The UAE University plays an active role in achieving ‎and keeping pace with the sustainable development ‎goals of the United Nations.

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE University plays an active role in achieving ‎and keeping pace with the sustainable development ‎goals of the United Nations by supporting initiatives ‎and projects  seeking to achieve this ambitious vision. ‎The scientific research represents an important tool to ‎build sustainable societies. The UAEU is awarding ‎‎56 research projects related to the sustainable ‎development goals.

The projects will be conducted by  ‎faculty members, researchers, and 254 undergraduate ‎and graduate students from various colleges. The ‎projects will start in January 2022‎ ‏.‏   Prof. Ahmed Murad, Associate Provost for Research ‎at the UAE University, elaborated that the university ‎spares no effort to  enhance its connection and ‎constructive interaction with the community by ‎encouraging such initiatives and  implementing  ‎projects to help achieve the 17 sustainable ‎development goals related to quality education, good ‎health, welfare, clean energy, clean water, industry, ‎innovation, infrastructure and other projects that ‎contribute to serving humanity.

 He added that the aim of the University UN ‎Sustainable Development Goals research programme is ‎to increase awareness of students and community ‎about these goals (SDGs) by providing research ‎grants and necessary resources to examine and ‎implement research ideas to find sustainable solutions ‎under the supervision faculty members. These ‎projects aim to promote  the culture of giving to the ‎community by resolving societal issues  in a scientific ‎and innovative manner.

The projects  highlight the ‎students’ role in addressing social and environmental ‎issues. The office of Associate Provost for Research ‎aims to build and enhance the academic research skills ‎of the  students, considering research as one of the ‎important future skills to ensure the continuous  ‎development and progress ‏.‏   Prof. Ahmed Murad explained that the 56 research ‎projects include  31 programmes that support the ‎eleventh goal related to "sustainable cities and ‎regions". This  is equivalent to 55.4% of the total ‎funded research projects. In addition, ten projects  ‎support the second goal related to "eradicating ‎hunger". Also, eight research projects contribute to  ‎the first goal " eradication of poverty" and seven other ‎projects support the fourteenth goal "life under ‎water ‏".‏