Overview
The American University of Sharjah (abbreviated AUS; an independent non-profit institution for higher education in the United Arab Emirates. Founded in 1997 by His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Governor of Sharjah. Sheikh Dr. Sultan is looking to make the university a leading educational institution in the Persian Gulf region. Located at University City in Sharjah, the university was named for two consecutive years, as the most “international” university. A diverse university comprising more than 5,000 students from more than 94 countries and more than 360 full-time technologies from 48 countries.
AUS offers 26 majors and 48 juniors at the undergraduate level] as well as 16 master degrees and a PhD in Engineering Systems Management at the graduate level; with the College of Architecture, Art and Design,] College of Arts and Sciences,] College of Engineering,] and School of Business Administration. The university is licensed by the Academic Accreditation Commission of the Department of Higher Education and the Department of Higher Education Sciences and Scientific Research (UAE) in the United Arab Emirates, honoring all student degree programs and degrees. The American University of Sharjah is accredited in the United States of America by the Higher Education Commission of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.
The bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering programs offered by the College of Engineering is accredited by the ABET Engineering Accreditation Commission. The bachelor of science degree program in computer science offered by the College of Engineering is approved by the ABET Computing Accreditation Commission. 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 School of Business Administration is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).
History
The American University of Sharjah was founded in 1997 by the Emir of Sharjah, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi. The AUS was licensed by the UAE Department of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 1998 and held its first student council election that same year. The following year the university was licensed by the UAE Commission for Academic Accreditation.
Progress continued when the university introduced its first degree – Master of Business Administration (MBA) – in 2000 and held its commencement the following year. The US Middle States Commission for Higher Education accepted this and, after a thorough examination, granted accreditation to the university in 2004. In 2006, Emir Al-Qasimi opened a new AUS Library. The university saw its student body exceed 5,000 mark in 2009. In 2010, the AUS Bachelor of Architecture degree program became the first outside of North America to be accredited by the US National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). In 2012, Forbes Middle East ranked the AUS MBA program as the best offered by a private university in the Gulf region. On October 4, 2017, AUS celebrated its 20th anniversary.
CAMPUS LIFE AND SERVICES
Campus Complex
AUS is a leading University of the City, a 1,600-hectare complex that includes other educational institutions. The university has accommodations, a stadium, and a gym. Other services include a health center, pharmacy, bank, post office, barber shop, ladon beauty salon, and two convenience stores.The AUS campus has 12 study buildings. Classrooms of classrooms classrooms and classrooms of various sizes; library; science, language, computer and engineering labs; workshops and digital studios; and intelligence offices, education administrators, and support staff.The campus includes student residences (male and female) as well as a large Sports Complex and a Student Center. About 40 percent of students’ bodies live in college buildings. Unlike many American universities, the AUS requires intellectual members and their families to stay on campus in order to provide students with a place to study and live that allows for continuous communication with intellectual and family members.
Testing and Development Center
The AUS testing center and the Professional Development Center serve as an important testing center for AUS sectors and communities. The center maintains AUS accredited placement tests and university examinations. The center is part of the ETS Strategic Testing Network and offers ETS Internet-based TOEFL and paper-based TOEFL in addition to other testing services.AUS is also the only testing center in the United Arab Emirates for Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (FE) and Professional Engineering Exam (PE) administered by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) in the USA.
Library
The AUS Library, an 11,000-square-foot facility, provides collections, services, and programs to support the curriculum and research needs of the university community. Most of the rapidly growing library of 141,000 items is in English; however, there are also features available in Arabic. An online catalog system can be used to search for library material from anywhere on campus or closed. Using the library’s website, readers and technicians can access e-books, online databases, full-text journals, and other digital resources. The library works in partnership with all parts of the university to provide resources for all classes taught in AUS. Resources include PC workstations, a computer environment for ‘general knowledge’, two computer classes for teaching literacy and research skills, a book, study spaces, including classrooms and presentation rooms, media preview rooms; rotation/archives, and research assist desks, and self-examination centers. The seating capacity is about 800. The AUS Archives Department is a repository of institutional records established by the various departments of education and administration at the university.
