Top students honoured by NYU

New York University has announced its third class of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Scholars. The students, all enrolled in federal universities, will participate in one of two academic courses: one on US presidential politics and foreign policy, the other on the relationship between religion and government as seen through the decisions of the US Supreme Court. The courses will be taught by the NYU president John Sexton, Robert Shrum, a political strategist and senior fellow at NYU's Robert F Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and the journalist James Traub, who is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Salama Khansaheb, 23, was among the first 16 to be selected three years ago, while she was studying at Zayed University. Nominated by her professors, she said the experience allowed her to connect with some of the country's most talented students. "Not everyone at the universities is of the same calibre so this was a chance for us to challenge each other." She and her 15 colleagues studied law and religion and public speaking and leadership several times a month.

"The Sheikh Mohamed Scholars represent the best and the brightest of the UAE's students. They are intelligent, driven and passionate individuals who are eager to develop into the future leaders of their country," said Diane C Yu, executive director of the scholars programme. * The National