A French-language university library in Abu Dhabi

Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University opened in 2006 in partnership with the French university Paris-Sorbonne (Paris 4), which brought its prestigious brand and French-language teaching in literature and the humanities to the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The library was seen as a key factor in the success of the project from the earliest phase of the negotiations. It provides a vital resource centre for students and teachers in a region in which French has historically had little presence. The stakeholders decided to go ahead very fast, setting the opening date just eight months after the signature of the contract; as a result, the institution as a whole, including the library, is constantly developing to adapt to the new context and to consolidate its presence, in line with ongoing negotiations between authorities in France and the UAE.
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