Sharjah, UAE – Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President of American University of Sharjah (AUS), inaugurated the AUS Career Fair 2025, welcoming 79 leading employers from diverse industries to campus. The event provided more than 1500 students and alumni with valuable opportunities to explore career paths, engage with top recruiters and gain insights into the evolving job market.

To prepare students for meaningful interactions with employers, the AUS Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs (OAAA) organized Career Prep Week in the lead-up to the fair. This series of workshops covered key career skills, including CV writing, interview techniques and personal branding, ensuring students were well-equipped to make a strong impression. 

Dr. Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, highlighted the significance of the event, stating: "At AUS, we are committed to equipping our students with the skills, knowledge and networks they need to excel in their careers. The AUS Career Fair reflects our strong industry partnerships and serves as a vital platform for students and alumni to connect with leading employers and shape their professional journeys."

According to the QS World University Rankings 2025, employers see AUS alumni as among the most job-ready graduates from universities in the UAE.

Reem Bardan, Executive Director of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at AUS, added: "Our goal is to ensure career readiness by carefully selecting top employers in the region who align with the aspirations of our students and alumni. The AUS Career Fair provides access to organizations that value talent, innovation and the potential of the next generation of leaders."

For alumna Larissa DSilva, a 2021 graduate in design management, the Career Fair was an opportunity to build meaningful connections across industries.

"The AUS Career Fair allowed me to engage directly with talent acquisition teams from top companies, expand my professional network and explore new career opportunities. It provided a foundation for long-term industry relationships that will support my career growth," she said.

For the first time at the Career Fair, OAAA is introducing a dedicated Career Assessment Booth in collaboration with the Abdullah Al Ghurair Foundation, as part of the Masar Al Ghurair Initiative, an artificial intelligence platform which offers personalized skills guidance, career paths and job matching for learners. This booth aims to evaluate the hard and soft skills of AUS students and alumni, providing them with valuable insights before they embark on their job-seeking journey at the fair. This pre-evaluation exercise is designed to help participants better understand their strengths and areas for improvement, enhancing their readiness to engage with potential employers.

On February 24–25, students will have another opportunity to connect with industry leaders at the AUS Career Forum 2025, to be held under the theme "Navigating Tomorrow–A Glimpse into the Future of Careers." The forum will feature a keynote address titled "Innovating for a Smarter Tomorrow," which will explore how technology and smart solutions are transforming industries, enhancing productivity and creating new career opportunities. The event will include two panel discussions: "Future-Proofing Careers–Technology and Talent in Transition," focusing on the skills and strategies needed to thrive in the digital age, and "Powering a Sustainable Future: Energy, Technology and Circular Economy," addressing the intersection of energy innovation, technological advancements and sustainability. The forum will also feature a fireside chat titled "The Role of AI in Shaping Future Careers," examining the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on various sectors and the essential skills future professionals need to succeed

The success of AUS Career Fair 2025 was made possible through the support of 20 sponsors. Emirates NBD and Samsung served as Platinum Sponsors, while HSBC participated as the Gold Sponsor. Arada, Dubai Airports and Procter & Gamble joined as Silver Sponsors, with Cummins, Deloitte, Gulftainer, Henkel, L'Oréal, Nestlé, Sprint Oil & Gas, TotalEnergies, Transmed, Veolia and Wacker Chemical as Bronze Sponsors. Additional support came from Institutional Advancement Sponsors BEEAH Group, Crescent Petroleum and Crescent Enterprises.

Joao Carlos Ferreira, Head of People at Samsung Gulf Electronics, said: “At Samsung Gulf, we believe that investing in young talent is key to shaping the future of innovation. The AUS Career Fair provides an invaluable platform for students and graduates to connect with industry leaders, explore exciting career opportunities at Samsung, and chart their professional paths. By connecting with emerging talent at events like this, we not only identify future leaders, but also contribute to driving meaningful progress across industries. We thank our partners at AUS and the wider Sharjah community for their unwavering support.”

“As the platinum sponsor of the AUS Career Fair, Emirates NBD is dedicated to empowering the next generation of Emirati talent. Through our Ruwad and Bedaya graduate programs, we provide exceptional entry-level opportunities that equip young Emiratis with the essential skills and experiences needed to excel in the banking industry. These programs are just the starting point. We also offer world-class career development and leadership initiatives, fostering growth from day one and supporting our people at every stage of their journey,” said May AlMansoori, Head of Group Emiratisation at Emirates NBD.

About AUS

American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.

Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century.

AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow.