UAE creative industries to gain more than 100 graduates from UAE’s leading design school

The College of Architecture, Art and Design (CAAD) at American University of Sharjah (AUS) will present its annual senior showcase Six Degrees from June 9 to 16 at Dubai Design district (D3), featuring creative work by more than 100 graduating students across the disciplines of architecture, interior design, design management, multimedia design, visual communication and urban planning.

Six Degrees marks a significant milestone for all CAAD graduates, many of whom launch their careers from the exposure to industry leaders and employers throughout the week-long event. 

“This has been a year of both looking back at what we have achieved as a college and a design community over the past 25 years, and looking ahead to the future of design education and the expanding dynamic of the design profession. As we have considered these things, I believe that this is an exciting time for our graduates to be entering the workforce. Opportunities in the region are growing. We are confident that they are ready to impact the design industry, applying the knowledge, skills and sensibilities they have acquired and honed through practice in their various disciplines,” said Dr. Varkki Pallathucheril, Dean of CAAD.

Home to the UAE’s top programs in art, design, architecture and built environment (QS World University Subject Rankings, 2023), CAAD graduates have earned the reputation as the number one choice for employers in the UAE.

A recent survey of CAAD alumni indicated that more than 90 percent are employed across the creative industries, government, business and academia. Almost 40 percent of the graduates surveyed have gone on to earn graduate degrees, including from top international institutions such as Harvard University, MIT, Yale University, Rhode Island School of Design and the Royal College of Art.

Among the members of the AUS Class of 2023 who will officially graduate on June 10 is award-winning Emirati architecture senior Alzaina Lootah, recipient of the 2022 Sheikh Khalifa scholarship.

“It is an honor to be a graduate of American University of Sharjah, holding one of the most recognized and prestigious degrees in the region,” said Lootah. 

“Six Degrees is a special event that every student from the College of Architecture, Art and Design awaits for before officially graduating. It is a way to honor the hard work, constant contribution and dedication of students through their academic journey. It is also a way to recognize our great faculty members who are the backbone of the college. Six Degrees is a great way for us as graduates to showcase our work to the general public and celebrate the great achievements and successes throughout our years at the college,” she said.

Six Degrees is open to the public June 9 to 16 in the Atrium of Building 6 at Dubai Design District. For more information about Six Degrees and to view this year’s catalog, visit www.aus.edu/six-degrees.

The following awards were distributed at the opening ceremony of Six Degrees on June 9, 2023:

Best Faculty Award
This honor is awarded to faculty members from the Department of Architecture, the Department of Art and Design, and the Foundation Year Program, based on student votes. Winners for this academic year were Associate Professor of Art and Design Hala Al-Ani; Professor of Architecture Marcus Farr; Associate Professor Patrick Rhodes (Foundations).

Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence
The Dean’s Award is the highest award for undergraduate and graduate students, based on their exceptional achievements over the course of their years at CAAD and AUS. Winners for this year were Jude Hisham Maharmah (architecture), Esra Zamin Paima and Wagd Ahmed Rabie (interior design), Hana Mohamed Hafez and Lory Krajekian (multimedia design), Mahra Omran Alblooshi (visual communication), Marianne Breidy (design management) and Mohammad Abdulla Alhashmi (urban planning).

2023 AIA Medal for Academic Excellence
Administered by the Architects Foundation in the USA, a partner of  AIA, this award is given to the top graduate of a NAAB-accredited BArch program. The 2023 medal was awarded to Jude Maharmah (architecture).

MAD Award: Motivation + Attitude + Dedication
This honor is awarded to students who exhibit motivation, attitude and dedication to their work. This year’s winners were Zartaj Kamran Khan (architecture), Haneen Sharafldeen (interior design), Carol Bebawy (multimedia design), Bettina Rodericks (visual communication), Aya Abdel Rahman (design management) and Maryam Tahir (urban planning).

Dean’s Service Award
This honor is awarded to students for exemplary organizational leadership, service to the university, enlargement of the college;’s purpose, citizenship and contributions to the community. This year’s winners were Salma Ibrahim (multimedia design) and Alzaina Lootah (architecture).

Several students also received certificates of appreciation:

Certificate of Appreciation – American  Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS): Jude Maharmah and Dua Syed (architecture)

Certificate of Appreciation –  American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA):
Aya Abdelrahman (design management) and Dalia Alrashid (visual communication)

Certificate of Appreciation – Interior Design Student Association (IDSA)
Nada Wajid and Maria Sadiq (interior design)Certificate of Appreciation – Design Management Association (DMA)
Sara Abbas and Marianne Breidy (design management)

AEDAS Architecture Design Awards 2023

This honor is awarded to graduating students of architecture with the best performance in design studio courses. The award is sponsored by AEDAS and was presented by Ignacio Gomez, Aedas Global Design Principal. The recipients were: First Place Award: Jude Hisham Maharmah; Second Place Award: Zartaj Kamran Khan; and Third Place Award: Viana Ahmadyar.