AUS signs two MoUs with international universities to collaborate in life and health sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences at American University of Sharjah (AUS) signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with Ulster University (UU) in the United Kingdom and St. George’s University (SGU) in Grenada recently to enhance their collaboration in the areas of life and health sciences.

The two new international partnerships are hoped to provide graduates of AUS with opportunities to pursue graduate studies in the medical field and benefit from university scholarships, as well as allow for research and teaching collaborations with faculty members and students, with potential exchange opportunities for undergraduate students.

“It is a great opportunity to establish this collaboration with Ulster University and St. George’s University, both which have international standings in the fields of medicine and biomedical sciences. UU has also recently launched a new graduate entry medical program. We see great potential for excellent outcomes for our students and faculty from these two collaborations,” said Dr. Sarah Dalibalta, Associate Professor in Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences.

She added: “Our undergraduate students will benefit greatly from exchange opportunities and collaborations, particularly in psychology, biology, chemistry, environmental sciences and physics. Our students will benefit from high-quality medical programs and our faculty will also branch out and find new collaborative research and teaching venues and exchange expertise, leading to more diversified work.”

The Ulster University School of Biomedical Sciences has an international reputation for research and is ranked one of the top five in biosciences, while its School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is ranked second in pharma and pharmacology, according to the Guardian League Tables in the UK 2022. SGU has a history of sending its graduates to residency programs across the United States, with more than 19,000 graduates worldwide.

“We are pleased to have entered into this MoU with AUS and we look forward to collaborating in the areas of research and student exchange. AUS is positioned as one of the top 10 universities in the Arab World and this agreement allows us to tap into the expertise the university has to offer in the areas of biology, genetics and behavior. We are looking forward to putting this partnership with AUS into action,” said Professor David Hassan, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Ulster University.

Dr. Marios Loukas, Dean, School of Medicine, St. George’s University, said: “We are delighted to have signed an Academic Affiliation Agreement with AUS. We are looking forward to working with such a prestigious institution and enabling students to study medicine at St. George’s University, which is the number one provider of new doctors to the US healthcare system as of April 2022. This is the beginning of a long and prosperous partnership between AUS and SGU, one that will inspire future generations of doctors.”

As the main driver of the liberal arts education at AUS, the College of Arts and Sciences provides academic programs in social and natural sciences, humanities and performing arts. It is home to nine undergraduate and three graduate programs. Its graduates have a proven track record of finding employment in some of the biggest corporate names regionally and internationally and pursuing further education at some of the most prestigious academic institutions all over the world.

For more information about the College of Arts and Sciences at AUS, please visit www.aus.edu/cas.