American University of Sharjah (AUS) is collaborating with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to transform the university’s research environment and accelerate the adoption of advanced cloud technologies across the institution. Through this collaboration, AWS will provide AUS with technical, infrastructural and strategic support, enabling the university to strengthen its digital foundation and expand cloud fluency within its community.
Dr Tod Laursen, Chancellor of AUS, commented on the significance of the agreement:
“This agreement positions AUS at the forefront of cloud-powered research and academic innovation. By working closely with AWS, we are creating an ecosystem that enables our faculty and students to engage with the world’s most advanced technologies and apply them to the challenges of today and tomorrow. This is a strategic investment in our academic mission, institutional capacity and regional impact.”
In parallel, the agreement establishes a Cloud Centre of Excellence at AUS. This centre will lead efforts to promote cloud adoption, develop governance frameworks and guide digital transformation initiatives across the university. Through targeted activities — including training programmes, best-practice frameworks and knowledge-sharing platforms — the centre will help expand internal AWS expertise and align cloud initiatives with the university’s long-term strategic goals.
AWS will also provide AUS with access to its technical experts and solutions architects, offering ongoing support to help design and optimise cloud environments that serve the university’s research and academic needs. The collaboration includes AWS Immersion Days focused on AWS solutions related to research workflow enhancement, data analytics, cost optimisation and cloud security.
AWS-certified speakers will further engage with AUS through participation in on-campus research events. These events will highlight case studies, best practices and explore the practical application of cloud technologies in research, helping AUS scholars connect innovation with real-world impact.
Dr Steve Griffiths, Professor and Vice Chancellor for Research at AUS, added:
“This collaboration is foundational to the new research strategy being implemented at AUS. By integrating AWS cloud infrastructure into our research ecosystem, we are enabling our researchers to operate with greater agility, efficiency and security. It opens up new possibilities for how we evolve the research agenda at AUS.”
