Vision of the Founder

As one of our region's leading intellectuals and academics, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, Ruler of Sharjah and President of AUS, had a distinct vision for AUS. His dream became tangible reality when AUS opened its doors to its first students in 1997.

Our university's meteoric rise in the short span of time since its inception is due solely to our adherence to the vision of our founder, which is clearly enunciated by the following values that define our institution's identity:

1. Science and education must regain their rightful place in the advancement of our society and in shaping the lives of our children.
2. The purpose of higher education is to reshape the minds of our youth in order for them to address personal and social challenges using the scientific method.
3. AUS must be a center of research for solving the problems faced by society.
4. AUS will have the autonomy and freedom needed to flourish as an independent university.
5. AUS must be organically linked with the economic, cultural and industrial sectors of society in productive cooperation.

The fruition of His Highness's ideas stem from his own success as an academic and one of the world's foremost historians on the Gulf region. Having earned a doctorate in history from the University of Exeter and another in political geography of the Gulf from the University of Durham, Sheikh Dr. Sultan is a reputed scholar who has authored numerous works on various aspects of the gulf's history. As an author and playwright, he has written close to a dozen works on historical themes that have garnered critical acclaim in the region and beyond.

As a recipient of over a dozen honorary doctorates from prestigious universities around the world as well as numerous international awards for his extensive efforts on the spread of cultural understanding and education, His Highness has always led by example and proved that multiculturalism, tolerance and the harmonious exchange of ideas are the solid building blocks upon which a successful and progressive future can, and must, be built. The vibrant, bustling multinational campus of AUS is living proof of his vision.

For a comprehensive look at the multifaceted work and achievements of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, please visit his website.