Sharjah, Sunday, December 11, 2011--American University of Sharjah (AUS) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sharjah American International School (SAIS) at the university's Faculty Senate Room to provide a framework of cooperation and facilitate collaboration between the two educational institutions on a non-exclusive basis, in areas of mutual interest in the United Arab Emirates.

The MoU, which was signed by Dr. Peter Heath, Chancellor of AUS, and Dr. Nawaf Fawaz, Director of SAIS, is part of the Sharakah program, an AUS Office of Enrollment Management strategic initiative, in collaboration with selected schools from across the United Arab Emirates that will serve as an important tool to help the university engage with educational institutions at the local as well as national level.

"Dr. Fawaz is one of the very first people in the education sector that I met and worked with when I came to AUS in 2008. So this signing today is a formalization of an ongoing partnership. This will enable us to benefit from their experience in dealing with university-bound students and their parents and we will help in strengthening programs and the preparedness of their students for university education," said Dr. Heath.

"We are very pleased to participate in this Sharakah program. We know that AUS is highly regarded as one of the best universities in the Arab region. Most of the times the first question parents ask when they come to us is if we can help their children get admission to AUS," said Dr. Fawaz. "So we are very pleased with this partnership because now we can assure parents that AUS is actually our partner in education."

The agreement aims to enhance the role of AUS in providing the necessary tools for secondary students to prepare for the university journey. According to the MoU, AUS will offer workshops to SAIS teachers; offer patronage of selected research, cultural, social and sporting activities and events organized by SAIS; award partial scholarships to deserving students selected from lists provided by SAIS; and offer university preparation courses as well as recruitment of outstanding students from varied socio-cultural and economic backgrounds to AUS. The university will also offer SAT and TOEFL preparation courses for SAIS students.

Present at the signing ceremony were Dr. Thomas Hochstettler, AUS Provost; Ali Shuhaimy, AUS Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management; other senior AUS officials; and the principals of both SAIS campuses, Sharjah and Dubai.

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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