Students from American University of Sharjah (AUS) won the Sharjah Sustainability Award 2014-2015 by demonstrating excellence and innovation in designing an application to educate community members about the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) Islamic Botanical Garden Learning Center in Sharjah.

AUS students, Nihal Abdulla Abdul Nasar majoring in computer science, and Mohammed Rashid and Rizwan Hassan Bakhsh majoring in computer engineering, won an award in the Outstanding Students' Team category under the "Smart Application for Information" domain.

During a press conference held at AUS, Hana Al Suwaidi, Chairperson of the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority said that the idea of launching the Sharjah Sustainability Award was inspired by the vision of his Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qassimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, who shows keen interest in protecting the environment and its resources. The award has also received strong support from His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Bin Sultan Al Qassimi, the Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler and Chairman of the Executive Council, and other members of the Executive Council.

"The Sharjah Sustainability Award engages both high school and university students in environmentally related projects, as a result, it is an important step towards achieving a sustainable environment in Sharjah," said Dr. Mohamed Abouleish, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science.

Launched by the Sharjah Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) and the Environmental Education and Awareness Committee in Sharjah, the award promotes and develops a spirit of competition among students in different sectors and disciplines to produce extraordinary sustainable projects that contribute to the development of a green sustainable learning environment and promote the concept of green economy.