- ERRA signs a licensing agreement with the American University of Sharjah (AUS), making it the first government-affiliated UAE university to adopt a comprehensive copyright protection model.
- The agreement ensures equitable royalty distribution for authors and publishers while promoting responsible knowledge use and copyright awareness in education.
- AUS can now provide digital and campus-based educational materials confidently, setting a benchmark for creativity, academic integrity, and sustainable knowledge-sharing practices.
ERRA has signed a licencing agreement with the American University of Sharjah (AUS), which becomes the second university in the UAE to obtain such a licence and simultaneously the first government-affiliated academic institution to adopt a comprehensive model for the protection of authors’ rights and copyright in educational settings.
The signing took place during ERRA’s participation in the Sharjah International Book Fair 2025. The agreement is part of ERRA's ongoing efforts to establish a sustainable academic environment based on the organized and responsible use of knowledge resources. This will also ensure the equitable distribution of royalties to authors and publishers in the UAE and beyond, while keeping within the best international practices regarding education and research.
Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, President and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of American University of Sharjah (AUS) and honourary chairperson of ERRA, commented: “Signing this agreement represents an important step in fostering an academic culture that respects creativity and promotes proper knowledge-sharing practices. At AUS, we believe copyright protection is not only a legal duty but also a responsibility to support research, intellectual output, and the development of the publishing sector”.
She also praised the growing role of ERRA in regulating fair use for intellectual works and protecting the rights of their creators: “Granting this licence reinforces the university’s position as a leading educational institution and sets a benchmark for the academic sector nationally and regionally.”
Mohammed Bin Dkhein, the Chairman of ERRA, expressed his pride in the licencing agreement with AUS. "This collaboration represents an important step towards supporting the creative ecosystem of the UAE and reflects AUS's commitment to a conscious and fair model for knowledge reuse". He emphasized that copyright protection is not just a legal obligation, but a cornerstone for building a culture of respect for creativity and the promotion of innovators. “Through this agreement, we aim to strengthen partnerships with educational institutions to establish copyright awareness as a foundation for advancing education and scientific output”.
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Dr. Todd Larsen, Director of AUS, said "Through this agreement with ERRA, the university can provide educational materials on campus and online with confidence and clarity. It allows for copying and access for authorized users in our community, necessitates robust controls for digital course materials, and respects whatever exceptions are defined by the association. Our commitment is simple: to enable faculty and students to access the resources they need for learning while prioritizing creators' rights and setting a model for responsible knowledge use".
The agreement was signed at the pavilion of ERRA during the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair in the presence of representatives of both parties, cultural figures, publishers, and media personnel. This agreement is part of a bigger series of collaborations through which ERRA strives to create an equitable knowledge system, increase awareness in society, protect the rights of creators, and contribute to the national creative economy.
The AUS Board of Trustees, chaired by Sheikha Bodour, met in Cambridge, UK, last month to further pursue targeted steps toward financial clarity, institutional preparedness, and governance oversight that support the mission and long-term strategic direction of AUS.
The meeting was held alongside AUS’ Community Connect Cambridge delegation programme, part of a larger outreach initiative by AUS that brought representatives of Sharjah’s ecosystem institutions to Cambridge for knowledge exchange, site visits and partnership exploration. The board approved revisions to the AUS Delegation of Authority Manual to clarify financial approval authorities and processes, endorsed the audit-related Business Continuity Management Policy to reinforce oversight and operational continuity, and renamed the Audit and Compliance Committee as the Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee to align its remit with international best practices and integrated assurance.
