His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member, Ruler of Sharjah, and President of University of Al Dhaid (UODH), signed, on Wednesday, at the university’s headquarters, a cooperation agreement between the University of Al Dhaid and the University of Liverpool in Britain, to establish a programme in veterinary medicine.
His Highness explained that the cooperation agreement in the field of veterinary medicine, which was signed with the University of Liverpool, was initiated by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock in Sharjah, which owns a large number of pastures that include cattle, camels and goats for the locals. It is a dual service where the locals come to the pastures and a similar service is provided to them. The aim is to develop the animal wealth, which does not come by wishful thinking, but by full support, protection and treatment.
His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah discussed the efforts made to cooperate with major educational institutions, saying: “We do not hide the fact that we spent more than a year studying a number of universities and spending large sums of money, and we are looking for the best programme. There are cheap universities, but we do not hesitate to provide University of Al Dhaid with what is meagre. Within a short period, before the year had passed, we were able to reach an agreement with the University of Liverpool, who came and saw and expressed their admiration for the university’s facilities and praised its management. We say that we will protect the scientific knowledge process without diminishing or distorting it, and we will continue with this approach to preserve the word between us and them.”
For his part, Dr. Tim Jones, Chancellor of the University of Liverpool, delivered a speech in which he highlighted the compatibility between this initiative and the University of Liverpool’s established ethos, saying: “This partnership is at the heart of what we strive to achieve at the University of Liverpool, which was founded nearly 150 years ago. Our founding mission was to enhance learning and improve lives, and these ethos continue to guide everything we do, serving our new strategic framework, University of Liverpool 2031, and thus our plans for the future are firmly focused on global engagement and partnerships, built on outstanding research and teaching.”
“We have signed with University of Al Dhaid because of its excellence and ambitious plans to become a leading institution for veterinary education and research in the UAE and the region,” added the University of Liverpool’s Chancellor. “We are excited about this collaboration, which will benefit our staff and students, as well as support our research. Our focus is on addressing a range of global challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, food sustainability and the impacts of climate change on animal diseases – all vital areas of human investigation.”
The signing of the agreement was attended by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, Her Excellency Dr. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak. Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Hamid M.K. Al Naimiy, Chancellor of the University of Sharjah, Dr. Aisha Ahmed Bu Shlaibi, Chancellor of the University of Dhaid, and a number of members of the Board of Trustees of the University of Al Dhaid, academics and representatives of the University of Liverpool.