A major highlight in a series of academic initiatives, the new alliance will bring a cutting-edge blockchain education to the university and support further innovation of the technology.
SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sui, a Layer 1 platform for decentralized computation which has grown at a torrid pace since its inception nine months ago, announced it has partnered with American University of Sharjah (AUS) to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy, a brand new blockchain academy in one of the most well-regarded academic institutions in the region, creating opportunities for hundreds of aspiring developers to learn about and ultimately advance the state of the art of the technology.
The agreed upon AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will operate under the auspices of the multidisciplinary Center of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainable Development. This placement strategically aligns with entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, underscoring the Academy's dedication to responsible and impactful technological development.
The initiative is part of the Emirate of Sharjah’s objective of positioning itself as a regional hub for education and research—particularly in the field of technology and blockchain.
"The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide students with invaluable insights into contemporary and future-oriented topics," said Dr. Tod Laursen, Chancellor of American University of Sharjah. “It will empower them to engage with trending subjects and essential future technologies, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the evolving landscape of tomorrow.”
The partnership between Sui and AUS is directly aligned with the strong academic backgrounds of the leaders in and around the Sui ecosystem. Dr. Greg Siourounis, the Managing Director of the Sui Foundation has deep experience blending academic pursuits and entrepreneurship, including earning a PhD in Economics from the London Business School and top awards for his work in Economics. George Danezis, Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of Mysten Labs is a professor of security and privacy engineering at University College London. Likewise, co-founders Kostas Chalkias (notable cryptographer and creator of zkLogin) and Sam Blackshear (creator of the Move smart contract language) have both earned PhDs in their respective technology fields.
The Sui Foundation has also previously instituted several educational initiatives such as the establishment of a Web3-focused program at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School, the distribution of $400,000 in Sui Academic Research Awards (SARAs) to fifteen universities worldwide, and the establishment of a groundbreaking new web3 curriculum for high school students which debuted in 2023 at the Costeas Geitonas High School in Greece.
"The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide the next generation of builders and world leaders with the knowledge they will need to create web3 technology that can address global challenges,” said Dr. Siourounis. “Seeing this academy come to life makes me particularly proud given the crucial role that this region is set to play in technological innovation."
Sui established the current partnership with aid from its strategic partner in the region, Ghaf Labs, whose founder and managing partner, Feras Al Sadek, added, “We are extremely pleased to play a part in creating this historic initiative. The AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will pave the way for future generations to enrich and benefit this industry and the region.”
About Sui
Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the bottom up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications with unrivaled speed at low cost. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform on which creators and developers can build amazing, user-friendly experiences. Learn more: https://sui.io.
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.
About Ghaf Labs:
Ghaf Labs is a premier blockchain consultancy and advisory firm based in the U.A.E, focused on cultivating and fostering dynamic start-ups and well-established enterprises in the blockchain domain. As the sister company of Ghaf Capital Partners, Ghaf Labs extends its expertise and resources to provide growth, acceleration, advisory, and consultancy services to the blockchain ecosystem and companies. Ghaf Labs aims to help companies expand their presence in the MENA region and if needed, also support them in achieving a strong global footprint. This is attained through tapping into various ecosystems both local and global. Ghaf Labs also utilises its vast Web2 and Web3 networks, acting as a bilateral bridge for the adoption of services.
Ghaf Capital | Ghaf Labs | LinkedIn
Contacts
Sui
media@sui.io
American University of Sharjah (AUS)
smahmoud@aus.edu