Sheikh Nahyan Mabarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research President of Zayed University, announced the establishment of the “Bin Hamoodah Endowed Chair in Public Health” with a generous AED 10 million gift, which marks the start of an ambitious project to launch ZU’s Endowment Fund encouraging and stimulating research that will benefit the UAE. This is a historic achievement for ZU.

The announcement was made during a signing ceremony of the Endowment Agreement held on the university’s Abu Dhabi campus on May 24th, 2010 by Sheikh Nahyan and Faraj Ali Bin Hamoodah, Chairman of Bin Hamooda Group.

Commenting on the signing ceremony that marks a new milestone for the university, Sheikh Nahyan said: “This is a very special gift to the University whose impact will endure well into the future.”

Faraj Ali Bin Hamooda, said: “We have always been keen to continue in the footsteps and follow the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in promoting teaching and research breakthroughs in the UAE”. The establishment of Bin Hamoodah Endowed Chair in Public Health with a gift of AED 10 million, as the first of it’s kind in the university, will encourage academic studies and scientific research in the field of public health and will provide the support needed to enhance ZU’s distinctive academic development.

This initiative is the first of its kind to be launched in a federal university in the UAE. Safia Al Raqbani, Chief Development Officer, Member of the Constituent Committee for the ZU’s Endowment Fund emphasized the importance of the “Bin Hamoodah Endowed Chair in Public Health” as the cornerstone in the establishment of the Endowment Fund at ZU, through support and generous gifts from UAE citizens who share our vision in building and securing a future for upcoming generations.

The endowed chair in public health represents several months of work by many individuals at ZU. ZU has set a new philanthropic benchmark in the UAE with the creation of the “Bin Hamoodah Endowed Chair in Public Health”.