In the presence of His Excellency, Prof. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah (UoS), the Institute of Leadership in Higher Education at the University of Sharjah organized a ceremony to honor the third cohort of the Academic Advising Champions program. The program, conducted in collaboration with the International Academic Advising Association (NACADA), saw the participation of 39 faculty members. 

In his speech, the Chancellor emphasized the importance of academic advising for students, particularly the importance of providing comprehensive advising that addresses not only the academic but also the psychological and social challenges and needs of the students. His Excellency noted that the University of Sharjah continually strives to provide a supportive educational environment that prepares students for academic success and excellence in the job market. He also thanked the faculty members for their commitment to attending the workshops and lectures that enhance their skills and excellence in academic advising. He highlighted that academic advising plays a significant role in the educational process, urging faculty to adopt modern teaching methods and advising practices across various technical, scientific, educational, and ethical dimensions while being mindful of students' diverse learning styles and developmental needs. 

Prof. Yousef Haik, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, emphasized the importance of the initiative and its alignment with the University's current strategy. He explained that the University is simplifying the academic advising process through an advanced system that ensures effective communication between students and faculty members. He also emphasized the need to enhance faculty’s skills in dealing with academically at-risk students by providing them with proper guidance. He noted that accredited bodies consider academic advising an essential criterion for accreditation, calling for the continuation of such initiatives that empower students and enhance faculty members' professional development. 

Prof. Maher Omar, Director of the Institute of Leadership in Higher Education, provided an overview of the initiative's goals and implementation stages in collaboration with NACADA, one of the largest global organizations specializing in academic advising. He discussed the process of accrediting academic advising champions from among faculty, tracking capacity-building stages, and highlighted the importance of collaboration with faculty to exchange knowledge and experiences to develop new academic advising strategies. He also addressed future plans based on lessons learned from implementing the initiative. 

Some faculty members shared their experiences with the initiative, explaining how it helped them update and expand their knowledge in academic advising, and exchanged insights and plans to further enhance advising in their respective faculties. 

At the end of the ceremony, the Chancellor, accompanied by Prof. Youssef Al Hayek and Prof. Maher Omar, honored the Academic Advising Champions from among UoS faculty and the team responsible for implementing the initiative.