AUS’ College of Engineering a research hub and center for innovation

From producing energy from food waste and enhancing water purification technology to developing innovative breast cancer treatments and using robotics to assist the visually impaired, students and faculty members at the American University of Sharjah’s (AUS) College of Engineering (CEN) continue to produce some of the most innovative solutions to global problems.

Setting its goals to become one of the leading engineering colleges in the world, CEN has a strategic plan for the Academic Year 2022-2023 that aims to attract and retain talented students, empower faculty by providing a nurturing research environment and strengthen community engagement.

“We are proud of what we have achieved so far, but our objective is to become one of the top 200 engineering colleges in the world within the next five years. Our students are our top priority, which is why we developed a student-focused strategy to further attract, retain and support students as they embark on their careers or pursue higher education at leading international universities. We also want to empower our faculty and provide them with the resources and environment to excel in their field of expertise and build a team spirit. We also believe that CEN has a social responsibility to engage with the community, which means more industry collaborations and partnerships with academic institutions to enhance research, innovation and build an entrepreneurial spirit and align with the UAE’s innovative agenda,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN.

CEN offers a wide choice of graduate and undergraduate programs, all accredited by the Commision for Accreditation of the UAE Ministry of Education's Higher Education Affairs Division.. Additionally, the undergraduate degree program in engineering and computer science are accredited by their respective commissions of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The college offers undergraduate programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering. It also offers nine master’s programs, including biomedical engineering, mechatronics engineering, engineering systems management, construction management, chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering, in addition to a PhD program in engineering systems management.  It also boasts state-of-the-art facilities spanning three buildings and more than 85 world-class and award winning faculty members and more than 50 lab instructors.

The college’s disciplines impact numerous areas of technology and offer solutions to a rapidly changing world by occupying a unique position at the interface between basic subjects of science and engineering. This offers unparalleled opportunities to design, develop and operate industrial processes that make great contributions to the technological infrastructure of modern society.

“Our understanding of the technological needs of this fast-evolving world and our connections with the industry have allowed us to design our programs to meet global challenges and contribute to the achievement of the UAE Centennial Plan 2071. We are continuously revising our curricula and reinventing ourselves to ensure that our students are always up-to-date. We also believe that research is a fundamental developmental building block, which is why our faculty are active in sharing their research work in top peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences, and patenting their life-changing inventions,” said Dr. Aloul.

Having graduated more than 7661 students since 2001, CEN sees its alumni working in some of the most important international and national organizations as successful entrepreneurs with established multi-million-dollar organizations, as academics working in some of the most prestigious universities around the world and as UAE government officials and ministers influencing policy.

“As one of the Middle East’s top-ranked engineering colleges, CEN continues to empower the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, independent thinkers, global citizens, entrepreneurs and leaders who will impact the future of the world. Our efforts have led our alumni to be ranked as the top choice for employers in the UAE, according to QS World University Subject Rankings (2022),” said Dr. Aloul.

The recent QS World University Subject Rankings (2022) have also ranked AUS number one in the UAE and among the top ​150 universities globally for civil and structural engineering; among the top two (tied) in the UAE and top ​300 universities globally for ​electrical, electronic, ​mechanical aeronautical and manufacturing ​engineering; among the top two (tied) in the UAE and top ​350 universities globally for ​chemical ​engineering; and among the top three in the UAE and top ​500 universities globally for ​computer science and information.

For more information about CEN, please visit www.aus.edu/cen.