AED 15 million gift to AUS honors UAE’s first female teacher

A new endowed chair at American University of Sharjah (AUS) will celebrate the achievements of the UAE’s first female teacher, Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi. The heirs of late Sheikh Saoud Bin Khalid Bin Khalid Al Qassimi have gifted AED 15 million to the Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi Endowed Chair in Education Across Disciplines. The generous gift will support a wide educational and research program to train future generations from multiple perspectives.

Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi is one of the UAE’s pioneers of education. She was amongst the first female students from what was then the Trucial States to complete high school in the 1960s. At the time of her high school graduation, very few children in the Trucial States had a formal education and the education of girls was very uncommon. Upon finishing school in Sharjah, Sheikha Nama, along with fellow Sharjah native Amina Al Hajri, became the first women in the Trucial States to become teachers in a formal system of education, inspiring many boys and girls to complete their schooling.

Since federating in 1971, the UAE has seen a revolution in education, with near universal rates of high school completion. In the course of her lifetime, Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi has witnessed the rates of female primary participation transformed. According to the UAE Gender Balance Council, female adult literacy rates are now at over 95 percent, and 77 percent of Emirati women enroll in higher education in secondary school and make up 70 percent of all university graduates. A burgeoning education system has allowed the UAE to thrive, with education still a central pillar of the country’s efforts to become a diversified, knowledge-based economy.

Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi has dedicated her endowment to championing interdisciplinary education at AUS. Interdisciplinary study involves students learning across two or more academic areas. Learning across different fields allows for the creation of knowledge from different sources and is of much relevance to students looking to succeed in a diversified economic environment. The chair will be housed within the AUS College of Arts and Sciences, which is home to a wide range of academic disciplines across the sciences and humanities. Students benefiting from the program will develop the skills necessary to thrive in modern workplaces, which require diversity of knowledge and the 21st century skills developed by interdisciplinary learning.

Commenting on the occasion, AUS Chancellor Dr. Susan Mumm, stated, “People with critical thinking and decision-making skills are needed in the complex modern world. The generosity of Sheikha Nama Al Qassimi will promote such skills among the students at AUS. Her gift will have an impact on us being able to pursue the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of AUS to support the great minds of tomorrow.”

The announcement of the new endowed chair comes as AUS celebrates its silver jubilee. Over the 25 years since its founding, the university has graduated thousands of students who are actively contributing to the UAE’s rapid development. Chancellor Mumm believes the new endowed chair will give even greater impetus to the university’s impact in both the UAE and abroad. Speaking of Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi’s gift, Chancellor Mumm said:

“Because of your contribution, our students, researchers and faculty will be well prepared to continue in the pursuit of knowledge and creating real change, even in the most uncertain of times. I have no doubt that the ripple effect of your contribution will be felt for many years to come.”

Commenting on the importance of the endowed chair, Sheikh Saud Majid Al Qasimi said: “On behalf of my grandmother Sheikha Nama bint Majid Al Qassimi, as well as my family, I would like to thank His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates, the Ruler of Sharjah, and President of American University of Sharjah, for founding this great institution that for the past 25 years has excelled in so many fields and has now become a world renowned centre for education excellence, as well as providing us the opportunity to contribute to our community. My thanks also to Dr. Susan Mumm the Chancellor of the University, and Dr. Nidhal Guessoum, the inaugural holder of the Chair, whose reputation as an educator precedes him. Finally, we hope this Chair would serve the broader UAE community and region, reflecting the importance of education and also as a reminder of the role that women played and continue to play in education in the UAE.”

To learn more about The Sheikha Nama Majid Al Qassimi Endowed Chair in Education Across Discipline, please click here.