American University of Sharjah (AUS) and du today announced the establishment of an AED 5 million du scholarship.

The scholarship will enable meritorious students who are financially challenged to access the excellent education provided at AUS.

Acting AUS Chancellor Dr. Thomas Hochstettler expressed his gratitude for du's far-sighted investment in developing the region's knowledge economy and human potential to the fullest. "We at AUS applaud companies such as du which are aggressively promoting the knowledge economy by integrating higher education with their strategic thinking about the future of the UAE. du will support AUS in educating young men and women and develop the advanced skills and the human resources necessary to take the Gulf forward for generations to come as set forth by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of American University of Sharjah," he said.

"Such scholarships are the material representation of the university's mandate to connect with and engage various sectors of society. Our emphasis on academic excellence and integrity is well known and allows us to link with other entities that share the same values," said Dr. Hochstettler. "Our vision includes being integrated organically with the industrial, economic and cultural sectors of society, to become a center of research that addresses proactively the challenges faced by society through creative and forward looking solutions."

Osman Sultan, CEO, du, remarked, "We believe that education is the best investment one can make, and as a UAE national company the onus is on us to support efforts in this direction through our corporate sustainability initiatives. With the scholarship our intention is to support financially challenged meritorious students to study at AUS. Today's students are tomorrow's leaders and it is vital that they be helped to prepare for their future roles at leading educational institutions such as AUS."

AUS Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah commented, "Assisting bright minds to attain their full educational potential could only enrich the social and professional fabric of the UAE and beyond. The UAE is increasingly empowering the intellectual potential of its young forthcoming workforce to further enhance the advancement and productivity of the region." Dr. Mourtada-Sabbah added "du's generous initiative will provide opportunities for talented students to pursue their educational ambition without being hindered by financial constraint and to contribute their full potential to the enhancement of the human capital in their respective societies."

As part of its commitment to the community, du has undertaken several initiatives to support education. Full details are available at http://www.du.ae/en/about/our_commitment/To-the-community/Education.