Basic HTML Version
The UAEU Education & Research 2011 event was the
culmination of UAEU’s work in recent years to increase
substantially its research contributions in areas of direct
relevance to the Nation, with the UAEU playing a vital
role in the continued growth of Abu Dhabi and the UAE,
with research at the core of university life. UAEU has
provided research of direct relevance to key government
policy areas that have included water and petroleum
resources, solar, wind and bio-fuel sources of energy,
the causes and spread of global health pandemics and
prevalent regional medical conditions.
The evening focused on four core themes:
• Enhanced education - a strong focus on educational
outcomes research, as new approaches are introduced
in Abu Dhabi and the UAE. And further social
improvements in public policy, law, innovation and
entrepreneurship, corporate governance, supply chain
logistics, food security, and road traffic safety.
• Better health - a new focus on the behavioral causes of
the lifestyle diseases of obesity, cardio-vascular disease,
and diabetes, and renewed efforts to understand and
prevent the high prevalence genetic diseases within the
UAE population.
• Economic diversification - a major focus on information
and communications technology, micro-processor
design, and aerospace engineering and manufacture.
• Sustainability and the environment - emphasizing air
quality and optimal water distribution and usage, the
remediation of polluted coastal and ground water, and
the management of saltwater intrusions into aquifers.
The high-profile event was attended by the Chancellor of
UAEU and Minister for Higher Education and Scientific
Research, who praised the university for its continued
commitment to providing research to support the
government s growth plans.
It was also attended by His Excellency Mohamed Ahmed
Al Bowardi, Secretary General of the Executive Council of
Abu Dhabi, who congratulated the United Arab Emirates
University for the great successes and gains it has made
for Abu Dhabi and the UAE, as well as Her Excellency
Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, UAE
Minister for Foreign Trade, His Excellency Dr. Mugheer
Khamis Al Khaili, Director General of Abu Dhabi
Education Council, over 20 diplomatic ambassadors, and
representatives of government and business from around
the country.
Throughout the evening the UAEU showcased a sample
of its unrivalled research for the benefit of the Nation in
100 case studies displayed on large posters around the
Emirates Palace. Students were also on hand with iPads
to illustrate research efforts within the university and the
newly released research search engine that has enabled
government, industry, and other academic institutions to
establish what research capabilities are readily available
within the UAEU.
The event clearly highlighted UAEU s efforts in creating
new capabilities and knowledge that contributes to
building a more diverse knowledge-based economy and
a healthy, educated, well-managed and safe society.
Research Grant Awards
The University awarded research grants to 37 faculty for
research in the areas of national importance. Research
fields for these funded projects include Medicine, Science,
Engineering, IT, Business, Education, Humanities and
Social Sciences. In addition the UAEU won 42 out of 55
Emirates Foundation Science & Technology research
grant awards and in Spring 2011 opened a Research
Grant Competition which received 138 pre-proposal
submissions of which 81 were selected for full proposal
submission.
Research Partnership and Funding
The research budget from the University for 2010/2011
was AED 12 million which was used to support research
for faculty, and undergraduate and graduate research.
Over 150 research projects were commissioned and
funded this year at a total value of over 50 million Dirhams.
Research projects in the FFA included those funded
by the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, the Farmers
Service Centre, and the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al
Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences.
Within the FOS, research projects were funded by Al
Ain Municipality, the Ministry of Water and Environment,
TDIC, and SQU.
39