American University of Sharjah education goes beyond mastering a subject: Bodour

American University of Sharjah (AUS) celebrated the graduation of 419 students at its Fall 2025 Commencement Ceremony, held at University City Hall in University City of Sharjah, in the presence of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of AUS.

Families, friends, faculty and guests gathered to honour the Class of Fall 2025 and mark a defining milestone in the academic journey of the university’s newest graduates.

Sheikha Bodour said: “Today we honour the academic achievements of the Class of Fall 2025. But more than that, we celebrate the intellectual clarity, spirit of resilience and sense of purpose they have developed in getting to this point.

An AUS education goes far beyond mastering an academic subject. It’s about learning to think autonomously, ask the right questions and live your life with intention. It fills me with pride to know our graduates carry these capacities and values forward as they contribute to Sharjah, the UAE and the wider world.”

Reflecting on the achievements of the class, Chancellor Dr. Tod Laursen said: “Commencement is always one of the most meaningful occasions in the life of AUS because it allows us to see the impact of our mission reflected in our graduates. The Class of Fall 2025 has studied and grown through a period of significant global change and has shown that it can respond with intellectual curiosity, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.

At AUS, we strive to graduate individuals who think critically, act ethically and understand their responsibility to contribute to the progress of Sharjah, the UAE and the wider world. I have every confidence that our graduates will carry these values into their careers and communities and that they will make a lasting, positive difference wherever they go.”

The ceremony’s guest speaker was Ons Jabeur, a Tunisian professional tennis player and the highest-ranked African and Arab player in tennis history, reaching world number two in June 2022.

She is the first African and Arab woman to reach a Grand Slam singles final and has won five Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) titles, including the 2022 Madrid Open. After early success as a junior—winning the 2011 French Open girls’ title— Jabeur rose steadily on the WTA Tour, making deep runs at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

In 2019, she was named Arab Woman of the Year.

During the ceremony, Jabeur spoke to graduates about perseverance, self-belief and using individual success as a platform to inspire and uplift others.

International studies graduate Alia Ahli delivered the student address under the theme “Shaped by Challenges.”

She spoke about how AUS transformed her and her classmates through demanding experiences that expanded their horizons, from global forums such as the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York and COP28 to leadership roles on campus, teaching them to view challenges as opportunities, lead with integrity and treat education as a responsibility to serve their societies. Jabeur also shared heartfelt gratitude to her family, professors, classmates and the AUS community, recognising the collective support that shaped the Class of Fall 2025.

The Fall 2025 graduating class comprised 419 students in total, including 87 graduate students and 332 undergraduates.

Among the graduate students were nine PhD and 78 master’s graduates. The class included 219 women and 200 men, representing 38 nationalities, with 142 UAE nationals.

Graduates were distributed across the university’s colleges and school as follows: 19 from the College of Architecture, Art and Design, including four master’s and 15 undergraduate students; 75 from the College of Arts and Sciences, including three PhD, seven master’s and 65 undergraduate students; 103 from the School of Business Administration, including 16 master’s and 87 undergraduate students; and 222 from the College of Engineering, including six PhD, 51 master’s and 165 undergraduate students.