Zayed University (ZU), established in 1998, is the newest of the three government sponsored higher educational institutions in the United Arab Emirates. The other two institutions are the Higher Colleges of Technology established in 1988 and the United Arab Emirates University established in 1976. Zayed University was named in honor of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the country's first president and founder. Zayed University is organized academically into six colleges: Arts and Sciences, Business Sciences, Communication and Media Sciences, Education, Information Technology and University College. English is the medium of instruction except in courses in Arabic and Islamic studies. Because of this, students may need to spend up to two years in an English language preparatory program before entering the bachelor's program. The first two years in the university are in a general education program in University College (Colloquy), providing a broad grounding in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Students then move into the majors which are housed in the colleges. Research and outreach are given particular emphasis at ZU.