Dammam, November 29, 2012-- Dr. Peter Heath, Chancellor of American University of Sharjah (AUS) met at the university recently with a twelve-member team of senior officials from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Saudi Arabia, led by Iftikhar Nadeem, Director of Learning and Development Department at KFUMP. The team members were the directors of the various academic and administrative units of the university.

Dr. Heath welcomed the Saudi delegation and expressed the university's readiness to share its experience of excellence in higher education with other prominent institutions of higher education in the region. "This comes as part of the vision of AUS founder His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and as part of the university's strategic initiatives," he said.

The AUS Chancellor briefed the team on the history and development of AUS, its curricula and future plans as the leading institution of American style higher education in the region. The discussion also covered areas related to AUS admission requirements, the university's success in maintaining and continuously improving its high academic standards, extracurricular activities and options available to students after graduation.

"It is a pleasure to share our expertise with KFUMP and to be perceived as a leading institution in our field.  This endorses our excellence and innovation in the field of higher education," Dr. Heath said.

"Our students follow a rigorous curriculum, infused with extracurricular activities, which allows them to get competitive jobs anywhere in the world once they graduate," said Dr. Heath, answering a question put to him by the Saudi team.

The visit of the team to AUS, one of the world's top 500 universities, was part of a KFUPM Leadership Development Program and aimed at exchanging ideas about university governance and administration with AUS officials, said Iftikhar Nadeem. The team also toured the campus and was impressed with the facilities available. 

About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The university was envisaged by His Highness as a leading educational institution in the Gulf region.

Located in University City, Sharjah, AUS is a not-for-profit, independent, institution of higher education formed on the American model. It offers 26 majors and 54 minors at the undergraduate level, and 13 master's degrees through the College of Architecture, Art and Design; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Engineering; and the School of Business and Management. These programs are designed to meet the challenges of a competitive and dynamic business and industrial environment.  

As a provider of quality higher education in the Gulf, AUS is licensed and its programs are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates. AUS is accredited in the United States of America by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and by the Department of Education of the State of Delaware.

The bachelor of science programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering offered by the AUS College of Engineering are accredited by ABET, http://www.abet.org, of the United States. The Bachelor of Architecture program of the College of Architecture, Art and Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) as well as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degrees offered by the School of Business and Management are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

AUS ranks among the world's top 500 universities according to London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), one of the world's most trusted university rankings.

For more information, please contact:
Miriam Kiwan
Director of Strategic Communications and Media
+971 6 515 1040
mkiwan@aus.edu

Nazzal Yousef
Director of Media Relations
+971 6 515 2157
nyousuf@aus.edu

Malek Abderahman
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Mobile: 0544426364
Tel: 026067202, Ext: 200
malek.abdelrahman@bm.com

© Press Release 2012