Sharjah, Tuesday, November 22, 2011--American University of Sharjah (AUS) and Ajman Private School (APS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today, November 22, marking a partnership between the two entities. The agreement states that AUS will provide Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) preparation courses from 2011 to 2013 to APS students, grades 10-12, to help them prepare for college.

The partnership comes after the AUS Achievement Academy Outreach Program held a successful preparation course for the iBT in Spring 2011 for 18 female students from Ajman Private School. The seven-week course provided students with tips and strategies to help them achieve their target TOEFL score.

Based on the positive feedback received from the students' evaluation of the course, AUS was invited by the school's administrators to provide TOEFL preparation classes for 500 students in grades 10-12.

The MOU was signed by Dr. Peter Heath, Chancellor of AUS, and Saeed Noori Al Tarifi, on behalf of Nemah Abu Samra, Head of APS.

Speaking on the occasion, Chancellor Heath said, "Partnerships such as these enhance the role of AUS in providing the necessary tools for secondary students to prepare for university. We hope this partnership with APS sets a successful benchmark for future collaborations with schools in the UAE."

"We are very pleased to be associated with AUS and look forward to our students benefitting from the university preparation courses that will be offered to them," said Al Tarifi.

The MoU allows for current and future collaborations between Ajman Private School and AUS. This involves helping the school move from its existent British English curriculum to an American-based model, and also includes AUS providing training for English teachers at the school.

The ceremony was also attended by Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, Provost, along with other senior officials from AUS and Ajman Private School.

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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 25 majors and 52 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 has full approval in the United States by the Department of Education of the State of Delaware. It is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. AUS is also accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and all undergraduate and graduate programs are recognized by the ministry. All six of the bachelor's degree programs in 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).

For more information, please contact:
Nazzal Yousef
Director of Media Relations
+971 6 515 2157
nyousuf@aus.edu

© Press Release 2011