In his address on the occasion, His Highness Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan

stressed the importance of attracting international universities and providing them with the

necessary support to enable them to participate in upgrading the educational system in the

Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and to reach the global standards in accordance with the government

aspirations. He pointed out that the opening of branches of prestigious universities is a

considerable step in the right direction to turn Abu Dhabi into a cultural and scientific hub in

the region.

He added that there are enormous future challenges that accompany the process of

development in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. These challenges need leaders and competent

qualified people who are able to transform the ambitious plans into a reality that both

citizens and residents can feel and be proud of. He said that the great responsibility of the

educational institutions in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi calls for keeping track of the evolutions

in the field of education, and requires concerted efforts to be continuously exerted by all

other institutions and communities that aspire to act as strategic partners in achieving

educational goals.

In his turn H.E François Fillon, Prime Minister of the Republic of France, delivered a key

note speech on the occasion and said that Sorbonne University when it initially started in the

13th Century it revolutionized education albeit using modest premises in the Latin Quarters

of Paris. Today, however, and with the exceptional financial conditions available to it,

Sorbonne Abu Dhabi will be able to become one of the elite universities in the MENA region.

I would like to tell the students that they have an exceptional opportunity to study here.

In his opening speech, HE Dr. Mugheer Al Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi Education

Council, said that the opening of the Sorbonne University of Abu Dhabi was an integral part

of the 2030 education vision, and a continuum of the great development witnessed by the

Emirate of Abu Dhabi in various fields of life, and a shift into a knowledge- based economy

that relies on creativity and innovation. This is a pioneering step in achieving that vision

which is now steadily being implemented, and has began already to flow in the UAE society

to convey the desired transformation. Therefore, the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi represents an

important turning point in the history of education in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, enhancing

the landscape and the agenda of Higher Education in the Middle East in general.

H.E. added that Abu Dhabi Education Council has sought to achieve the aspirations of the

Government of Abu Dhabi in the field of education through the launch of a strategic plan

that seeks to improve the quality of higher education, and bring it up to global standards,

and in line with the socio-cultural and economic requirements of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi,

in addition to the establishment of an integrated system of scientific research that would

provide an opportunity for qualified students to attend institutions of higher education. The

aim is to equip our youth with the highest levels of scientific qualifications which enable them

to assume highly-responsible positions in the future, and move forward the development

process to further progress with confidence and professionalism. We are therefore very

optimistic that Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, through the efforts of its elite of global expertise

and capable teaching staff, will be a conduit of cultural and scientific exchange among

different civilizations and, as such, will become the meeting point between East and West

and a reservoir of scientific heritage and a forum to discover the other, defining the concepts

of complement between cultures, and promoting harmony and cooperation between races.

For his part, Professor George Molinié, President of the University of Paris Sorbonne,

said that the Sorbonne’s mission is to put a brick in the edifice of economic, social and

technological future, and to build in the post-oil era by delivering quality French Higher

Education in harmony with the development plan of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi so that we can

prepare and groom future leaders, and develop competencies to that enable them face the

challenges ahead.

He added that there is a plan to continue to create and develop Masters programs to suit

the specific professional requirements and circumstances of the UAE, such as the Masters

degree in " museum careers " in collaboration with the Louvre Museum and School in

France, and highlighted the intention to launch new Scientific Study disciplines such as

the "Pure mathematics and science" in cooperation with the Pierre and Marie Curie Institute,

which will be a very important addition to the University curriculum and academic disciplines.

Sorbonne Abu Dhabi will then become a major university and a globally- integrated model of

higher, specialized education.

Professor Jean-Yves de Cara, Executive Director of the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, in his turn,

defined the mission of the University as “to educate and train the elite of the UAE and the

rest of the region, and to provide high level education and research facilities, eventually

contributing to achieving the UAE social, economic and cultural objectives, and positively

responding to the aspirations of the UAE society, as set out by its prudent leadership in

this regard. He also pointed out that the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, as an Emirati educational

institution, is in constant and close coordination with the Abu Dhabi Education Council to

determine the appropriate curricula that best reflect the education policy in the Emirate.

Following the opening ceremony, His Excellency Francois Fillon, French Prime Minister, HH

Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Court of HH the Crown Prince of Abu

Dhabi, signed the commemorative board and exchanged souvenirs before they toured the

campus library.

The French president H.E Nicolas Sarkozy and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al

Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed

Forces, have in January 2008 put the foundation stone for the permanent headquarters of

the University of Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi (PSUAD) on Al Reem Island. The project was

developed by Mubadala Development Company on an area of 93 thousand square meters,

to be of a capacity of over two thousand students. PSUAD offers the same programs

that are currently put forward at the University of Sorbonne Paris and, similarly to their

counterparts in Paris, PSUAD students are granted internationally- recognized degrees in

Humanities and law after their graduation.

The Paris-Sorbonne University was opened in October 18th 2006, when it had a temporary

location at Umm Al Nar in Abu Dhabi. More than 150 students enrolled for the academic

year 2006-2007, and one-third of these students were UAE Nationals. Today, the university

is home to more than 600 students from over 60 nationalities, with the UAE-based students

as the majority representing 34% of the total.

The University offers undergraduate programs in Archaeology and History of Art,

Management and Economics, French Literature, Geography and Urban Planning, History,

civilization and International Affairs, International Trade and languages, law and political

science, philosophy, sociology and communication, with enrolled in these the opportunity to

complete their studies, from the third year to graduation, In France.

The University also offers Masters Degree in marketing, management and communication

and media, Urban and Regional Planning, and, given the needs of the labor market, other

programs have been introduced, such as international law, diplomacy and international

relations, and French as a foreign language, business management and languages, with

specialization in tourism, history, in addition to the newly-introduced arts and museums

careers.

For the number of students in undergraduate programs, the Management and Economics

specialization was ranked first, with 28%, followed by international trade and languages,

with 25%, law and political science, representing 22%. As for the most popular Masters

programs, the international law, diplomacy and international relations represents 48%, then

come the Masters in Management and Marketing, Communication and Media, Urban and

Regional Planning with 15% and finally, the business administration and languages with

11% of the total number enrolled.