GSU launches fully funded PhD in Global Studies

October 28, 2025 / 2:26 PM

Sharjah24: The newly established Global Studies University (GSU) in Sharjah has announced the launch of its fully funded PhD in Global Studies, open to outstanding bachelor’s and master’s degree holders worldwide. The programme integrates rigorous academic research with engagement in Sharjah’s rich intellectual and cultural environment, equipping scholars to address global challenges such as migration, inequality, and political transformation.

Students will benefit from an interdisciplinary approach that combines humanities, social sciences, and non-Western language studies, preparing graduates to advance research, shape policy, and make a lasting global impact. Applications for the Fall 2026 intake are now open, offering full scholarships that include tuition, accommodation, travel, and research support.

Through this initiative, GSU strengthens Sharjah’s position as a leading international hub for postgraduate education and cross-cultural exchange.

Sharjah: a global hub for learning and research

Strategically located at the crossroads of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, Sharjah has long served as a centre for intellectual and cultural exchange.

The Africa Institute, GSU’s cornerstone, traces its origins to the Afro–Arab Symposium of 1976 and was formally established in 2018 to promote research and postgraduate education in African and African diaspora studies. In 2023, it became the first constituent of GSU, anchoring a network of globally connected institutes dedicated to advanced, interdisciplinary research.

“Our vision is to build a network of semi-independent yet interconnected institutes in the Gulf,” said Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President of GSU. “The Africa Institute is the cornerstone, complemented by forthcoming institutes on Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas. Together, they form a hub for knowledge and postgraduate training rooted in cross-disciplinary research, non-Western languages, and engagement with global issues.”

Alongside The Africa Institute, which offers an MA in Global African Studies and African language programmes, GSU is cultivating a vibrant academic community bridging the Global South and North.

An advanced degree for interdisciplinary impact

The accredited five-year PhD combines two years of coursework with three years of dissertation research and writing. Students may specialise in Cultural, Visual, and Literary Studies or Historical, Political, and Social Studies, with thematic areas spanning Afro–Arab Relations, Diaspora Studies, Gender and Feminist Futures, Political Economy, and the Indian Ocean World.

“The creation of GSU is essential to cultivating a new generation of critical thinkers who can situate local and regional issues within a broader global framework,” said Professor Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of GSU and Dean of The Africa Institute.

Students will study under internationally recognised faculty and have access to Sharjah’s museums, archives, and research centres. The university’s historic setting, coupled with its expanding future campus, offers a dynamic environment for scholarship and collaboration.

PhD scholarships and Fall 2026 applications

GSU offers full scholarships for its Fall 2026 PhD programme, covering tuition, visa and health insurance, airfare for international students, accommodation, a monthly stipend, and research funding. Candidates with independent financial means are also welcome to apply, provided they meet the academic standards required for admission.

Applications for the Fall 2026 cohort are open until 1 December 2025, offering a unique opportunity for exceptional scholars to join one of Sharjah’s most ambitious postgraduate initiatives.