AUS leads UAE university discussions on student engagement in COP28

Fourteen universities from around the UAE came together at the American University of Sharjah (AUS) Student Affairs and Services Roundtable on September 12 to discuss areas of collaboration and student engagement in the lead up to COP28.

“As a member of the Universities Climate Network (UCN), AUS is taking the lead on the Student Youth Engagement pillar. This roundtable brought student affairs professionals of UCN member institutions together for the first time to share what we are working on in preparation for COP28 and exchange experiences on how our students are engaging through initiatives, volunteer opportunities and more. Our roundtable focused on the importance of co-curricular activities and climate literacy for students,” said Dr. Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo, Executive Director of Student Experience at AUS.

Held in collaboration with AUS Sustainability, the roundtable event kicked off with an overview of university engagement opportunities during COP28, including the Greening Education Hub, Youth Hub, and Technology and Innovation Hub. It also highlighted special upcoming pre-COP28 events, such as simulation sessions for university students to meet each other as part of the Climate Ambassadors Program, and a webinar hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) on engaging faculty in reorienting curriculum around sustainability.

University representatives also shared the activities and programs they have built around sustainability and climate action in preparation for COP28, such as youth leadership networks, student clubs, competitions and many more.

In addition to AUS, participating universities included Abu Dhabi University, Ajman University, American University in Dubai, Canadian University in Dubai, Gulf Medical University, Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, Rabdan Academy, Rochester Institute of Technology in Dubai, University of Dubai, Zayed University, American University of Ras Al-Khaimah, Al-Ain University and Higher Colleges of Technology.

“The first UCN roundtable event has been extremely useful to share experiences and ideas. AUS Sustainability, in collaboration with AUS’ departments and colleges, has been actively engaging students through an array of events and initiatives that aim to educate them on  climate action and encourage them to seize every opportunity to participate in COP28’s many events,” said Julia Carlow, Acting Head of Sustainability. 

AUS Sustainability and the Office of Student Affairs have jointly launched  a series of initiatives on campus in the lead up to COP28, including the COP28 Speaker Series, residential hall programs such as the Green Living and Learning Community and Cooking for Climate Action workshops, which are complemented by activities led by the AUS Student Council and student clubs, as well as AUS’ long-standing EcoRep program. AUS students will also be participating in a series of COP28 events including the Global Conference of the Youth (COY18), which AUS is co-hosting, and many more. 

AUS is widely recognized for its sustainability initiatives. It is a member of the UCN, which comprises UAE-based universities and higher education institutions facilitating dialogues, workshops, public events and youth participation in the lead up to COP28. With the goal to reduce carbon emissions, AUS has developed its first comprehensive Climate Action Plan, which further aligns the university’s sustainability efforts with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic plan. AUS is a member of the UAE Alliance for Climate Action (UACA), a domestic alliance of stakeholders led by Emirates Nature-WWF. UACA is the flagship non-state actor program for the UAE in the lead up to COP28, which aims to increase momentum towards achieving net zero targets in line with science and the Paris Agreement. 

For more information about AUS’ involvement in COP28, visit info.aus.edu/auscop28.