American University of Sharjah
EN-3: Student Life

AUS has a vibrant student life community that is managed by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA). Besides the over 40 "cultural" student clubs on offer, there are currently 14 "interest-oriented" student clubs focused on sustainability: - American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists - Association of Women Engineers - Effective Altruism - Engineers Without Borders Club - Environment Club - Environmental Sciences Club - Innovators Club - International Studies Association - International Students Club - Network of Students in Medicine and Health - Psychology Club - Renewable Energy Society - Sustainability Club - Women Empowerment Club.

Since 2022 the clubs have participated in a sustainability competition during the "Club Fair" event held each semester. The EcoReps have designed a rubric and the Office of Sustainability has judged the competition. OSA announces the winners interally. 

The AUS Office of Student Affairs invites students to get involved in the on-campus Community Service Farm established in 2016 and to learn about the challenges and opportunities of growing food in a desert climate. Students volunteering with the AUS Community Service Farm are responsible to plant, water and harvest the farm crop. They work closely with the University City gardeners, who mentored them.

As part of the Community Service Farm, the AUS Greenhouse was established in 2019 to expand the methods of growing fruits and vegetables in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Since then, the Greenhouse has been used by AUS students to experiment how produce can be grown in harsh desert environments with minimal use of water and other natural resources. The Greenhouse itself features a unique design, having been built using 22,000 plastic bottles which were collected on campus during a year-long plastic bottle recycling campaign.

The AUS Community Service Farm student volunteer group grows seasonal crops on the AUS campus farm during the cooler winter months and sells them during the weekly AUS Farmers' Market. The revenue is then reinvested in the farm (buying seeds and tools necessary for the next growing season), with the overflow being donated to charitable organizations in the UAE.

AUS regularly invites industry experts to share their sustainability experience with the entire AUS student community. During the Fall 2023 semester, in the lead up to COP28 we initiated the following:

1. COP28 Speaker Series: This speaker series was organized to bring industry experts in front of AUS students to engage and prepare them for the discussions to take place at COP28. Speakers included: a. Muwaffaq AlKhedery, Climate Change Advisor, who presented, "National Emissions Modeling - How Commitments Are Developed". b. Dr. Slim Saidi, a visiting professor at AUS who presented, "Sustainability in the Augmented/Extended World". c. Dr. Ataur Belal from Birmingham Business School, who presented, "Accounting for Sustainable Development Goals". d. HE Dr. Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi; Former UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, who presented, "Nature Under Climate Change". e. Ataur Belal; Professor of Accounting & Sustainability at Birmingham Business School, University of Birmingham, UK, who presented on, "Accounting for Sustainable Development Goals". f. Dr. Claire Williams Bridgwater, Research Professor at American University, Washington, DC. USA, who presented on, "The Air We Breathe" - A discussion on the conceptual connections being made between climate change, air quality, and human health and organized into what is now defined as a climate x health framework. https://info.aus.edu/auscop28


2. COP28 Ramadan Talks: Ramadan Talks was facilitated by the Office of Student Affairs, in collaboration with student leaders to discuss the significance of the upcoming COP28 event. Sessions explored ways in which students can collaboratively contribute to addressing and mitigating climate change. The discussions focused on how working with various sectors of society will allow collective goals to be achieved.

AUS Shams Media Day

American University of Sharjah announced a new competition that challenges youth to address the important issue of climate change through their creative media projects. The competition is part of the AUS-Shams Media Day, organized by Sharjah Media City and the AUS Department of Media Communication in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Art and Design in the College of Architecture, Art and Design, in partnership with National Network Communications (NNC), who acts as the Awards Sponsor.  

https://www.aus.edu/media/news/empowering-youth-in-climate-advocacy-aus-hosts-first-climate-action-awareness-day-for-sharakah-schools

The Wellness Department organizes a hike in winter/spring for all AUS community members. The hike consists of a beginner-accessible hike along a picturesque view highlighting key geographical features of the UAE mountains and wadis. Leave No Trace principles are encouraged throughout these outdoor, off-campus events in the wilderness.

Because COP28 was being hosted in the UAE in December 2023, the entire year was devoted to activities and experiences based on and leading up to COP28. Such events included the COP28 Speaker Series, COP28 Ramadan Talks, COP28 Coffee Morning, and COP28 Quiz Night.

AUS Sustainability works with the Office of Student Affairs in participating in the Week of Welcome. During this time, AUS Sustainability offers Cook For Change cooking classes where the emphasis is not only on sustainable foods, but also on building life skills in the resident halls. Some of the skills focused on include cooking techniques, knife skills, planning a menu, trouble-shooting recipes, critical thinking, and working as a team. After the classes, students share in the meals further nurturing the community in which they reside. The event is held every semester.

In addition to the EcoRep Program, AUS Sustainability provides internship opportunities for up to 10 students each semester. These paid positions allow students to help plan and participate in a variety of Sustainability projects and campaigns throughout the academic year. Recent student employees have worked on - designing and executing a targeted, semester-long social media campaign for AUS Sustainability on Instagram - designing print collateral for the campus-wide AUS Sustainability Recycling Campaign - producing instructional videos for recycling and composting activities in the campus faculty housing - working on a university-wide GHG report.

Students are encouraged by the AUS Sustainability office to make the following sustainability pledge upon graduation: "I pledge to do my part and actively consider the environmental, social and economic impact of my daily decisions and commit to reduce my ecological footprint while on on campus, at home and at work."

The Sharjah Entrepreneurship Center (Sheraa) is a non-profit government organization which supports entrepreneurs, building businesses that serve as engines for socio-economic development. Sheraa cultivates change-makers out of young talent, nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit that celebrates infinite possibility, and building a thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem essentially from scratch.