University of Sharjah and Aafaq Islamic Finance forge partnership to strengthen student pathways

A landmark collaboration between the University of Sharjah and Aafaq Islamic Finance will expand practical training, scholarship support and knowledge exchange across education, industry and the financial sector.

The University of Sharjah and Aafaq Islamic Finance have established a comprehensive partnership designed to deepen the connective tissue between academic learning and professional practice. The cooperation agreement, signed by University Chancellor Prof. Esameldin Agamy and Aafaq Chief Executive Othman Basit, creates a framework for sustained collaboration across student support, research, training and community development.

The partnership reflects a broader recognition within the region’s educational landscape that higher education must evolve in concert with industry needs. As we reported when the University of Sharjah transformed student ideas into living ventures, practical experience remains essential to preparing graduates for meaningful careers. This new agreement advances that mission by embedding workplace learning into the student journey from the outset.

Prof. Agamy emphasised that contemporary challenges demand collaboration across sectors. Universities cannot respond to society’s evolving needs in isolation, he noted, particularly as developments in finance and financial management accelerate. The partnership positions the University to keep pace with these transformations whilst ensuring students emerge with both academic rigour and real-world competency.

The scope of collaboration encompasses research and studies in Islamic finance, financing solutions and advisory services, alongside dedicated employment and training programmes. Aafaq will offer scholarships and financial assistance to eligible students, effectively functioning as a recognised student funding partner to the institution. Prof. Agamy highlighted the significance of such support, observing that scholarships and financial assistance expand educational access and enable capable students to pursue their studies without financial constraint.

Basit framed the partnership within Aafaq’s broader commitment to education and youth empowerment. The organisation views this collaboration as an opportunity to provide practical training opportunities, support educational initiatives and foster the exchange of knowledge and expertise between the financial sector and academia. Such bridges between classroom and workplace increasingly define excellence in higher education, positioning graduates to contribute meaningfully to the economy and their communities.

Source: WAM

What it means for Abu Dhabi

This partnership strengthens the educational ecosystem across the Northern Emirates by creating tangible pathways from study to employment. The integration of practical training and financial support addresses two critical dimensions of student success: skill development and accessibility. For Abu Dhabi’s broader commitment to nurturing talent and fostering innovation, such collaborations model how industry and academia can work in concert to prepare the next generation.

The emphasis on Islamic finance research and advisory services also reflects the region’s position as a centre of Islamic financial excellence. By embedding this focus within academic study, the partnership ensures that emerging professionals possess both theoretical understanding and practical knowledge of the sector’s complexities and opportunities, contributing to the continued development of financial expertise within the UAE.