American University of Sharjah (AUS) (in Arabic: الجامعة الأمريكية في الشارقة) is an independent, not-for-profit coeducational higher educational institution in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, founded in 1997 by Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al-Qasimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah. Its medium of instruction is English, and it is based on American-style universities. AUS consistently ranks among the top universities in the Middle East. The university is the flagship institution in Sharjah's 1,600-acre (6.5 km) University City, which incorporates a number of other universities, among which is the University of Sharjah. On July 3, 2004, American University of Sharjah (AUS) was granted accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in the United States. In its final report granting the university accreditation, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, one of six regional U.S. accrediting agencies, congratulated AUS on its excellent roster of undergraduate and graduate programs, its state-of-the-art campus facilities, its highly qualified faculty and staff, and its dynamic student body.