Sharjah, UAE. April 10, 2023–The Higher Education Climate Dialogues (HECD) Conference, a student-led conference on sustainability, was hosted by American University of Sharjah (AUS) on March 21 in partnership with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD). More than 150 attendees, including university students, prominent experts and government officials, gathered to prepare for meaningful engagement at COP28, which will take place in Dubai in December.
Focusing on the UAE’s journey to Net Zero by 2050, prominent speakers included Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Saeed Hareb Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment; Fatma Al Habshi, Acting Head of International Affairs at the Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment; Gregory Ross, the Head of Sustainability at Petrofac; Hanan AlSakr, the Head of Private Sector Engagements at COP28; Philipp Rosenthal, the Associate Director of Environment and Sustainability at Williams Sale Partnership (WSP) Global and Moustafa Bayoumi, Research Fellow at Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy and Xan Northcott, Project Manager at COP28 Youth Climate Champion Team.
Panelists Kritika Kadekodi, Assistant Vice President for Environment, Social and Governance Strategy at First Abu Dhabi Bank, and Wissam Kadi, Global Initiatives Director at SAP, spoke about how students can prepare themselves for careers at the forefront of sustainability.
“At AUS, we are committed to promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship. We realize the urgency to address climate change and are proud to be a member of the COP28 University Taskforce. As we prepare for this important global conference, we continue to engage our students, faculty and staff in sustainable practices and initiatives. We believe that by leading by example, we can inspire others to take action and create a more sustainable future for all,” said Dr. Juan Sanchez, AUS Provost and Chief Academic Officer.
Among the highlights of the conference was a Car-go to Waste Competition, organized by dnata, which challenged students to find innovative sustainable solutions to repurpose or reuse cargo belts, cargo nets and thermal blankets that are currently being sent to the landfill.
Lilian Alawar, an AUS student and competition winner, stated that her team’s commitment to creating a more sustainable future motivated them to participate in the competition.
“By proposing a solution to recycle polyester materials into eco-friendly tote bags, we aimed to reduce waste, conserve materials and promote sustainable practices. Through this competition, we learned valuable lessons about the importance of considering the environmental impact of waste generation, the power of innovative solutions and the benefits of collaboration and critical thinking in developing sustainable practices,” Alawar said.
The winning team received a cash prize and a three-month internship opportunity at dnata and will present their solutions at the Airport Show 2023 and COP28.
Also part of the conference was the Youth Climate Negotiation Simulation, organized in collaboration with Masdar’s Youth 4 Sustainability initiative and Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. By representing a particular country’s climate stance in discussions aimed to reduce global climate emissions, students enhanced their negotiation skills and shared ideas to fight climate change.
Additionally, the conference featured an exhibition of student research on a broad range of topics, from quantifying food waste in Al-Ain households to measuring carbon emissions from university travel. Some of the projects were carried out in partnership with well-known organizations such as BEEAH and the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
American University of Sharjah (AUS) has prioritized sustainability and has been recognized for its success in sustainability initiatives. AUS has implemented sustainability education across 72 percent of its undergraduate and graduate courses, offers extracurricular activities to promote sustainability practices and awareness, and is a leader in sustainable practices as a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. AUS has also developed a Climate Action Plan to reduce carbon emissions in alignment with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 initiative. For more information, visitwww.aus.edu/sustainability.
About AUS
American University of Sharjah (AUS) was founded in 1997 by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed AlQasimi, Member of the Supreme Council of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Sharjah. Sheikh Sultan articulated his vision of a distinctive institution against the backdrop of Islamic history and in the context of the aspirations and needs of contemporary society in the UAE and the Gulf region.
Firmly grounded in principles of meritocracy and with a strong reputation for academic excellence, AUS has come to represent the very best in teaching and research, accredited internationally and recognized by employers the world over for creating graduates equipped with the knowledge, skills and drive to lead in the 21st century.
AUS values learners not driven only by academic success, but by those that embrace our dynamic campus life and embody our ideals of openness, tolerance and respect. This combination of academic excellence and community spirit ensures AUS is filled with world-class faculty and students, poised to become the innovators, thinkers, contributors and leaders of tomorrow.
About AUS’ Silver Jubilee
Celebrating 25 years of excellence, AUS is ranked among the top 10 universities in the Arab world, acclaimed for its academic excellence, multicultural environment and outstanding facilities.
Since 1997, AUS has been nurturing and equipping students to become award-winning architects, designers, scientists, journalists, engineers, innovators, researchers, successful entrepreneurs–and even leaders of the UAE’s space program.
AUS offers 28 undergraduate majors and 45 minors, 15 master’s degrees and four PhD programs in the areas of architecture, design, humanities, science, engineering and business. Formed on the American liberal arts model, all classes are conducted in English.
Students apply their learning through internships, research, conferences, competitions and professional collaborations. AUS graduates consistently secure roles with leading regional and international employers, and many pursue graduate studies at the world’s top institutions.