American University of Sharjah and Unilever sign MoU

The MoU affirms Unilever's commitment to recruiting AUS alumni and students and being an active participant in the various initiatives that serve institutional advancement objectives.

"American University of Sharjah is an impressive higher education institution in the UAE and the region. It is one of the key sources of talent for our business. We have close to a dozen AUS alumni working for Unilever in the region, and I can confidently say that the level of preparedness of AUS graduates to meet the challenges of business today is high," said Assaf Qureshi, Vice President of Unilever North Africa and Middle East.

"By building and sustaining partnerships with prestigious universities, such as AUS, across the region, we aim to strengthen our pool of talent by offering exceptional employment opportunities to aspiring alumni and students. Additionally, by providing the hands-on experience to students, we aim to help bridge the gap between the educational and practical world," added Al Quraishi.

Chancellor Peter Heath stated that, "This agreement is an excellent example of AUS leadership in supporting industries and the region in providing graduates with very refined skills and capabilities that will contribute to the future of the regional economies."

"The partnership between Unilever and AUS has been well established for a number of years now," said Dr. Nada Mourtada-Sabbah, Vice Chancellor for Development and Alumni Affairs. "This MoU emphasizes the intent of both entities for an ongoing understanding to advance cooperative ventures for mutual benefit and the development of new initiatives," she added.

Unilever is one of the most active AUS alumni employers in terms of campus presence. Unilever Chairman for North Africa and Middle East, Sanjiv Mehta, recently addressed the graduating class of spring 2012 and shared his own life lessons acquired from personal experiences. The company takes part in the annual AUS Business Forum and Career Fair and also sponsored the spring 2012 graduation luncheon. Additionally, Unilever participated in the Career Advancement Lecture Series, encouraging AUS senior students to participate in "Unilever Idea Trophy Challenge," which is a capacity-building initiative.