The University of Sharjah will host the work of the 23rd session of the Executive Council of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World (FUIW) over two days, starting Sunday February 2nd and ending Monday February 3rd, at the headquarters of the University's Main Building, and in the presence of Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Governmental Relations Department of the Government of Sharjah, along with His Excellency Prof. Ahmed bin Salem bin Mohammed Al-Ameri, Rector of the Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, President of the seventh session of the General Conference of the Federation, and Chairman of the Executive Council; His Excellency Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Secretary General of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World; and His Excellency Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, as well as Vice Chancellors of the University of Sharjah and College Deans.

During the opening session, Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Governmental Relations Department of the Government of Sharjah, welcomed the attendees to the Emirate of Sharjah, the capital of culture and science, and incubator of science and knowledge thanks to the efforts of its ruler, the patron of science and culture, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of the University of Sharjah. He also expressed his pleasure in welcoming them at the University of Sharjah, the scientific beacon which is one of the largest universities on national level and the Arab region, that also occupies a distinguished position internationally due to its accomplishments in various research, scientific and teaching fields, thanks to the continuous support by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and the President of the University, as well as the efforts of those in charge of its management.

At the end of his speech, he hoped that the current session would contribute to supporting and expanding areas of cooperation and partnership with member universities and Islamic and international organizations especially, as he stressed the harnessing efforts of all potentials on the part of the Government Relations Department of Sharjah Government to contribute to achieving the desired results from these meetings.

For his part, His Excellency Prof. Ahmed bin Salem bin Mohammed Al-Ameri extended his sincere thanks to the United Arab Emirates and its leadership. He also thanked His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of the University of Sharjah, for his sponsorship of the work of the current session. He then proceeded to thank the Council, and His Excellency Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik, Director General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), for organizing the session, and also the University of Sharjah for hosting the event.

He then stressed the importance of this 23rd Executive Council Session of the FUIW based on the contemporary data of the accelerating changes witnessed by the whole world and the Islamic world in particular, and added that it is imperative that we work in this aspect for the advancement of our countries and the elevation of our male and female students. He continued adding that one of the most prominent goals of the 23rd session of the Executive Council of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World is to provide a number of methods, tools and curricula for Arab and Islamic universities that guarantee the integrity of thought and orientation and the originality of construction and moderation in education to build a promising generation as active members in their countries and societies, through higher education institutions that fall under the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World in its Executive Council. He added that this session of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World is of great importance among the parallel university federations at the regional and international levels given the urgent need to enhance communication and exchange capabilities and experiences among member universities in the Federation, encouraging cooperation and partnership between universities, and reviewing priorities and common areas between them.

As for Dr. Salem bin Muhammad Al-Malik, he extended his thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah, President of the University of Sharjah (may God Almighty preserve and sponsor him), for his support of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), through the sponsorship of the ISESCO Regional Office in Sharjah, and his willingness to give and take to achieve cultural, scientific and educational development in the countries of the Islamic world.

In light of the massive expansion of higher education across the world, he added, and the intensification of competition between University educational patterns in order to attract students, and raise in the rankings of international classifications of universities, the capacities of university institutions in the countries of the Islamic world vary, as the higher education sector and research in most countries of the Islamic world face many major problems and challenges, such as lack of clarity in research priorities and scientific strategies, weak funding, and a lack of awareness of the importance of good scientific research, in addition to the limited international cooperation, and weak capacities to compete with the developed and industrialized countries. Therefore, he continued, one of the goals of establishing the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World was to seek cooperation and coordination among universities to remedy shortcomings and benefit from expertise and experiences among themselves, in order to advance higher education in the countries of the Islamic world, within the framework of the new vision of ISESCO, through which it aspires to become a beacon of international prominence by focusing on issues of sustainable development, fighting poverty, and addressing extremism and hate speech, empowering youth and women, supporting civil society, protecting children, educating refugees and displaced persons, preserving heritage, and benefiting from the huge developments in the field of artificial intelligence, and future models for education.

In his speech, Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy welcomed the guests and conveyed the highest meanings of welcome from the patron of this blessed ceremony, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah, in particular to the President and members of the Executive Council of the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World, wishing them success in their meetings and prosperity to reach all that is good for the plans and strategies of the Council in the future horizons. He also expressed his sincerest welcome on behalf of the University of Sharjah's community and wished this session great success in facilitating the components of science and knowledge to the children of the Arab and Islamic nation and all that enhances its position and human and cognitive prominence among Nations and peoples.

The work of the current session of the Council will be discussed over the two days, along with a report of the Secretary-General of the Union on the activities implemented by the General Secretariat of the Union between the 22nd and 23rd sessions of the Council, and the financial report of the Union for the year 2018. The Council will also discuss a report of the Secretary-General on the status of the Federation and its future prospects, as will be decided by the Council in a number of requests for membership by a number of universities in the Islamic world to the Union. The Executive Council of the Federation consists of the following member universities: Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the University of Sharjah from the United Arab Emirates, the International Islamic University in Pakistan, the International University of Africa from the Republic of Sudan, the University of Jerusalem from the State of Palestine, the University of Marwa from the Republic of Cameroon, the University of Menoufia from the Arab Republic of Egypt, the University of Hassan II from the Kingdom of Morocco, the University of Bayrou from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Russian Islamic University Ufa, Yarmouk University from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Qatar University, State University of Economic Sciences from the Republic of Azerbaijan, International Islamic University - Malaysia, and Islamic University of Uganda.

It is noted that the Federation of the Universities of the Islamic World was established in 1987 in Rabat, and operates within the framework of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), and includes in its membership so far 347 universities and higher education institutes, and the 23rd session of the Federation's Executive Council was held at ISESCO headquarters in Rabat in December 2018.