With the foresight of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah has become one of the most important learning centers in the Middle East. One only has to visit the impressive University City to understand the vision that lies behind this achievement. A multi-dimensional education system with a wide and varied network of schools and institutions has played a pivotal role in the development of Sharjah. Sharjah's University City, a huge six-campus development near the airport , was founded in 1997 and consists of the American University of Sharjah(AUS) , Sharjah Men's University, Sharjah Women's University, the Higher College of Technology for Men , the Higher College of Technology for Women a pioneering project in the country providing students with professional training. It also includes Sharjah Police Academy and the Sharjah Library. The colleges are affiliated to a number of universities from the United States and Great Britain. Several new schools have been established here in the past year among them the first Australian International School in the UAE. The University City is located to the east of the city and comprises several magnificent buildings. It should be visited for its architecture alone, which is influenced by the traditions of Arabia.