Sharjah: The Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport Branch in Sharjah (AASTS) is now open for admissions for Spring semester 2022 to holders of high school certificates or equivalent.
AASTS currently offers Bachelor of Marine Engineering Technology and a 3rd Engineer Certificate of Competency, and Bachelor of Maritime Transport Technology and 2nd Mate Certificate of Competency in Shipping and Port Operations and Offshore service technology. Both disciplines qualify graduates to work in shipping, port operations, and offshore support services.
Prestigious academy
The Sharjah branch is comparable in size and equipment with the Academy’s main branch in Alexandria, Egypt that enjoys a prestigious international reputation in maritime learning. AASTS has separate dormitories for male and female students, equipped with world class recreational facilities. AASTS also encourages its students to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and features sports facilities such as swimming pools, training and fitness equipment.
World-class capabilities
Prof. Dr Ismail Abdel Ghaffar Ismail Farag, president of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, said: “The UAE’s leadership has made a significant investment in facilitating the establishment of world-class capabilities in scientific research, education, and training in the maritime industry by establishing the Academy’s branch in Sharjah. The branch is expected to become the academic house of expertise for the industry in the region and produce high-quality graduates with the ability to drive the future of the industry.
Elevated rank
“Our responsibility towards achieving this goal has become bigger with the re-election of the UAE to the IMO (International Maritime Organisation) Council in Category B by receiving the majority votes from member states. This consensus from the majority of countries underlines the UAE’s elevated rank in the global marine industry. This motivates us to exert greater effort to produce highly-qualified individuals who are the key components of excellence in this sector,” he added.
Farag continued: “We have designed our educational curricula to keep pace with the UAE’s strategic plans in the ‘Projects of the 50’. These projects focus on increasing the UAE’s exports and expanding the global reach of its products, where shipping plays a pivotal role.
