Ninety promising young designers and architects from the College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) showcased their work at an exhibition held at Dubai Design District (d3) yesterday, May 23. The exhibition, entitled Six Degrees, was the 2017 edition of the annual show of work by graduating students at CAAD, marking the culmination of their experience at the college. Eleven awards were also handed out at a special ceremony held in conjunction with the show marking the accomplishments of CAAD students, faculty and staff.

Six Degrees consists of works done by students graduating in disciplines taught at CAAD, namely architecture, interior design, urban planning, design management, multimedia design and visual communication. The annual event is attended by a large number of industry representatives along with members of creative communities in the UAE, providing an opportunity for professionals to get to know AUS graduates and the high quality of their work.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Björn Kjerfve, Chancellor of AUS, said "This annual exhibition is always a source of pride for us at AUS. The commitment and hard work of the students is evident in the high quality of work on display here. CAAD is admired throughout the region for the quality of its graduates. Guided and mentored by an outstanding faculty, our students have gone on to pursue higher education in some of the most prestigious universities in the world as well as winning regional and international acclaim for their work."

Dr. Varkki Pallathucheril, Dean of CAAD, said "Everyone is invited to this celebration of our graduates' accomplishments. But Six Degrees is more than a celebration. High school students and their parents can visit to get a better understanding of the design disciplines and what design students do at American University of Sharjah. Employers looking to hire new talent will find in one place a cohort of very capable design professionals with whom they can engage one-on-one."

The exhibition, which can be seen at d3 until May 27, was dedicated to the memory of Muhammad Maikanti Baru, an AUS architecture major, who passed away last Thursday. According to Riem Ibrahim, Assistant Professor, Department of Art and Design, "The Six Degrees Exhibition in d3 is an important platform for allowing students to showcase the body of work and design process they have engaged in over the duration of their studies. It presents their skills and experience to a large audience including practitioners and professionals from the art and design industry making it a first step towards bringing their education and all it entails to life."

CAAD has earned an enviable reputation throughout the Middle East for the quality of its graduates, who have gone on to win laurels in their professional careers as well as pursue higher education in some of the most renowned universities around the world. Its students have gained regional and international recognition for their work and have been honored over the years with a number of prestigious awards including the Huda and Mohamed Kanoo Award, the Christo and Jean-Claude Award, the Roca One Design Challenge, as well as students awards organized by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Middle East.