AUS’ College of Engineering and Mindware sign MoA to support student capacity building and knowledge exchange

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) College of Engineering (CEN) and Mindware, a leading distributor of top IT technologies, signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) today, April 6, setting a collaborative framework to support capacity building for CEN students through training and internships and the exchange of expertise and knowledge between the two institutions.

The agreement is part of the newly launched AUS Engineering Al Nukhba Program, which connects CEN with industry partners as part of the college’s strategic goals to increase community engagement; develop a student-focused approach to support their training and education; and enhance research and innovation in key areas that are globally important, and align with the UAE’s innovative agenda. As one of the main requirements for graduation from AUS, CEN students must complete an internship of a minimum of 16 weeks. The AUS Engineering Al Nukhba Program is part of the college’s commitment to helping its students make the most of their internship opportunities, equipping them with the requisite knowledge and skills and connecting them to dynamic corporate and industrial entities that match their major.

As part of the agreement, Mindware will be training and building the capacity of CEN students by providing internships, jointly supervising student capstone and research projects, and hosting student field visits. The agreement will also allow for an exchange of knowledge and expertise between CEN’s world-class faculty and Mindware.

“We are very happy to be formalizing our collaboration with Mindware, a leading value-added distributor in the Middle East and Africa. Our collaboration is two-pronged: it allows us at CEN to fulfill our educational mission of supporting our highly equipped students by facilitating opportunities for hands-on training in their areas of specialization, while at the same time strengthening the relationship between education and industry through the exchange of expertise and know-how. We are excited to see Mindware joining us as an active partner in the AUS Engineering Al Nukhba Program and look forward to continuing working closely with Mindware in the future,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN.

Speaking on the significance of the MoA, Philippe Jarre, President of Mindware, said: “We are thrilled to launch the Mindware Academy and offer young talent the chance to learn and develop alongside our organization. Our internship program is a win-win, as it benefits both the interns and our company. By providing hands-on training, we aim to bridge the skills gap in the region and equip the next generation of professionals with the necessary experience to succeed. Collaborating with AUS in this endeavour is a great opportunity for us to tap into the university's expertise and resources, which will enable us to offer a comprehensive and well-rounded learning experience for our interns."

As one of the leading distributors of the finest IT products in the Middle East and Africa, Mindware's extensive portfolio includes top-class global brands reaching out to over 4,000 partners. Mindware’s comprehensive offering includes a selection of infrastructure, networking, security, and storage leading brands. As part of its VAD methodology, Mindware also offers supplementary value-added services to its reselling partners including pre-sales consultancy, implementation services, local technical support, marketing enablement tools, and multiple channel-enabling programs. Headquartered in Dubai UAE since 1991, Mindware has been uncompromisingly serving its customers for more than three decades.

As one of the Middle East’s top-ranked engineering colleges, CEN empowers the next generation of innovators, problem solvers, independent thinkers, global citizens, entrepreneurs and leaders that will impact the future of the world. The college provides a life-changing experience to students inside and outside the classroom to help them excel as engineers and computer scientists. The faculty engage in cutting-edge research that inspires students during their educational experience at AUS. To know more about AUS College of Engineering, please visit www.aus.edu/cen.