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The American University of Sharjah announced on Wednesday that it would adopt distance learning for the rest of the semester to support the well-being of staff and students.
Tod Laursen, the university's chancellor, said the move had been made in “careful consideration” of the current academic landscape and in response to feedback it had received.
The Ministry of Higher Education this week said distance learning would be extended until at least April 17 in the country's universities.
The education sector switched to remote learning as a safety measure after Iran launched its sustained attacks on the UAE and other Gulf countries on February 28.
According to the AUS academic calendar, the final day of classes in the spring semester is May 5, with the exam period running from May 9 to 20.
“We understand that this period of uncertainty has not been easy and we want to acknowledge the challenges you have been navigating,” Dr Laursen said in an open letter shared on the university's website.
“The recent approach of planning one or two weeks at a time has understandably created difficulty and uncertainty for many of you. We recognise how important it is for you to have greater clarity in order to plan effectively, both academically and personally.
“With this in mind, and in an effort to provide more stability, our planning moving forward will be guided by the expectation that online learning will remain in place for the remainder of the semester.”
The AUS is of one of the UAE's leading universities, serving more than 6,700 students from around the world and hundreds of staff.
Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, established the university in 1997. The institution offers a wide variety of degrees in fields including the arts and sciences, business administration, architecture, design and engineering.
Among its prominent former students is Sarah Al Amiri, a computer science graduate who led the UAE's space agency during historic missions and is now Minister of State for Public Education and Future Technology. Ms Al Amiri was formerly Minister of State for Advanced Sciences.
