How Global Studies University, Sharjah prepares scholars for a connected world

Global Studies University (GSU) in Sharjah offers a fully funded PhD in Global Studies for outstanding bachelor’s and master’s degree holders. The programme combines rigorous research with engagement in the city’s rich academic and cultural life. Students work across disciplines, tackle global challenges such as migration, inequality and political transformation, and gain the skills to advance scholarship, influence policy, and make an impact worldwide.

Sharjah: A global hub for learning and research

Strategically located at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East and Asia, Sharjah has long been a centre for intellectual and cultural exchange. The Africa Institute – GSU’s cornerstone that traces its roots to the Afro-Arab Symposium of 1976 – was formally established in 2018 to advance research, documentation, and postgraduate education in African and African diaspora studies. In 2023, it became the first constituent of GSU, to create a globally connected network of institutes devoted to postgraduate study and interdisciplinary research.

“Our vision is to build a network of semi-independent yet interconnected institutes in the Gulf,” said Shaikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President of GSU. “The Africa Institute is the cornerstone, complemented by upcoming institutes covering Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. Together, they form a hub for knowledge and critical postgraduate training, emphasising cross-disciplinary research, non-Western languages, and engagement with global challenges.”

Alongside The Africa Institute, which offers the MA in Global African Studies and African language programmes, GSU is building an interconnected academic community that fosters research and engagement across the Global South and North.

An advanced degree for interdisciplinary impact

The accredited five-year PhD combines two years of coursework with three years of dissertation research and writing. Students may specialise in cultural, visual and literary studies or historical, political and social studies, with thematic research areas spanning Afro-Arab relations, diaspora studies, gender and feminist futures, political economy, and the Indian Ocean world.

“The creation of GSU is essential to cultivating a new generation of critical thinkers who can situate local and regional issues within a broader global framework,” said Prof. Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of GSU and Dean of The Africa Institute, the university’s founding institute.

Students engage with internationally qualified faculty across the humanities, social sciences, and non-Western languages. Housed in a historic Sharjah building, they benefit from museums, research centres, and a diverse academic community, with a future campus expanding these opportunities. Graduates go on to advance scholarship, shape policy, and lead initiatives across academia, culture, and international organisations.

PhD scholarships and fall 2026 applications open

GSU offers full scholarships for its Fall 2026 PhD programme, covering tuition, visa and health insurance, airfare for international students, accommodation, a monthly stipend, and research funds. Prospective students with independent financial means are also welcome to apply, provided they meet the admission and academic standards of the graduate programme.

Applications for fall 2026 are now open, with a deadline of December 1.

For more information on admission requirements and key dates, email admissions@gsu.ac.ae or visit gsu.ac.ae