AUS to host youth-led Higher Education Climate Dialogues to empower climate advocacy and innovations

American University of Sharjah (AUS) is set to host the fourth annual Higher Education Climate Dialogues (HECD), in collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), on March 21. The event aims to create a space for various universities and educational stakeholders to exchange ideas and best practices for sustainability. The ultimate goal of the HECD is to improve campus operations, culture, research and teaching. 

This year's HECD is especially significant as the UAE prepares to host COP28, the world's foremost forum for multilateral climate negotiations, in December. In the lead-up to this momentous event, the HECD aims to empower students as climate advocates and ensure that they are equipped for meaningful engagement at COP28. 

The HECD is a one-day event that will take place on the AUS campus with students from AUS and other universities across the UAE participating in a range of sustainability-oriented events. Two panel events are scheduled, namely Pathway to Progress: UAE's Roadmap to Net Zero' and Career Readiness in a Climate Conscious World. Notable speakers from the government and corporate sector will engage in dynamic discussions on the UAE's progress towards its climate goals, especially in anticipation of the release of the United Nations’ Global Stocktake Report in June.These discussions will also offer insight on how students can best prepare for a career in the fast-evolving green economy.

Masdar's Youth 4 Sustainability initiative will host an exciting Youth Climate Negotiation Simulation in partnership with Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy. Through this gamified climate-based negotiation experience, students will play the role of country representatives to better understand the far-reaching implications of climate change.

In the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, the conference will also host a business competition in collaboration with the transport industry leader, dnata. In recognition of the vast amounts of waste produced in the process of transport, the competition calls for students to develop innovative solutions that reuse or repurpose materials currently destined for landfills. Shortlisted students from previous rounds will pitch their ideas on the day of the conference to a team of experts from dnata with the potential for one team to receive a cash prize and a potential dnata internship.

Through its dynamic roster of activities, the HECD hopes to mobilize youth in the fight against climate change. The HECD is centered around student-oriented activities and is entirely student-led, with an organizing team of 25 students at the helm of this year’s organization. This commitment to youth empowerment stems from the conviction that young people are climate stakeholders and change-makers, and any lasting climate movement must capitalize on their intellectual vitality and dynamism.

To learn more about HECD, visit www.aus.edu/media/events/higher-education-climate-dialogues-2023.