global Day.

Other events will also include conferences and symposia on business, engineering, architecture and design, and many more engaging the community and industry.

An official AUS Silver Jubilee emblem was designed by proud AUS alumna and designer Rola Faour to mark the occasion. Her design is a striking representation of both Arabic heritage and digital future using an Arabized code-like font.

For more information about AUS silver jubilee celebrations, visit www.aus.edu/jubilee.