Dear AUS Community,

As we begin the Fall 2026 semester, I would like to extend a warm welcome to our students, faculty and staff. Whether you are joining AUS for the first time or returning to campus, I hope the semester ahead will be a productive and rewarding one. The start of a new academic year always brings renewed energy to our community, and I look forward to all that we will accomplish together in the months ahead.

I recently had the opportunity to represent AUS in Louisville, Kentucky, through a series of engagements that reinforced both the reach of our university and the increasingly important role higher education can play beyond the boundaries of campus.

At World Trade Day, I spoke about higher education as a partner in regional economic development and the role universities can play in connecting talent, research, innovation and industry. The following day, at the Muhammad Ali Center, I joined Lonnie Ali and other leaders for a conversation on leading through crisis and the role of courage, compassion and values-driven decision-making in times of uncertainty.

The convening was particularly meaningful for AUS as it marked an important next step in our partnership with the Muhammad Ali Center and the international expansion of the Muhammad Ali Index. Earlier this year, Sharjah became the first city outside the United States to join the Index, with AUS contributing its regional knowledge and research capabilities to this global effort to better understand compassion and how it is experienced and expressed in communities. In Louisville, we had the opportunity to share emerging insights from this work in the Middle East and North Africa and to consider what the evidence can teach us about leadership, trust and resilience. It is a strong example of how locally grounded research can contribute to a much wider global conversation.

I also addressed the Rotary Club of Louisville on the distinctive model of AUS and the way we harmonize an American educational model with Sharjah’s heritage and culture. While these engagements approached higher education from different perspectives, each reinforced the same principle: universities have a responsibility not only to educate, but also to generate knowledge, convene important conversations and contribute meaningfully to the societies they serve. That responsibility is central to the AUS 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, and I am pleased to see tangible progress across the university as we translate our strategic priorities into action.

Our Office of Executive Education and Professional Development has achieved an important institutional milestone through licensing by the UAE National Qualifications Centre. This strengthens our capacity to deliver high-quality professional learning that responds to evolving workforce needs and expands the ways AUS can engage with government, industry and professionals across the UAE.

We are also advancing our commitment to an empowering working culture with the introduction of the new AUS HR Policy Manual. Its phased implementation provides a clearer and more consistent framework for our faculty and staff and reflects our broader commitment to strengthening the employee experience, improving our processes and supporting the people whose work makes our mission possible.

At the same time, important progress continues in our digital transformation. Over the summer, AUS completed the technical upgrade of Banner, our Student Information System, establishing the foundation for the next phase of the Banner Modernization Program. The work ahead will focus on improving functionality, integration and the experience of the students, faculty and staff who rely on these systems every day.

These developments may be taking place in very different parts of the AUS, but together they demonstrate what implementation of our strategy looks like: investing in our people, strengthening our infrastructure, expanding our engagement and ensuring that AUS remains agile and prepared for the future.

Finally, this issue of Rotunda comes as we mark Emirati Women’s Day. Our celebrations began on August 28 and will continue throughout the coming month, providing an opportunity to recognize the achievements and contributions of Emirati women across our university and the wider UAE. At AUS, we are fortunate to see those contributions every day among our students, faculty, staff, alumni and leaders, and I encourage our community to take part in the activities planned throughout the month.

As we look ahead to the semester, I thank each of you for the role you play in moving AUS forward. I wish our entire community a successful Fall 2026 semester and look forward to another year of progress, collaboration and meaningful impact.