Sharjah24: His Highness Sheikh Dr. 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 way to progress that Sharjah works from its point of view in establishing universities and scientific edifices and providing the opportunity to acquire the correct and appropriate knowledge for each environment in all cities and regions.

This was during His Highness' speech at the opening of University of Khorfakkan on Wednesday, in the presence of Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of University of Sharjah.

At the beginning of his speech, His Highness said, “We welcome you to Khorfakkan, for our participation in this special occasion by the opening 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 to the reality of that university in the environment in which it is located.”

His Highness added, University of Khorfakkan is in a marine environment, so we have added bachelor programmes in the field of marine sciences, as well as the Khorfakkan Center for Research and Marine Sciences. As for University of Kalba, which will open next year, we will add bachelor programmes in the field of wildlife sciences, and Kalba Center for Zoology Research. 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.

His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah stressed the importance of education and the establishment of universities, saying that science and its foundations are the way to progress, and we hope that our universities will enable us to continue the path of progress, and we work for that, building more universities, and opening the way for competition among them.

His Highness concluded his speech by saying: “In everything we do, we adhere to the understanding of the great Islam, which attributed the scholars to the class of the prophets.

Prof. 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 bearing the name: University of Khorfakkan.

Al-Nuaimi indicated that University of Khorfakkan has obtained the official license 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, and it will also include a special college for marine sciences.

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 saw the latest classrooms and laboratories, acquainting with the various facilities that the university has that contribute to providing a distinctive learning environment for students.

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.