American University of Sharjah and Sui Launch Blockchain Academy to Seed the Next Generation of web3 Builders - Chainwire

Sharjah, UAE, February 13th, 2024, Chainwire

A major highlight in a series of academic initiatives, the new alliance will bring a cutting-edge blockchain education to the university and support further innovation of the technology.

Sui, a Layer 1 platform for decentralized computation which has grown at a torrid pace since its inception nine months ago, announced it has partnered with American University of Sharjah (AUS) to establish the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy, a brand new blockchain academy in one of the most well-regarded academic institutions in the region, creating opportunities for hundreds of aspiring developers to learn about and ultimately advance the state of the art of the technology.

The agreed upon AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will operate under the auspices of the multidisciplinary Center of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Sustainable Development. This placement strategically aligns with entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability, underscoring the Academy’s dedication to responsible and impactful technological development. 

The initiative is part of the Emirate of Sharjah’s objective of positioning itself as a regional hub for education and research—particularly in the field of technology and blockchain.

“The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide students with invaluable insights into contemporary and future-oriented topics,” said Dr. Tod Laursen, Chancellor of American University of Sharjah. “It will empower them to engage with trending subjects and essential future technologies, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the evolving landscape of tomorrow.”

Pictured: Dr. Tod Alan Laursen, Chancellor of AUS and Dr. Greg Siourounis, Managing Director at SUI Foundation

The partnership between Sui and AUS is directly aligned with the strong academic backgrounds of the leaders in and around the Sui ecosystem. Dr. Greg Siourounis, the Managing Director of the Sui Foundation has deep experience blending academic pursuits and entrepreneurship, including earning a PhD in Economics from the London Business School and top awards for his work in Economics. George Danezis, Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of Mysten Labs is a professor of security and privacy engineering at University College London. Likewise, co-founders Kostas Chalkias (notable cryptographer and creator of zkLogin) and Sam Blackshear (creator of the Move smart contract language) have both earned PhDs in their respective technology fields.

The Sui Foundation has also previously instituted several educational initiatives such as the establishment of a Web3-focused program at the Wheeler Institute for Business and Development at London Business School, the distribution of $400,000 in Sui Academic Research Awards (SARAs) to fifteen universities worldwide, and the establishment of a groundbreaking new web3 curriculum for high school students which debuted in 2023 at the Costeas Geitonas High School in Greece.

“The establishment of the AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will provide the next generation of builders and world leaders with the knowledge they will need to create web3 technology that can address global challenges,” said Dr. Siourounis. “Seeing this academy come to life makes me particularly proud given the crucial role that this region is set to play in technological innovation.”

Sui established the current partnership with aid from its strategic partner in the region, Ghaf Labs, whose founder and managing partner, Feras Al Sadek, added, “We are extremely pleased to play a part in creating this historic initiative. The AUS-Sui Blockchain Academy will pave the way for future generations to enrich and benefit this industry and the region.”