Focus on sustainability as NYU Abu Dhabi hosts education summit ahead of Cop28

UAE capital will also be venue for world’s largest youth-led conference on energy transition

MENA Universities Summit 2023 will have a particular focus on universities’ contribution to sustainability. NYUAD

NYU Abu Dhabi will host a three-day education summit ahead of Cop28.

The THE Mena Universities Summit will focus on universities’ contribution to sustainability, the impact of artificial intelligence on teaching and higher education’s efforts to fulfil the climate summit's long-term agenda

Organisers said 300 delegates from 30 universities from around the world are expected to attend the event, from November 13-15, which is held in partnership with Times Higher Education (THE).

The university's vice chancellor, Mariet Westermann, said the event's theme, Innovation in Times of Change, reflects its aim to “educate and empower youth, conduct research to help tackle the world’s challenges and drive innovation that improves our societies and the environment”.

“Ahead of Cop28, this conference will underline the value of collaboration to achieve innovative and sustainable problem-solving in higher education and discuss how universities today can best equip future generations to have the greatest positive impact,” she said.

The summit will also see the THE Awards Mena 2023 winners announced. The inaugural awards, which have 10 categories, received around 300 entries from 17 countries or territories. The entries have been whittled down to 75 finalists.

Last year Abu Dhabi University was ranked among the top 250, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

This is the highest position achieved by a UAE-based university. NYU Abu Dhabi's parent university in New York was ranked 25 in the world, a major leap from its 62 ranking in 2010.

Youth energy summit

The world’s largest youth-led conference on energy transition, the Student Energy Summit (SES), will also take place at NYU Abu Dhabi, from November 29 to December 1.

Following a successful bid by NYUAD students to host the event, the summit will bring more than 650 young leaders from over 120 countries together with decision-makers and experts to explore innovative energy solutions before Cop28.

The summit, under the theme Reimagining the Future, seeks to encourage discussion and debate about making energy better and fairer for everyone in the future.

“In February 2022, 10 passionate NYUAD students collectively worked on a bid to host the summit,” said SES 2023 co-chair Mira Aljallaf.

“A few months later, we were selected and tasked with curating a programme that showcases the importance and impact of youth in the energy sector.

“The summit uniquely coincides with Cop28, providing us with a platform to reach a wider audience and make a bigger impact.”

The summit's line-up of speakers includes the Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Dr Nawal Al-Hosany; Mexico's Ambassador to the UAE and the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit, Luis Alfonso de Alba, as well as Nicole Iseppi, managing director for Global Energy Innovation of Bezos Earth Fund.

With more than 4,700 applicants from 161 countries, SES 2023 is expected to attract the world’s leading young entrepreneurs, researchers and policymakers aged under 30.