Sharjah, UAE, October 31, 2024 – American University of Sharjah (AUS) recently received the Exclusive Customer Award for Best Digital Campus from Zoom Video Communications. Zoom’s executive team presented the award to a team from AUS during GITEX 2024, the largest technology exhibition and conference in the Middle East. The award was presented to members of AUS’ leadership and IT teams, including AUS Chancellor, Dr. Tod Laursen, AUS Executive Director of ICT and IT Security, Amina Abdulrahim and IT team members including Naji El Nujumi, Nabeel Amireh, Vijay Allamsetti and Lars Kreutz.
This prestigious award acknowledged AUS’ pioneering mindset in integrating Zoom technology into the daily lives of its faculty, students and staff to create a world-class digital experience across its campus. It was presented to AUS in front of an audience of IT and technology industry leaders. The award also acknowledged AUS’ role as a leader in digital transformation within the higher education sector.
AUS was one of the first universities in the Middle East to adopt Zoom four years ago. Since then, AUS has leveraged Zoom’s technology to enhance teaching and working processes across its campus. By utilizing Zoom’s advanced features, the university has created a collaborative environment that promotes individual and group work among faculty, students, and staff, demonstrating its pioneering spirit in adopting digital tools for educational and research advancement.
“Receiving this award is a testament to our commitment to embracing innovative technologies that enhance the learning and working experience at AUS. We value partnerships between academia and industry that enable us to deliver on our educational mission and offer best in-class digital experiences to our students and academic community,” said Dr Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS.
“This partnership has allowed us to transition from traditional methods to a more dynamic, connected campus environment, fostering greater collaboration and engagement which, in turn, helps to speed up AUS’ research and innovation. Today, Zoom has evolved beyond a simple video conferencing tool into a comprehensive workspace partner. Our strategic use of this technology underscores the university’s dedication to providing a forward-thinking digital experience that meets the needs of our diverse academic community,” said Amina Abdulrahim, Director of IT Services and Security at AUS.
“AUS will continue to explore new horizons in technology to ensure that we remain at the forefront of educational innovation for the community of students, staff and faculty we serve,” concluded Abdulrahim.
About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.
Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century.
AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow.