Sharjah, UAE — In a significant step for higher education and the arts in the UAE, Her Highness Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi, President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, has been appointed President of the University of the Arts Sharjah, established under an Emiri Decree issued on December 15, 2025.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures shaping the cultural and artistic landscape of the Arab world, Sheikha Hoor’s appointment marks a natural extension of her decades-long commitment to artistic excellence, critical thought, and global cultural dialogue rooted in Sharjah.
As President and Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Sheikha Hoor has transformed Sharjah into a global hub for contemporary art, most notably through the internationally acclaimed Sharjah Biennial, which under her leadership has become one of the world’s most respected platforms for experimental, socially engaged, and regionally grounded artistic practices. The Biennial is now recognized for challenging dominant narratives and amplifying voices from the Global South.
Beyond the Biennial, Sheikha Hoor has overseen a wide-ranging ecosystem of year-round exhibitions, residencies, publications, film programs, commissions, and educational initiatives, positioning Sharjah as a city where art, scholarship, and community intersect. Her work has consistently emphasized long-term cultural development over spectacle, earning global respect for Sharjah’s thoughtful and sustainable arts model.
The establishment of the University of the Arts Sharjah reflects this same philosophy. Under Sheikha Hoor’s leadership, the institution is expected to nurture a new generation of artists, curators, designers, and cultural thinkers—grounded in regional context while engaged with international discourse. The university is poised to become a cornerstone for creative education in the UAE and beyond.
Her appointment has been widely welcomed across cultural and academic circles, seen as a powerful affirmation of Sharjah’s role as a global leader in arts education and cultural policy.
With this new role, Sheikha Hoor Al Qasimi continues to shape Sharjah’s cultural legacy, reinforcing the emirate’s long-standing commitment to knowledge, creativity, and the transformative power of the arts.
Photography by Sebastian Böttcher
