Sharjah Maritime Academy Selects Ellucian Student to Advance Smart Campus Vision

Future-ready, SaaS-native SIS to drive academic excellence and operational efficiency at growing hub for maritime studies in the United Arab Emirates

SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates and RESTON, Va., May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ellucian, the leading higher education technology solutions provider, today announced that Sharjah Maritime Academy (SMA) has chosen Ellucian Student powered by Banner to modernize its technology systems and support its strategic vision for an integrated, student-centered campus. Purpose-built for higher education, this AI-powered Student Information System (SIS) supports the end-to-end student lifecycle. As a new Ellucian customer, SMA is transitioning from its legacy system to a modern SaaS solution that enhances the academic journey for students while streamlining operations for faculty and staff.

SMA joins a growing global community of more than 2,600 institutions leveraging Ellucian SaaS solutions to accelerate digital transformation, unlock innovation, and support student success at scale.

"By selecting a future-ready SIS platform designed to scale, Sharjah Maritime Academy is enhancing the student experience while strengthening its role as a national and regional leader in maritime education," said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. "Ellucian Student will support SMA's strategic goals to deliver high-quality programs, drive research and innovation, and prepare skilled professionals to support the growth of the UAE's maritime sector."

With its implementation of Ellucian Student, integrated with Ellucian Apply, Ellucian Experience, Ellucian Insights, and the Ellucian Intelligent Learning Platform, SMA will leverage a unified digital ecosystem. This comprehensive platform will improve access to academic records, simplify course registration and enhance communication between students and advisors. Faculty and administrators will benefit from centralized data management, seamless integrations with learning systems, and robust analytics to guide decision-making and better support student outcomes.

"This partnership with Ellucian marks a significant milestone in our digital transformation journey," said Dr. Hashim Alzaabi, Chancellor, Sharjah Maritime Academy. "By implementing a cutting-edge, AI-enabled Student Information System, we are reinforcing our commitment to delivering a seamless, personalized, and future-ready academic experience for Sharjah Maritime Academy's students and faculty. This strategic move supports our broader vision to position the Academy as a leading maritime hub in the region where innovation, technology, and education converge to shape the future of the maritime industry."

The shift to Ellucian Student aligns with SMA's broader institutional goals to deliver world-class teaching, research, and training. As the only institution in the UAE offering CAA-accredited baccalaureate-level degrees in maritime education, SMA is uniquely positioned to lead the advancement of maritime science, technology, and workforce development across the Middle East and beyond.

For more information on Ellucian solutions, visit: https://www.ellucian.com/emea-ap (for Europe, Middle East and Asia-Pacific) or https://www.ellucian.com.    

ABOUT SHARJAH MARITIME ACADEMY

Sharjah Maritime Academy is a state-of-the-art higher education institution in the city of Khorfakkan, focusing on maritime studies, training and research. SMA is the only institution in the UAE that offers CAA's accredited baccalaureate level degree programs in the field of maritime education.  Sharjah Maritime Academy is regulated by the Ministry of Education as well as the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy for its sea-going operations. SMA also holds the status of Accredited Training Provider ATP by the National Qualifications Centre NQC.

To learn more, visit: https://www.sma.ac.ae/ 

ABOUT ELLUCIAN

Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries, serving over 20 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrolment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

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SOURCE Ellucian