More than 1,100 new students, who will be joining American University of Sharjah (AUS) as freshmen, attended a special Welcome Session held at the university on Friday, August 24. The event preceded orientation week and was aimed at giving the incoming freshmen a comprehensive understanding of the university and to acclimate them to life at AUS. This Fall’s enrollees comprise the top 20 percent of their high school classes. The freshmen will begin attending classes when the Fall 2018 semester commences on September 2.

During the Welcome Session, AUS Interim Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Professor Kevin Mitchell congratulated the new students at the event and welcomed them on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah.

Addressing the students and their parents, Professor Mitchell spoke of the transition from high school to life as a university student and said: 

“Perhaps one of the most significant challenges will be adjusting to approaching questions in an independent and analytical manner. AUS encourages intellectual discovery and promotes an appreciation of the various modes of human inquiry through exploring questions that are fundamental to enhancing understanding and advancing knowledge.”

Conducting the Welcome Session, Ali Shuhaimy, Executive Director for Enrollment Management, congratulated the students on beginning the next phase of their academic career. Addressing the parents, he said:

“We appreciate the confidence you have shown in our university by choosing to enroll your daughter or son at AUS. Our commitment to the success of our students is evidenced by their achieved stature in the community. Our graduates enjoy the advantage of being in the forefront of employers’ selection. Moreover, their demonstrated competencies at the work place, resonate well with the remarkable ranking position AUS achieved in a short period of time.”

Shuhaimy also told the newly admitted students that representing the top 20 percent scorers of their schools was an achievement that proved their academic competency and that AUS would provide all support needed to pave the way for them to continue achieving their goals.

To emphasize the importance of academic integrity, new students made a commitment to ethical responsibility, honor, and mutual respect by signing the university’s Academic Integrity Pledge.

This semester, over 40 international exchange students from universities located in Argentina, Austria, Finland, France, Italy, Morocco, Uruguay and the USA, will also be joining the university. AUS is known throughout the region for its multicultural campus environment, with 95 nationalities comprising its student body in academic year 2017-2018.

A week-long schedule of on and off campus festivities and events has been organized for the new students, including a dinner reception and library tour, Sharjah and Dubai city tours, games at the Student Center and awareness sessions for parents and students.