His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, attended the inauguration of the first cohort of Master’s students at Global Studies University. The event, held at Africa Hall in Sharjah, officially welcomed twenty-four students enrolled in the Global African Studies Program for the Spring 2025 semester. The ceremony was attended by senior officials, academics, and university leaders.
In a significant development, Global Studies University received accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) on January 28, 2025, for its Doctor of Philosophy in Global Studies and Master of Arts in Global African Studies programs. This accreditation highlights the university’s commitment to academic excellence and solidifies its standing as a leader in global studies education.
Global Studies University was established under Emiri Decree No. (57) of 2023, issued by Sheikh Sultan on September 14, 2023. The decree designates the institution as a non-profit Arab academic institution, granting it full legal, financial, and administrative independence. The ceremony featured remarks from His Excellency Advisor Mansour bin Mohammed bin Nassar, Head of the Legal Department of Sharjah, who read key Emiri Decrees and institutional documents formalizing the university’s foundation.
Following the formal proceedings, speeches were delivered by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi and Her Highness Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, President of Global Studies University. The event concluded with remarks from Dr. Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of GSU and Dean of The Africa Institute.
The university’s Board of Trustees, formed under Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2025, will be chaired by Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Global Studies University in Sharjah, and will include leading global scholars, economists, and industry experts. Among its members are: Abiy Yeshitla, CEO of Muleback Technologies, USA; Chika Okeke-Agulu, Professor at Princeton University, USA; Lina Haggar, Art Consultant, Dubai, UAE; Manthia Diawara, Professor at New York University, USA; H.E. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Private Education Authority, UAE; Osama Daoud Abdellatif, Chairperson of DAL Group, Dubai, UAE; Savitri Bisnath, Senior Director at The New School, USA; Zahra Saeedi Baalawi, Independent Consultant, Dubai, UAE; Dr. Fatima Al-Shamsi, Senior Economist, UAE; and Samallie Kiyingi, Global General Counsel at Standard Chartered, Singapore.
The event also marked the fulfillment of a vision first articulated in 1976 during Sharjah’s inaugural symposium on Afro-Arab Relations. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, this symposium laid the groundwork for the creation of an institute focused on African-Arab relations, now realized through The Africa Institute and GSU’s graduate programs.
The establishment of Global Studies University reflects the UAE’s ongoing role as a convergence point for diverse peoples and cultures. GSU is envisioned as a network of semi-independent interdisciplinary institutions, each focused on a different global region, including The Africa Institute, established in 2018, and the soon-to-be-established Asia Institute. Similar institutions focusing on other regions, such as the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, are planned to follow.
Admissions are now open for the Ph.D. program and MA Global African Studies Program. Interested candidates can visit our Academic Programs section for more information about the programs and the application process.
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, attended the inauguration of the first cohort of Master’s students at Global Studies University. The event, held at Africa Hall in Sharjah, officially welcomed twenty-four students enrolled in the Global African Studies Program for the Spring 2025 semester. The ceremony was attended by senior officials, academics, and university leaders.
His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, attended the inauguration of the first cohort of Master’s students at Global Studies University. The event, held at Africa Hall in Sharjah, officially welcomed twenty-four students enrolled in the Global African Studies Program for the Spring 2025 semester. The ceremony was attended by senior officials, academics, and university leaders.
In a significant development, Global Studies University received accreditation from the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) on January 28, 2025, for its Doctor of Philosophy in Global Studies and Master of Arts in Global African Studies programs. This accreditation highlights the university’s commitment to academic excellence and solidifies its standing as a leader in global studies education.
Global Studies University was established under Emiri Decree No. (57) of 2023, issued by Sheikh Sultan on September 14, 2023. The decree designates the institution as a non-profit Arab academic institution, granting it full legal, financial, and administrative independence. The ceremony featured remarks from His Excellency Advisor Mansour bin Mohammed bin Nassar, Head of the Legal Department of Sharjah, who read key Emiri Decrees and institutional documents formalizing the university’s foundation.
Following the formal proceedings, speeches were delivered by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi and Her Highness Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, President of Global Studies University. The event concluded with remarks from Dr. Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of GSU and Dean of The Africa Institute.
The university’s Board of Trustees, formed under Administrative Resolution No. (1) of 2025, will be chaired by Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of the Global Studies University in Sharjah, and will include leading global scholars, economists, and industry experts. Among its members are: Abiy Yeshitla, CEO of Muleback Technologies, USA; Chika Okeke-Agulu, Professor at Princeton University, USA; Lina Haggar, Art Consultant, Dubai, UAE; Manthia Diawara, Professor at New York University, USA; H.E. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, Chairperson of Sharjah Private Education Authority, UAE; Osama Daoud Abdellatif, Chairperson of DAL Group, Dubai, UAE; Savitri Bisnath, Senior Director at The New School, USA; Zahra Saeedi Baalawi, Independent Consultant, Dubai, UAE; Dr. Fatima Al-Shamsi, Senior Economist, UAE; and Samallie Kiyingi, Global General Counsel at Standard Chartered, Singapore.
The event also marked the fulfillment of a vision first articulated in 1976 during Sharjah’s inaugural symposium on Afro-Arab Relations. Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammed Al Qasimi, this symposium laid the groundwork for the creation of an institute focused on African-Arab relations, now realized through The Africa Institute and GSU’s graduate programs.
The establishment of Global Studies University reflects the UAE’s ongoing role as a convergence point for diverse peoples and cultures. GSU is envisioned as a network of semi-independent interdisciplinary institutions, each focused on a different global region, including The Africa Institute, established in 2018, and the soon-to-be-established Asia Institute. Similar institutions focusing on other regions, such as the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, are planned to follow.
Admissions are now open for the Ph.D. program and MA Global African Studies Program. Interested candidates can visit our Academic Programs section for more information about the programs and the application process.
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