AUS senior engineering students tackle UAE industry challenges

More than 200 senior engineering students at American University of Sharjah (AUS) came together with representatives from 17 leading companies and government organizations for the College of Engineering’s (CEN) annual Senior Design Networking and Matchmaking Workshop.

As part of their graduation requirements, all undergraduate CEN students must complete a senior design project. The workshop connected students with industry early in the process to help them identify project opportunities that respond to genuine challenges, operational needs and national priorities. 

“At CEN, we strongly believe that a university cannot work in isolation. Our vision is to actively engage with our community and industry partners, ensuring that our students work on projects that matter, projects that respond to real industry challenges, address the UAE’s evolving needs and create meaningful impact. This mindset led us to launch the industry-sponsored Senior Design Projects initiative two years ago, and last academic year, 30 percent of our senior design projects were already sponsored by leading companies and government organizations,” said Dr. Fadi Aloul, Dean of CEN. “We want to build on this momentum by connecting students with industry even earlier, giving them access to experienced practitioners and real-world challenges while opening doors to internships, employment and long-term professional opportunities.” 

The event featured structured pitching and matchmaking sessions, with student teams rotating between dedicated company stations. Industry representatives presented real-world challenges and priority areas, while students discussed potential senior design project ideas, including themes such as UAE resilience. The conversations also opened opportunities for industry mentorship, technical collaboration and possible future recruitment.

“This workshop transforms senior design from a final academic requirement into a strategic platform for innovation, talent development and industry engagement,” said Dr. Mehdi Ghommem, Associate Dean for Research, Innovation and Outreach at CEN and the event organizer. 

“By involving industry before project directions are finalized, we enable students to work on challenges that matter to the UAE while giving our partners a direct role in mentoring emerging talent and shaping applied solutions. This early engagement creates a stronger pathway from identifying a challenge to developing a project, building professional capability and delivering meaningful impact,” he said.

The 17 participating organizations represented a diverse range of sectors and engineering priorities. Among them were Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC), Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park’s SoiLAB, Sharjah Civil Defence Authority, Aramex, Siemens Energy, Petrofac and Odoo. 

Industry representatives used the sessions to explain current challenges, provide practical context and explore how student ideas could be developed into feasible solutions with potential value for their organizations and the wider community.

“The CEN Senior Design Networking and Matchmaking Workshop was an excellent opportunity to connect industry experience with the creativity and technical knowledge of AUS students. What I particularly valued was the opportunity to discuss real engineering challenges with the students and explore how these challenges can be developed into meaningful senior design projects. Collaboration between industry and academia gives students exposure to real-world requirements while allowing industry partners to benefit from fresh ideas, research and innovative solutions. We at SNOC are delighted to support such initiatives and look forward to continuing our collaboration with AUS and its students,” said Dr. Mohanad Akeila, Project and NOC Engineer at SNOC.

For participating students, the workshop provided direct exposure to how companies identify, evaluate and prioritize challenges. It also helped teams assess the technical feasibility, relevance and potential impact of their ideas before beginning project development. 

“I am incredibly grateful to have attended the workshop. Having industry leaders unpack their pressing, real-world challenges firsthand was an invaluable experience for everyone involved,” said Ashhad Faisal, a mechanical engineering student.

Students complete their year-long senior design project during their final year, working in teams of three to four under faculty supervision. A cornerstone of engineering education at AUS, the experience enables students to integrate the technical knowledge, creative thinking, teamwork and project management skills developed throughout their studies.

Selected projects developed through this academic year’s cycle will be presented at the CEN Senior Design Project Competition later in the academic year, with students demonstrating their solutions to industry representatives, faculty members and the wider AUS community.

Engineering students seeking additional career guidance and industry exposure can also benefit from the CEN Career Hub, which provides one-on-one career advising, professional development workshops, internship support and access to industry connections.

To learn more about CEN and its student opportunities, click here.