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The Student Academic Success Program (SASP) at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) organized the 2015 Annual Students’ Undergraduate Research Conference in conjunction with all UAEU Colleges on May 19, 2015. Prof. Mohamed Albaili, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs opened the conference by stating that such events are part of UAEU’s strategic goals, which include the promotion of a culture of scientific research amongst the students. Such events encourage students to undertake scientific research and other creative activities. It is also an ideal opportunity to showcase their research capabilities and to support student participation, while also providing invaluable experience in the development of research skills.

Professor Albaili added that the university is keen to organize such conferences and events to help students to develop the necessary skills for post-graduate research. This is achieved through a series of workshops and training courses that contribute to opening up new research opportunities and avenues, most especially in areas of national and regional importance.

The Conference gives the opportunity to foster undergraduate research among UAEU students by offering the valuable experience of presenting at a research conference in the smaller, friendlier environment of their own university. The participants gain a new appreciation for open research questions in other faculties, perhaps leading to richer interdisciplinary research in the future, while concurrently giving students a deeper understanding of the topics in their major through explaining them to conference attendees. Ultimately, highlighting the research that the top scholars and their advisors are doing in each college will be a spin-off of this innovative event, the first of its kind involving all UAEU Colleges and their undergraduate students.

“Besides the excitement of bringing together the outstanding undergraduate research projects from all the UAEU Colleges in one place,” said Fatima Tayel, SASP Director, “the entire process of preparing students for this event has resulted in a myriad of academic activities all over campus: from the Writing Center delivering workshops on research papers and abstract writing, to the individual support offered by the Research Corner, as well as the Speaking Center training the presenters on how to give an effective presentation and of course all the activities within each College for the selection of the five top student research efforts – all of these initiatives combine to enhance the research spirit of our undergraduate students, who are the researchers of the future.”

In fact, each College has been invited to submit up to five presentations on behalf of their students; in the form of lecture, or workshop, or poster presentation, or experience sharing. An official jury has been appointed, represented by one faculty member from each College, and the best oral presentation from each college and best three posters will be rewarded. All student participants will receive a participation certificate.

SASP is a small but very active program within University College, providing four main areas of direct academic support to UAEU students, from Foundation to post-graduate students enrolled in Master or Doctorate research. SASP is active through 4 areas: the Learning Centers; Research Corner; Academic Advising; and a program of Skills development.