Centre hails Sheikh Sultan’s fellowship from Paris university

As part of its monthly “Scientific Degree” initiative, the Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre celebrated the honour bestowed upon His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, with the International Honorary Fellowship from the University of Paris Panthéon-ASSAS.

This prestigious academic accolade, awarded in February 2023, recognizes His Highness’s remarkable contributions to science, culture, and literature, as well as his unwavering support for academic education and scientific research.

His Highness expressed his gratitude for this esteemed recognition, thanking the university administration for their dedication and commending their efforts to enhance academic and research programmes in law and legislation, which have positively impacted their branches throughout the UAE. The ceremony included a speech by Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah. He conveyed his pride in this significant recognition, reflecting on His Highness’s achievements, which are marked by knowledge, wisdom, and generosity, cementing Sharjah’s status as a leading hub for education and culture. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Paris Panthéon University in the UAE, congratulated His Highness on the fellowship. He noted that this honour not only signifies recognition for His Highness but also for the fellowship itself and its founders.

Sheikh Nahyan praised the Ruler of Sharjah for his scientific and humanitarian contributions, highlighting his commitment to serving the nation and humanity as a whole.

Guillaume Létié, Honorary Chancellor of the University of Paris and President of Paris Panthéon-ASSAS University in the UAE, commended His Highness’s extensive contributions to education and culture. He acknowledged the academic institutions established in Sharjah, including the University of Sharjah, which hosted the honour ceremony. Additionally, the French Ambassador to the UAE, Nicolas Nemtchenau, expressed the appreciation of the French leadership and public for His Highness, recognizing the significant international influence he embodies in thought, literature, and culture.

This latest honour adds to His Highness’s impressive array of academic and cultural accomplishments. He has received numerous honorary doctorates from some of the world’s most esteemed universities and has played a pivotal role in creating the region’s largest university city, establishing a network of universities and institutes that position Sharjah as a beacon of scientific and cultural excellence on both regional and international stages. Recently, the Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre (DSQC) revisited a significant milestone in the academic journey of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who was awarded an honorary doctorate by Portugal’s University of Coimbra in October 2018.

The recognition came in appreciation of Sheikh Sultan’s lifelong contributions to history, literature, and cultural research. His extensive research has shed light on major historical facts and the development of human societies. The university described His Highness as “the man who brings cultures together.” Established in 1290, the University of Coimbra is the oldest university in Portugal and among the oldest in Europe. It is a leading academic and research institution and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013. The honorary doctorate is its highest distinction, conferred on individuals who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in cultural, literary, or scientific fields.

Throughout its history, the university has bestowed this honour upon just 190 distinguished figures from Portugal and around the world, including current Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres and the former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker. During the award ceremony, His Highness commended the university’s leadership for promoting cultural exchange and strengthening ties between nations. Earlier this year, as part of its monthly “Academic Degree” project for April 2025, the Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre revisited the honorary doctorate in humanities awarded to His Highness Sheikh Sultan by the American University in Cairo (AUC).

The centre highlighted this prestigious recognition, which was conferred upon the Ruler of Sharjah in February 2009 in Cairo, in appreciation of his outstanding contributions to science, culture, and arts.