Nusseibeh
Commitment to Education
Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh was appointed Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) in October, 2020. The chancellorship followed a decree by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the United Arab Emirates.
The university was founded in 1976 by the late Sheikh Zayed, and has risen to be one of the top educational institutions in the Middle East.
As the university’s Chancellor, Nusseibeh plans to further develop its strategic vision and activities that will strengthen the university’s identity as the university of the future.
The Chancellor’s message can be read here.
Previously, Nusseibeh had been appointed as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi in 2018, having helped to establish the University in 2006 and sitting on its Administrative Board (2006-2018).
In November 2019, Nusseibeh gave a commencement speech at the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi graduation ceremony to the class of 2019.
“When the great Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan rose with his fellow rulers to build our modern nation, he did so with a handful of academics who graduated from universities from around the world. Students resorted to studying abroad due to a lack of educational opportunities in the UAE. Sheikh Zayed was a visionary who recognized that education is the golden gate through which the sons and daughters of the nation embark on a promising path of development, prosperity and creativity across various developmental fields. With science, civilizations are built, and by science, nations advance."
(excerpt from the graduation speech)
He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy (EDA) with oversight responsibility for its management (2017-present).
In August 2020, Nusseibeh welcomed a new cohort of EDA students and future diplomats during the Academy's virtual welcome orientation.
"The UAE’s wise leadership built a transparent policy based on tolerance, wisdom and understanding, with nations across our borders. I have immense confidence that the EDA’s students will thus carry these principles forward, in their journeys to becoming successful diplomats, worthy of representing this great nation."
(excerpt from the welcome speech)
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His commitment to education is reflected in his active contributions to a wealth of educational institutions both in the region and around the globe.
“The University was founded as a flagship university for the nation with a mission to foster the sustainable development of our country. Our community of faculty, administrative staff and students is justifiably proud of the University’s service to the nation and its contribution to realizing the plans and aspirations of the country’s leadership. It is committed to providing its students with a welcoming, supportive, and stimulating academic, social, and cultural environment. We will therefore marshal our efforts and resources so that these are deployed effectively to fulfil our leadership’s vision of the leading role of our nation in the world of tomorrow.”
[excerpt taken from the UAEU Chancellor’s Message]