This month the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) launched the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Research Programme, which aims to support “Plant the Emirates,” a national initiative geared towards strengthening the UAE’s agricultural sector.
According to the university, the programme seeks to raise awareness among UAEU students and the community regarding the United Nations SDGs while also providing seed funding for students to support research initiatives that develop “resilient, inclusive, and sustainable” solutions under faculty mentorship.
The 2024/2025 cycle will focus on student-led research initiatives that directly align with the “Plant the Emirates” initiative, programme leads said.
Further, submissions are also required to align with SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), it was shared.
“In the first cycle of this call, we intend to support and fund 25 student research projects and provide them with the needed resources to drive impactful solutions,” said Prof. Ahmed Alraeesi, Acting Vice Chancellor of UAEU.
“Our goal is to foster sustainability, enhance climate resilience, and build stronger communities through research that directly addresses the pressing challenges we face,” added Alraeesi.
Recent assessments of the SDGs show that the world is “severely off-track.” Indeed, back in June, it was found that none of the 17 SDGs are on track to be achieved by the 2030 deadline, and only an estimated 16 per cent of targets are progressing.
SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG14 (Life Below Water), SDG15 (Life on Land) and SDG16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) were found to be particularly off-track.