The five-year agreement will provide a framework for cooperation and facilitate collaboration between the two parties, on a non-exclusive basis, in areas of mutual interest in the UAE.

The signing ceremony was attended by Thomas Hochstetler, AUS Provost; Salem Yousef Al Qaseer, Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs; Jack Persekian, Director of Sharjah Arts Foundation; deans and senior officials from both AUS and SAF.

“We at the Sharjah Arts Foundation have already seen a big difference in our projects with students participation. We hope that this agreement will enable us to continue our collaboration which will benefit both our institutions,” said Sheikha Hoor in a statement after the signing ceremony.

AUS Chancellor Dr. Heath said, “We are very interested in participating in projects in collaboration with the Sharjah Arts Foundation. This agreement will open doors to many projects and our students will be more actively involved.” He added, “It would be nice that Sharjah become better known throughout the world as a place of culture."

According to the agreement, the two parties will cooperate in areas of Art and design education, creation, advancement and promotion in general of the SAF Education Center being built in the Sharjah heritage area. The institutions will work together to promote regional and international knowledge in the art field, expertise in exhibition curating, conception and design, as well as connections to network of partners and professionals.

The parties will also collaborate in programming artists’ visits including possible connections with visiting Professor and Artist-in-Residence Programs for possible classes, lectures, seminars and workshops; research and studio-based projects including exhibition and venue design. They will also provide each other with access to resources and facilities wherever possible and appropriate.

Sharjah Art Foundation supports the flourishing arts environment in the Gulf by nurturing artistic opportunities and actively pursuing both a regional and international programme of cultural collaboration and exchange. Towards that end, the MoU will enable the foundation to communicate and exchange information with AUS, which aims to achieve and maintain pre-eminence as a co-educational institution based upon American models and grounded in the history and culture of the Arab Gulf region.

March 10, 2011

Source: www.aus.edu