Emirati mother and daughter enrol in AUS degree courses

SHARJAH: There is nothing out of the ordinary when two members of a family attend the same university, but Hana Al Falasi and Reem Al Nuaimi are far from ordinary.

The Emirati mother and daughter duo joined the American University of Sharjah (AUS) this fall as students in the accounting programmes offered by the AUS School of Business Administration (SBA), one enrolling as a graduate student in the Masters programme and the other as an undergraduate working towards a Bachelor’s in the field.

Both aim to eventually get their CPA licences, and possibly set up a practice together.

“It is exciting that we are both enrolled at the same university, studying for degrees in the same field. It is an opportunity to share knowledge and ideas, and discuss business together,” said Al Falasi, who is pursuing her Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) degree.

Once a successful graphic designer, Al Falasi said she does not shy away from challenges and decided to opt for a career change.

She chose to pursue accounting and is now committed to becoming a fully certified accountant. Through the AUS MSA programme, she can prepare to take the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam.

She said: “Prior to receiving my Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, I was bad at drawing and had no experience whatsoever. I challenged myself, gained new skills, and worked hard to become a good graphic designer.

“I am so proud of what I have achieved. Not only did I graduate with honours, but my artwork was displayed in art exhibitions on numerous occasions. Now, however, I have a new challenge, which is to enter the field of accounting and succeed without having any prior experience. I know this requires hard work, but I am very confident that I will be able to achieve my goals.”

Al-nuaimi said she shared her mother’s excitement and saw her as an inspiration.

“She inspires me to work hard, to challenge myself and to believe that nothing is impossible. She encouraged me to join AUS and believe that I can be a high-achieving student,” she said.

Choosing a university major was not an easy task for Al Nuaimi.

Initially, she was interested in several fields, none of which dealt with the world of business. “I wanted to study medicine to become either a doctor or lab specialist; then I considered astronomy, aviation engineering and even interior design. The area I was not interested in was business, so I ignored the field altogether,” she said.

She added, “however, when I was in my last year in high school, I took an elective course in accounting. I did not imagine that I would fall in love with something related to business but I did. So, I spent some time researching the field and found it remarkably interesting. That’s when I decided that I was going to study accounting, become Cpa-certified and establish my own business one day.”

Speaking about the possibility of both mother and daughter setting up a business together, Al-falasi said: “I certainly hope that one day Reem and I can set up and run a successful business together!”

Dr Abed Al Nasser Abdullah, Professor and Head of the Department of Accounting at AUS, said: “We are really pleased to have Hana Al Falasi and Reem Al Nuaimi join our department this semester to pursue their respective degrees. At the Department of Accounting, our highly qualified faculty allow students to think creatively and analytically, using different accounting methods and analysis tools to always be at a competitive advantage. And as you can see, we connect not only numbers together, but also generations!”

The American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah.

Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.

In the beginning of this month graduate students from around the world logged in to attend the special Graduate Orientation session held by AUS to welcome 120 new students to its Masters and PHD programmes.

The incoming students come from a wide array of professional, educational and cultural backgrounds.

With 16 sought-after Masters and two doctoral programmes on offer, AUS has earned an enviable reputation in the region for the quality of its faculty and its graduates.

This semester the university is also welcoming some of its alumni who are coming back to pursue their graduate studies.

During the orientation, the new graduate students were welcomed by Professor Kevin Mitchell, Chancellor of AUS, and several key university officials.