Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah (UoS), witnessed on Thursday the graduation ceremony for the spring semester 2026 at the University City Hall, where graduate students of the University of Sharjah graduated.
In his speech at the graduation ceremony, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed emphasised the need to pursue the journey of knowledge with determination and perseverance, as previous generations did, to achieve the highest levels of excellence and serve their nations.
Addressing the graduates, he said, “Before navigation systems and satellites, the merchants of the Arabian Gulf sailed across the seas in the darkness of night, guided only by the stars. They knew the sky as well as you know your books, and read the winds as carefully as you read your research. They spent months in the unknown, not because the journey was easy, but because the goal was worth it. And when they returned, they did not return for themselves; they came back with what fed families and built communities. The sea was never their destination; it was the path. The destination was always here, in their homeland and among their people. Today, you are the continuation of that legacy.”
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed congratulates the graduates and wishes them success in their professional lives.
WAM
“You have journeyed through the seas of knowledge as your forefathers journeyed through the seas, enduring the pressures of research, the challenges of difficult questions, and long nights of study. And now, you return not to the shore, but to the society that awaits you.”
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed praised the graduates’ distinguished achievements, noting that they had completed their postgraduate studies through carefully selected specialised programmes that prepare them for leadership roles.
He said, “The postgraduate degrees you carry today in your diverse fields are not merely additions to your résumés; they are tools capable of shaping decisions and informing policy. Most of you already work in the vital sectors and institutions of this nation, which means that what you have learned will not remain confined to theory in a book. It will become a decision made in a meeting, a solution to a challenge, or a vision that guides a project. Knowledge without action is like an archer without a bow, an arrow, or a string.”
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed highlighted the university’s extensive efforts to prepare students at all levels, giving its graduates every reason to take pride in their alma mater.
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed gestures during the graduation ceremony in Sharjah. WAM
He said, “You have graduated from a university that defines itself not by the buildings and laboratories it has constructed, but by the minds, research, and innovations it has produced. Today, the University of Sharjah has firmly established its place among the world’s leading universities, as recognised by the most prominent international ranking institutions.”
Addressing parents and families, the President of the University of Sharjah paid tribute to their dedication, sacrifices, patience, and unwavering support throughout their children’s academic journey, saying, “Behind every graduate receiving a certificate today stands a father who worked tirelessly in silence, a mother who offered heartfelt prayers before dawn, and a family that believed in the future before it could see it. You were not supporters from afar; you were the very foundation upon which all of this was built. Therefore, today, before your sons and daughters, husbands and wives, it is you who have the first right to feel proud.”
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed also addressed the university’s faculty and administration, acknowledging their significant efforts in supporting students and helping them overcome challenges at every stage of their academic journey.
He said, “To those who taught with dedication, guided with excellence, and patiently answered questions until they illuminated minds, today, you have our deepest gratitude and appreciation.”
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed concluded his speech by congratulating the graduates and wishing them success in their professional lives.
WAM
