AUB Provost to lead American University of Sharjah

AUB President John Waterbury congratulated Heath on his new position, saying: "I have worked with Peter Heath virtually since I became president. I have relied on him for his sound judgment in all aspects of AUB's life. Much of the progress we have made in the last decade would not have been possible without him. AUS has recognized that fact, and all of us at AUB are proud that one of our own will be leading a dynamic, young university that AUB helped in its early years. We all wish him the best of luck."

Heath was appointed chancellor of AUS after an extensive eight-month selection process that screened a number of highly qualified applicants, including sitting presidents, vice presidents and deans of well known North American universities. The appointment was announced after it was approved by Sharjah's ruler, Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, who is also member of the Supreme Council and founder and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American University of Sharjah. "Dr. Heath was chosen for the position," said Sheikh Sultan, "because of his demonstrated ability as a scholar and administrator in both the United States and the Middle East." The choice of Heath represented a consensus judgment of the university community, the Board of Trustees and Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi. Heath succeeds Professor Winfred Thompson as chancellor of AUS.

Heath received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Princeton University and his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. His first appointment was to the faculty of Birzeit University on the West Bank in Palestine. In 1986 he returned to the United States to join Washington University in St Louis as a professor of Arabic Language and Literature. While there he also directed the Center for the Study of Islamic Societies and Civilizations and chaired of the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures.

In 1998 he was named Provost of the American University of Beirut, where he played a leading role in the rebuilding of the University's academic standing. As AUB's chief academic officer, Heath worked closely with the academic deans and helped recruit a distinguished, dynamic and diverse faculty, while also guiding the University through a rigorous six-year accreditation process, culminating in the receipt of official accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) in 2004. Heath also oversaw the reinstitution of PhD programs in eight fields, in addition to updating registration of all the university's undergraduate and graduate programs with the New York State Education Department.

During his tenure, AUB launched many new academic support units, such as the Office of Admissions, Financial Aid, Grants and Contracts, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Academic Computing. Similarly, a number of interfaculty research units were established during his time at AUB.

Heath has remained active as a scholar throughout his career. He is the author of two monographs as well as of some thirty articles in refereed professional journals in addition to more occasional writings.

"My ten years at AUB have been exciting and rewarding," Heath said. "I have grown both professionally and personally, and I have tremendously enjoyed working with and for AUB's talented students, faculty, and staff," said Heath. "There is no doubt that my wife and I will miss AUB and our many friends here in Lebanon, but we also look forward to the exciting and challenging opportunities that await us at AUS.

AUS was founded in 1997. It currently enrolls approximately 5,000 young men and women representing over 80 nationalities. The university has more than 330 full-time faculty members.

AUS is accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research and also by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in the United States of America. All bachelor's degree programs in the College of Engineering are accredited by the Accrediting Commission of ABET in the United States.