Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah (UOS), attended the graduation ceremony for the fifth cohort of students in the Emirati Future Leaders Initiative (EFLI) on Wednesday morning. The event took place at the University of Sharjah's Student Forum.
The ceremony commenced with the UAE national anthem, followed by a speech from Professor Dr Issam Al-Din Ajami, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, who expressed his gratitude and appreciation to His Highness the President of the University of Sharjah for his continued support for young people and for honouring the graduates. He noted that such support contributes to achieving the objectives of the initiative and to preparing outstanding students for future leadership roles.

Dr Issam Al-Din Ajami added that the University of Sharjah remains committed to equipping generations with the knowledge, skills, and capacity to lead and innovate, enabling them to contribute effectively to the country’s sustainable development. He stressed that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow but also partners in shaping the present and architects of the future, with the potential and innovative ideas needed to confront challenges and turn them into opportunities for achievement and progress.

The Chancellor of UOS congratulated the programme’s graduates, wishing them continued success and encouraging them to make the most of the knowledge and experience gained through the initiative’s activities, both in the UAE and abroad.

Students Fares Al Malek and Shamma Al Shehi delivered a presentation titled “Lessons Learned from the Emirati Leadership Camp in Singapore,” highlighting their experience at the camp and the insights and benefits they gained from the Initiative. They also shared what they had learned from Singapore’s advanced practices in artificial intelligence and technological innovation across a range of fields. The participating students attended the camp, organised by the University of Sharjah in Singapore, as part of the Emirati Future Leaders Initiative. The Initiative comprised six months of training, workshops, and lectures delivered by the Institute of Leadership in Higher Education at the University of Sharjah.

His Highness the President of the University of Sharjah, along with attendees, watched a video presentation featuring graduates from previous cohorts of the Emirati Future Leaders Initiative, who spoke about how the Initiative had contributed to their academic, professional, and personal development. The alumni praised the initiative’s wide range of training activities and development programmes, highlighting their role in enhancing participants’ skills and capabilities and providing comprehensive preparation for future leadership roles.

The graduates of the initiative presented three innovative projects reflecting their vision for contributing to community development. The projects focused on leading digital transformation in government healthcare in the UAE, evaluating community behaviour towards recycling in Sharjah, and AI-powered integrated water management for the UAE’s housing sector. The students also put forward a number of proposals and future recommendations to further develop and enhance the implementation of the three projects.

The graduates’ diverse projects highlighted the wide range of skills they acquired through the initiative, including leadership, scientific research, innovation, collaboration, problem-solving, administrative and organisational competencies, aligning objectives with learning outcomes, and conducting community-based studies.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi honoured the graduates of the Emirati Future Leaders Initiative (EFLI), recognising 27 male and female students from across the University of Sharjah's colleges.

The Emirati Future Leaders Initiative aims to build the professional and practical capabilities of outstanding students and equip them with the skills needed to enter the labour market. Through specialised workshops, career guidance, and field visits, the Initiative equips participants with the tools to develop their competencies and adapt to evolving workplace requirements. The initiative also supports the UAE’s Emiratization agenda and reinforces the University of Sharjah’s commitment to social responsibility by preparing highly qualified national talent for future leadership roles.