| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.21 |
| Liaison | Imad Alsyouf |
| Submission Date | May 9, 2021 |
University of Sharjah
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
- Male and female sustainability students’ clubs: Groups of students that organize and participate in events and activities related to sustainability.
-Health Sciences Club – for the Health Sciences Department students
-Environmental friends club – at the university level
SREE Club:
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/academics/Colleges/eng/dept/sre/Pages/SREESCA.aspx
Students Sustainability Clubs - see in the Sustainability Office Structure:
https://youtu.be/A6iD8czy6-c
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Pages/videos.aspx
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Pages/OS.aspx
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
- The Sustainable Garden is a campus initiative intended to promote ecological and social sustainability for university stakeholders. The Garden has been developed as a place for relaxation and recreation for all its visitors. It also carries the function of community gardening, which indicates that students, staff, and faculty members can subscribe to a piece of land for self-gardening. To uphold the sustainable aspect of the garden, there's an enforced zero tolerance for chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
For this project, the Sustainability Office has established two relative Sustainability Circles (Sustainable Garden Circle and Linking Education and Farming (LEAF) Circle).
The LEAF Circle is working on developing a sustainable food system. The UOS community is engaged in a composting project and planting organic crops (+500 Kg of compost has been produced, +85 kg of crops have been harvested). See pages 74 and 75 in the 2020 Sustainability Annual Report.
-Sustainability Club Students Participate in the Sustainable Garden Project.
Students of the Sustainability Club of the Office of Sustainability began work on the plot allocated to them within the Sustainable Garden Project at the University, in cooperation with the Agriculture Groups for Sustainability, the Sustainable Garden, and the Activities Unit of Female Students for Sustainability. This was done with the aim of raising the level of awareness among students within the "Sustainability Year 2020" initiative as it represents an environmental and medicinal treasure.
The website URL where information about the gardens, farms, or agriculture projects is available.
https://youtu.be/BDU1JZig4zI
https://youtu.be/qKO_nE0D4fs
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Pages/videos.aspx
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8JIHSYpVHu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Steps for Ambition and Empowerment Initiative (Entrepreneurship and sustainability)
-Vision: Promoting awareness among students from all majors to explore their own potential, determine their ambition, and, equipped with leading skills in different fields in general, and in entrepreneurship in particular, have empowerment the community after graduation.
- Mission: To have alert graduates who enjoy innovative thinking and skills through the dissemination of sustainable entrepreneurship thinking from an early age. Providing an encouraging environment for students such as programs, activities, courses and workshops aiming to identify objectives, achieve personal development and qualify students for entrepreneurship and innovation – is fundamental to realize this mission.
- https://www.instagram.com/p/B7p1JjepA1K/
- Steps for Ambition and Empowerment Initiative (Entrepreneurship and sustainability):
- Program: From an idea to a successful project: Learn creative thinking skills for sustainable work.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8F55SrpMf5/
The program was for 28 hours. 90 students have participated, 15 of them started their own small enterprise.
Interview of one of the students who has started her business as a result of the initiative:
https://youtu.be/JbbTXyc1eQE
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
1- The University of Sharjah organizes national and international sustainability conferences where students and community members are welcome to join.
Some of the organized conferences are:
A- The 12th International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection “SEEP 2019”, which aimed to present the latest research in the area of monitoring and modeling the water, air, and soil hazards, and to propose solutions to the identified problems in different regions of the world.
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Media/Conferences/seep/Pages/default.aspx
B- The 1st international conference of the University of Sharjah branches titled: Tourism is sustainable development.
http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Media/Pages/Event-Details.aspx?mcid=246&clt=en
C- Government Communication and Sustainable Development conference (12 – 14 March 2019).
http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Media/Conferences/Pages/default.aspx
2- The Sustainability Office and other related departments organize events, activities, and workshops related to sustainability throughout the year to increases the awareness level among the university community. More than 100 sustainability-related events have been organized in the last three academic years (attached).
Examples of some sustainability events are:
a. Pro-active Solutions for Plastic Pollutions workshop:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B51yW5ep-9Z/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
b. Collecting and recycling plastic Competition workshop:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8VxocqJhAP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
c. Seminar on “The Importance of TNR in Ensuring the Welfare of Stray Animals”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8GJ2bwJEwt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
d. Seminar on“Rescue your Back”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7x_L2ZJrbs/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
e. Workshop “Make Your Own High Yield Soil”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7QmQvXpIKz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
f. Workshop “Make Your Own High Yield Soil with Sharjah Municipality”:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7p5hIbpnVB/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
g. The annual "Health, Community and Environmental Awareness Day":
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/academics/Colleges/healthsciences/Pages/evt_detail.aspx?mcid=333&clt=en
h. Sustainable Food Workshop:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6pNGbRJsHU/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Media/Pages/news-details.aspx?mcid=483
f. Workshop “Sustainability in Operations And Maintenance Management: Challenges And Opportunities”:
http://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Media/Pages/Event-Details.aspx?mcid=204&clt=en
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture organized the 22nd edition of the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival. The Festival commenced on December 11, 2019, and ran until January 21, 2020. The edition's theme was: Prospect serves as a concept to unite artists and art enthusiasts together.
The SIAF launched 253 activities in the form of exhibitions, lectures, and workshops, in collaboration with more than 28 organizations in Sharjah; including, Maraya Art Centre, Al Qasba, College of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Sharjah, Sharjah Calligraphy Museum, Calligraphers' Studios, Emirates Arabic Calligraphy and Islamic Ornamentation Association, Sharjah Islamic Affairs, as well as many other official entities.
Link:
http://islamicartsmagazine.com/magazine/view/sharjah_islamic_arts_festival_launches_its_22nd_edition/
https://sdc.gov.ae/En/NewsDetails/657/6
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The University of Sharjah works on engaging the students in the outdoor programs by integrating sustainability into their lives outside of the formal classes.
- Sustainability Club Students Participated in Al Marmum Scout Camp where students were introduced to ways to conserve the environment and energy sources, as well as various activities and scouting and environmental adventures that enhance concepts of environmental protection and wildlife.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6sS5a-JuLf/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- Youth Camp in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Environment. A trip to Kalba was arranged where brainstorming sessions were done regarding the topic of environmental tourism as well as mountain hiking, biking and boat activities.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9CCvYVJPV0/?igshid=11qkdjw49ucpc
- A student trip to the Qatta camp in Maliha, with the aim of enhancing social and knowledge relations between students, discovering the nature of the area, and enjoying the beauty of the desert.
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The Sustainability Office announced the year of 2020 as a sustainability
year, under the theme of “Sustainability 2020”, in order to enhance and promote the concept of sustainability.
During the Sustainability 2020 awareness campaign, each Sustainability
Circle coordinated activities including workshops and seminars, to create awareness and to promote and cultivate eco-friendly and sustainability behaviors among the UOS stakeholders.
For example, The Linking Education and Farming Sustainability Circle and Sustainable Garden Circle worked on the theme: “Make your own High yield soil” in which we encouraged students to recycle the food waste and compost it to be used in the sustainable garden in the University.
The Creative Initiative Sustainability Circle worked on the theme: “Pro-active solutions to Plastic Pollutions”, in which we encouraged students to recycle plastic bottles. A competition was been launched to collect and recycle plastic bottles with a local company (D-Grade).
The website where information about the sustainability-related themes is:
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Pages/evt_detail.aspx?mcid=176&clt=en
More information about these two examples can be obtained in the Sustainability
Office Annual Report:
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Pages/AR.aspx
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
- The Sustainability Office is continuously initiating projects and practices that integrate sustainability into University life and activities, such as composting, recycling, and cat caring programs.
- Composting series workshops: Series of composting workshops under the theme of: “Make your own high yields soil” have been performed to teach the UOS stakeholders how to make the high yield soil from food waste (two workshops, one was with the collaboration of the Sharjah Municipality, to engage the students to use the in-house made compost in the sustainable garden).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7TLbv5pSDd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B7QmQvXpIKz/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- Plastic recycling program under the theme of: “Pro-active Solutions to Plastic Pollutions”. A series of workshops have been performed to raise awareness on the importance of recycling followed by a competition for the collection and recycling the plastic (with the collaboration with DGrade company).
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6KqouOJNyh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6KqouOJNyh/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
- Training Workshop on “How to Take Care of House Pets”, that dealt with explaining and clarifying ways and methods of providing the necessary care for house pets. Additionally, it looked at the care of stray animals, during which it hosted a number of members of the Emirates Animal Welfare Association, to engage the students to help in the TNR program for the campus’s cats.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8GJ2bwJEwt/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
1. Sustainability office:
The sustainability office at the University of Sharjah offers employment opportunities for students to be involved and participate in sustainable-related activities to implement and improve sustainability on campus.
See page 8 in the Sustainability Annual Report:
https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/Sustainability/Documents/Annual_Report_2020.pdf
These positions are announced through the Career Advising and Student Training Office: https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Administration/CASTO/Pages/SEP.aspx
https://sep.sharjah.ac.ae/English/Pages/Guidelines.aspx
(attached a screenshot)
2. Research institutes:
The research institutes in the University of Sharjah hire students from both undergraduate and graduate levels to be involved in and participate in different research-related topics including sustainability. There are sustainability-focused research groups, such as the Sustainable Engineering Asset Management (SEAM) research group.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
- Debate Contest Initiative.
Students Participate in the Debate Contest: “Animal Testing”. This wasorganized by the leader of Female Students Sustainable Activities Circle in cooperation with The Student Activities Department of the Deanship of Student Affairs. Students from the Colleges of Engineering, Sciences, and Health Sciences at the University of Sharjah participated in the Third Debate Contest, under the title “Animal Testing,” in which the teams debated for and against banning animal testing. This Contest aimed to improve students’ scientific, research, life and personal skills.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B88thSlJxwb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.