Global Studies University (GSU) is a postgraduate research and teaching institution specializing in the humanities and social sciences, dedicated to training the next generation of critical thinkers.
 

Decreed in 2023 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, GSU’s establishment aligns with the UAE’s National Higher Education Strategy 2030 and National Agenda 2021, reflecting the country’s role as a regional and global hub for culture, education, and exchange. The university is committed to achieving the highest standards in global studies education, preparing graduates to contribute meaningfully both within the UAE and internationally.

 

Located in Sharjah, a historic center of cultural, intellectual, and economic engagement, GSU fosters interdisciplinary inquiry, rigorous research methodologies, comparative perspectives, and engagement with non-Western languages. Its programs are designed to equip students to address complex local, regional, and global challenges, promoting a nuanced understanding of diverse intellectual traditions.

Our History

The UAE and the wider Gulf region have long served as a convergence point for peoples, cultures, and ideas, a role that continues today through migration, tourism, pilgrimage, and other forms of exchange. In 1976, Sharjah hosted the Symposium on African and Arab Relations under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, convening scholars and cultural practitioners to strengthen ties between Africa and the Arab world. Building on this legacy, The Africa Institute was formally established in 2018 as the foundational institute of GSU, supporting research, postgraduate education, and the documentation of African and diaspora histories and cultures. The Africa Institute’s success laid the groundwork for GSU’s broader vision of a global network of regional institutes.

“Cultivating the next generation of critical thinkers through interdisciplinary research and global engagement.”

Global Network of Institutes

Building on the foundation of The Africa Institute, GSU is developing a network of five interconnected regional institutes, each focused on postgraduate education, research, and documentation of histories, cultures, and peoples from different regions of the world. The network currently includes The Africa Institute and the forthcoming Asia Institute, with additional institutes planned across the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. Together, these institutes form a comprehensive global hub, emphasizing interdisciplinary research, comparative study, non-Western languages, and critical engagement with historically underrepresented regions of the world.

GSU’s curriculum at both the master’s and doctoral levels is designed to promote interdisciplinarity and interconnectedness, encouraging a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of global issues. Programs blur traditional disciplinary boundaries, advancing innovative research methodologies and critical inquiry across key thematic fields. With a focus on non-Western languages, translation, and regional expertise, GSU equips graduates to contribute to the production and dissemination of knowledge in meaningful and globally relevant ways.

Accreditation

Since 2025, Global Studies University is institutionally licensed and accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), a division of the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MoHESR). GSU is expanding its international reach through additional accreditations, reflecting its commitment to global excellence. Read more.