Culture & Education | Wednesday 22 April, 2015 3:11 pm |

Forty students from American University of Sharjah (AUS) spent their spring break learning about South Korea firsthand during a trip to Seoul April 3–10, 2015.
Organized by the Office of Student Affairs' (OSA) Student Multicultural Learning Program, the tour included visits to various cultural sites, including the main and largest palace where the students witnessed a royal guard changing ceremony. They also visited N Seoul Tower, one of the country’s famous landmarks and the highest observation point in Seoul; Myeongdong in the center of the city; and Songdo with its Canal Walk Shopping Street and Presidential House Road. Other stops included Insadong Antique Alley, a uniquely constructed area for Korean antiques and artworks; Dongdaemun traditional market place; and the Korean Folk Village, which showcases the customs of the past generations through carefully preserved pottery, musical instruments, embroidery, and bamboo and wooden ware.
With South Korea being famous for K-pop, the students made sure they didn’t miss out on the hologram musical show School of OZ. They also thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Lotte World, the world’s largest indoor theme park, and Everland, an outdoor park famed for its night parades and laser shows. The students also attended a Nanta performance, the famous Korean nonverbal comedy cooking show. The trip concluded with a breathtaking dinner cruise across Han River.
“International cultural tours provide our students with a rich first-hand experience wherein they gain practical knowledge, skills and experiences that augment their understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity,” said Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Students. “It is quite impressive to witness how popular the Student Multicultural Learning Program has become and the high satisfaction rating we receive from participating students.”
“I would like to thank OSA for the hard work they did did to make this trip a success,” said Aaliah Al Aifan, a senior management student. “It was such an incredible trip with the most amazing people. I felt like we were one big family. I learned a lot about South Korea and its culture, and had so much fun at the same time. I encourage students to get involved with OSA because these are the things we will always remember.”
Accompanying the students were Dr. Al Shehhi; Munketh Taha, Director of Student Development and Organizations; and other OSA supervisors.


About AUS

American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The university was envisaged by His Highness as a leading educational institution in the Gulf region. Located in University City, Sharjah, AUS is a not-for-profit, independent, institution of higher education formed on the American model.

It offers 26 majors and 52 minors at the undergraduate level, and 14 master’s degrees through the College of Architecture, Art and Design; the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Engineering; and the School of Business Administration. These programs are designed to meet the challenges of a competitive and dynamic business and industrial environment.

As a provider of quality higher education in the Gulf, AUS is licensed and its programs are accredited by the Commission for Academic Accreditation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the United Arab Emirates. AUS is accredited in the United States of America by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

The bachelor of science degree programs in chemical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering offered by the College of Engineering are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). The bachelor of science degree program in computer science offered by the College of Engineering is accredited by the Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET (www.abet.org). The Bachelor of Architecture program of the College of Architecture, Art and Design is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) of the United States. The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) as well as the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degrees offered by the School of Business Administration are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).