His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi is recognised as having significantly modernised Sharjah, of the United Arab Emirates, whilst also making a great contribution to the growth of its two universities.
Commenting on the presentation on Monday, November 10, the University of Sheffield’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Keith Burnett, said: "His Highness is an influential leader and academic within a noble Arab tradition. His commitment to education and his ongoing support to both universities in Sharjah make him a worthy recipient of an honorary degree."
Professor Burnett also stressed the importance of establishing a connection between the University of Sheffield and the University of Sharjah.
He said: "Through our partnership with the University of Sharjah we have experienced at first hand the value Middle Eastern countries place on the personal development of their students.
"This has been a valuable insight and is already impacting on how we approach teaching both within the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology and the wider University."
His Highness is no stranger to academic success. After studying agriculture for five years at Cairo University, he went on to receive a PhD from the University of Exeter and has since published numerous publications on the history and geography of the Arab Gulf area.
He later became involved in politics, serving first as Minister for Education and then replacing his brother, Sheikh Khaled, as ruler of Sharjah in 1972.
Responding to the tribute, His Highness said: "Sheffield’s recognition is an honour we will cherish for many years. We are fully aware of Sheffield’s excellent reputation in many academic fields and we would like to thank all who made the collaboration agreement possible."
He also hoped that various exchanges between the universities of Sheffield and Sharjah would help to "enhance students’ learning" and lead to "the generation of new scientific knowledge."
As well as being committed to the world of science, His Highness is also a keen playwright. During his visit to the University, he attended a special performance of his own play, Nimrod, by a cast of Sheffield students.
The play follows the fortunes of King Nimrod, a Biblical figure who is thought to have built the Tower of Babel. The production, directed by Professor Dominic Shellard, used costumes from the play’s first showing at the Sharjah National Theatre.
After the show, Professor Shellard said: "It was an enormous privilege for the University of Sheffield to stage the UK premiere of this exciting play.
"The performance was exceptional and it was a memorable honour to introduce the play to its creator in a European context. We are looking forward to taking the production to Sharjah where we will perform in the world famous Sharjah Theatre Festival next March."
Rachel Blundy
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