Sharjah: His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah and President of University of Khorfakkan, affirmed that science and its foundations are the ways to progress and from that point of view, Sharjah works towards establishing universities and scientific edifices and providing opportunities to acquire knowledge.
Dr Sheikh Sultan said this in his speech at the opening of University of Khorfakkan today, in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of University of Sharjah.
His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan said: “We welcome you to Khorfakkan, for our participation in this special occasion on the opening of University of Khorfakkan, which we look forward to be the beginning of a new and distinguished stage in the process of university education in the emirate of Sharjah, where education and scientific research are linked.”
Wildlife sciences
He added that University of Khorfakkan is in a marine environment, so the bachelors’ programmes in the field of marine sciences, as well as the Khorfakkan Center for Research and Marine Sciences, have been made part of this university. “As for University of Kalba, which will open next year, we will add bachelors’ programmes in the field of wildlife sciences, and Kalba Center for Zoology Research will be part of it. The University of Al Dhaid, which will open two years from now, will have a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences and Livestock Resources, and Al Dhaid Center for Desert Sciences will be part of it.”
The Ruler of Sharjah stressed the importance of education and the establishment of universities, saying that science and its foundations are the ways to progress. He added: “In everything we do, we adhere to the understanding of Islam, which attributed scholars the class of prophets.”
An independent entity
Professor Hamid Majul Al Nuaimi, Director of the University of Sharjah, said in his speech that the implementation of the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah to transform the university branch in Khorfakkan into a university with an independent entity by taking all necessary legal, administrative, technical and academic measures and procedures until the basic requirements of this branch are integrated to be an independent university, under the name: University of Khorfakkan.
College for marine sciences
Al Nuaimi indicated that University of Khorfakkan has obtained the licence and academic accreditation for its programmes, so that students will be accepted immediately to start studying at the beginning of September of the current academic year, adding that the university will include the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Information Technology, the College of Sharia, Law and the College of Business Administration, and will work on Granting degrees in theoretical, applied and practical disciplines. It will also include a special college for marine sciences.
Programme in marine biology
His Highness the President of University of Khorfakkan signed a memorandum of understanding between the university and the University of Exeter, which was signed by Dr Gareth Stansfields, vice-president of the university and executive director of the College of Social and International Studies.
The memorandum aims to design and prepare a bachelor’s programme in marine biology and a bachelor’s programme in marine sciences. It also provides for the establishment of the Khorfakkan Center for Marine Research.
Sharjah Ruler toured the university and visited its classrooms and laboratories.
The opening of the university was attended by Sheikh Khalid bin Essam Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Civil Aviation; Sheikh Saeed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Vice-President of the Ruler’s Office in Khorfakkan; a number of senior officials, heads of government departments, notables in the region and members of the University of Sharjah’s Board of Trustees.
