AUS to host QS Higher Education Summit: Middle East 2027

This marks the first collaboration between AUS and QS—a global leader in higher education analytics and advisory services—in organizing the event, and the first time Sharjah will welcome the prestigious summit, underscoring the Emirate’s rising prominence as a hub of higher education excellence.

The announcement was made during a meeting held on the AUS campus on September 2, where Dr Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, and Dr Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director for QS in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, discussed the plans for the upcoming summit in the presence of senior officials from both institutions.

“This milestone places AUS, Sharjah and the UAE at the heart of global conversations on higher education. The summit will provide our Emirate with an important platform for regional and international leaders to exchange ideas and shape the future of learning,” said Chancellor Laursen.

“Hosting the QS Higher Education Summit for the Middle East in Sharjah for the first time in 2027 is a powerful recognition of the Emirate’s growing influence in global academia. Together with AUS, we aim to create a platform where regional and international leaders can exchange ideas, forge partnerships, and shape a more innovative and inclusive future for higher education,” said Dr Fernandes. 

In the most recent QS World University Rankings, AUS climbed 60 places to reach 272 globally, placing it among the top 18 percent of institutions worldwide. These gains—driven by improvements in employer reputation, academic reputation and research impact, alongside top global standings in international faculty and student diversity—reflect a consistent upward trend since 2018.