The AUS Office of Student Affairs (OSA) welcomed new students on campus with a week of fun, entertaining and informative orientation sessions aimed at helping new students adjust to university life. The week-long open house activities included information sessions, games, trips, movies and a dinner reception.

The Office of Student Affairs welcomed new students and their parents on the first day of orientation, and answered their questions through its main student information desk. More than 700 orientation packets containing information on the services offered by AUS were distributed on the day.

The Student Council, including a group of returning active students, comprised the orientation team who worked alongside the OSA staff during the orientation period. City tours to Sharjah and Dubai familiarized new students with the neighboring areas and points of interest. Around 300 students joined the Sharjah tour and 400 joined the Dubai trip.

The freshman reception dinner was attended by around 550 students in the presence of Dr. Munketh Taha, Director of Student Development and Organizations; senior OSA officials; and the Student Council board headed by Sheikh Mohammed Al Qassimi. Dr. Taha addressed the new students on behalf of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and emphasized the rich and active student life at AUS. The gathering provided an opportunity for OSA administrators to interact with new students and introduce them to the non-academic services offered by the department. The evening program included many entertaining games and performances, including the Palestinian Club's dabke performance. The students enjoyed the treasure hunt, which familiarized participants with the different campus buildings and locations in a fun way.

"I welcome all new and returning students this year. The strong student participation in the OSA orientation is a good indication that many students will avail of the extracurricular opportunities offered by the university. I do wish that our new students will continue in this momentum so that they may benefit from out-of-classroom experiences that complement their academic life," said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.