His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), chaired the first meeting of the UAEU council for the current academic year (2014/2015) in the crescent building at UAEU on Tuesday 23^rd October.

The meeting was attended by members of the University Council including His Excellency Mohammed Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs; His Excellency Humaid Mohamed Al Qutami; Her Excellency Noura Mohammed Al-Kaabi, Chief Executive Officer of the Media Zone Authority; His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al-Hajeri, Chief Executive Officer of Tawazun Holdings; His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Al-Mansouri, Chairman of the Board of Al-Nasser Holdings; His Excellency Eissa Abdulfattah Kazim, Director of Dubai International Financial Center; Her Excellency Aysha Abdullah Taryam, Editor-in-Chief of The Gulf Today; His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Ali Al Sheryani; His Excellency Dr. Ali Rashid Al Noaimi, Vice Chancellor of UAEU; his Excellency Dr. Butti Sultan Al-Muhairi from the College of Law; Dr. Fatima Abdulbaqi Al-Jasmi from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences; Dr. Asma Abubaker Al-Menhali from the College of Science and Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Suwaidi from the College of Education.

A series of decisions were taken affecting the promotion of leadership and excellence in higher education and scientific research at both regional and global levels. First the minutes of the second meeting from 2013/2014 were ratified, and then degree awards for the second and summer semesters were confirmed. In addition, the establishment of a Bachelor of Education for both middle and secondary education was put forward as well as the confirmation of new deans for certain colleges. The Islamic Studies Department was renamed as the Department of Sharia and Islamic Studies, the titles of certain degrees were modified and the draft budget the 2015 fiscal year was approved. Other issues relating to institutional accreditation and the formation of college boards were also discussed.

The meeting was followed by a tour of the campus where participants were briefed on the smart learning system, the wide range of laboratories, education centers and research units available. These include interactive learning laboratories and drone laboratories as well as pressure, volume, temperature cell, fish and hydroponic units. The participants also visited the media studio and the Khalifa Center for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering at the Islamic Institute.