VCDA Foreword
“THE DISAPPEARING WALLS BETWEEN BUSINESS AND UNIVERSITY”
At AUS, we open the door wide to the flow of ideas and talent between private industry and private education, so that the enhanced synergy flows both ways. In the past, education and business were said to occupy separate worlds. But in today’s competitive world, businesses are resorting to the education sector to research and produce ideas that would result in an overall improvement in our way of life. I would hazard to generalize that we stand on the threshold of a new age, where the sharp boundaries between business, education, and government are rapidly fading. We are all in business to devise what works best for raising standards of living and getting new products onto the market as soon as possible. And although universities may work on a new product over a greater time span than industry, as we collaborate more, even this distinction is fading.
We gather annually under the aegis of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of the American University of Sharjah, to demonstrate how business and university can partner to better sustain a diversified and vibrant national economy. This “formula for the present and future” must bring together the best in business, government, and education.
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi established the American University of Sharjah to fulfill a vital research mission of closely intermeshing with industry and business in order to create innovations for our people. That was a little more than 15 years ago, and his words seem all the more visionary from our perspective today. We have stayed true to that in setting the course for these 15 years, and I believe that we will be following this vision 150 years from now. You may ask, how can we hold that course at a time of constant ups and downs in the economic cycle? The answer seems to be that business and education have converged, so that many of the same principles apply; even though none in the “ivy covered walls” of the academy would have predicted this just a few years ago. Private industry and business support what works, and AUS is designed to be able to change quickly. The AUS educational experience is designed for our graduates to innovate as soon as they walk through the doors of their first job.
The Gulf has always been business oriented, and at least since the days of Julphar –the ancestral Sharjah— just about 2,000 years ago. The private sector, then as now, will propel the Gulf to higher standards of living. Our distinguished guests from industry share His Highness’s vision of what we may accomplish in tandem. We, at the American University of Sharjah, are especially honored to welcome such magnates to our campus.
AUS proudly offers this Forum to partner successful business with successful academia. Representatives of many leading firms present at this event are already recognized as household names. We live in a different world than we did just 15 years ago; today most of the firms that assemble in our event are multinationals with operations often in dozens of countries. Borders are fading not only between the academic world and business but between national governments and business.
We welcome these VIP Friends of the University, who give testimony that AUS has established His Highness’s mandate as an economic research engine. On the business side of the ledger, many firms have adopted a model of corporate social responsibility in which business helps shoulder some of the responsibility for educating the professionals of tomorrow. This is done by providing scholarships which contribute to building the human capital of the society. That is to say, the profit “bottom line” is improved for the private sector by investing in students and in university research over the long term. The business-university alliance is thus a “win-win” situation, and the people of the Gulf are the biggest winners of all.
We thank His Highness for his unwavering support of our academic and scientific capacity-building and for connecting us with the private sector. And under his guidance, we extend our most sincere appreciation to the VIP Friends of the University who have contributed their valuable time and wealth of expertise.
I would also like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to our sponsors and partners from industry and express how honored we are to have them with us at this event. The American University of Sharjah is indeed fortunate to count so many leading business figures of the country among its friends.
Whether you are a student or graduate, a professional making a change in your career, or just interested in current economic thought, I am sure that our AUS Business Forum and Career Fair will provide the insights and contacts to help keep you on the right track. Thank you for joining us in developing human capital for a better UAE.
Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah
Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs
& Professor of International Studies
