The University of Sharjah fulfills its core mission by serving the local community and the UAE as a whole through its diverse community-engaged research programs and activities. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies works to accomplish this goal by leveraging the university's research potentials and strategies to cultivate mutually-beneficial partnerships that address significant issues in the local community and lead to dynamic community-university initiatives. The VCRGS's office uses a community-engaged research approach in which real partnerships between researchers and community organizations produce knowledge that responds positively to the needs and concerns of the local community. Following are the main principles guiding community-engaged research at the UOS:

• Collaborative partnerships in priority research areas
• Implementation of research findings for the mutual benefit of all partners
• Emphasis on responsible research conduct in relation to community and the environment
• Endorsement of co-learning and capacity-building among all partners
• Mutual use of and access to research findings
• Promotion of collaborative relationships between academics and community members
• Focus on collaborative areas where UOS has proven competencies that can respond to specific community needs