His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, met on Wednesday morning, the first cohort of doctoral students at Global Studies University (GSU), held in the presence of Sheikha Hoor bint Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, President of GSU, at the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre in University City.
The Ruler of Sharjah congratulated the students on joining GSU, recalling how it began as a project dedicated to African studies before expanding into a global institution housing numerous research institutes focused on regions and continents across the world. He noted that Sharjah has long worked to create an environment conducive to education by hosting universities, higher institutes, and specialised academies across diverse fields. He urged the students to make full use of these resources to advance the founding vision of the university.
During the gathering, His Highness emphasised that serious academic research must be rooted in rigour, depth, and thoughtful debate, with ideas being carefully tested and studied before being committed to writing. Only then, he said, can research be genuinely original, innovative, and of service to society— correcting historical and geographical misconceptions and offering new perspectives.
Dr Salah Hassan, Chancellor of GSU, delivered a speech in which he expressed gratitude to the Ruler of Sharjah for his unwavering support and visionary leadership in establishing the Africa Institute, which laid the foundation for the university's postgraduate programs. He also introduced the PhD students, a diverse group of ten scholars from various countries, and outlined the university’s programmes and areas of study.
At the close of the meeting, His Highness led the attendees on a tour of the Dr Sultan Al Qasimi Centre in University City, where they explored its rich collection of rare documents, maps, photographs, and books gathered by His Highness over many years, with a special focus on the history and geography of the Arabian Gulf and beyond.
Please click here to read His Highness' statement on this occasion.