UAE University opened a 10‑day manuscript exhibition on Tuesday, celebrating its 50th anniversary. The event, titled “Manuscripts: Identity and Sustainable Development,” displays 50 rare documents that span astronomy, medicine, mathematics and more, offering visitors a tangible link to the university’s scholarly legacy.
Celebrating 50 Years of Scholarship
The exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Adviser to the UAE President and Chancellor of UAEU, along with senior officials, university directors and members of the academic community. The opening highlighted the university’s role in shaping higher education in the UAE, a journey that began with its establishment 50 years ago and has since expanded into a centre of research and teaching excellence.
Professor Dr Ahmed Ali Al‑Raisi, Director of UAEU, explained that the display is part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations and reflects the institution’s journey since its founding. He noted that 2026 marks a year dedicated to celebrating the progress of higher education in the UAE, beginning with the establishment of UAEU. The exhibition’s 50 manuscripts are organized into three themes: Quranic studies and Arabic language; astronomy, geography and time‑keeping; and theoretical and applied sciences such as medicine, engineering and chemistry. These themes trace the breadth of scholarship that flourished in the region and its impact on global knowledge.
House of Wisdom serves as the final stop of the touring exhibition, chosen for its strategic importance in preserving and showcasing intellectual heritage. The venue’s historical role as a centre of learning complements the university’s mission to promote scientific inquiry and cultural understanding. By bringing the manuscripts to this iconic setting, the exhibition underscores the continuity between past and present scholarly pursuits.
UAEU’s 50‑year milestone is also linked to UNESCO, which adopted the university’s establishment at the 43rd General Conference held in Tashkent. This international recognition underscores the institution’s contribution to education and research on a global scale. The Golden Jubilee celebrations, therefore, not only honour the university’s internal achievements but also its standing within the wider academic community.
Visitors to the exhibition can explore the development of scientific knowledge over time, learning how challenges faced by early scholars were transformed into opportunities that served society. The display offers an intellectual journey spanning nearly five centuries of scientific and scholarly achievement, highlighting the interconnectedness of diverse fields of knowledge and their contributions to societal advancement.
