Emirates News Agency – Abu Dhabi University’s 10th undergraduate research competition concludes

ABU DHABI, 18th May, 2023 (WAM) — Abu Dhabi University, ADU, under the patronage of Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Education, has concluded its 10th Undergraduate Research Competition, URC, in a mixed format.

The URC provides a platform for students to present their innovative ideas and translate them into research and creative projects. The competition aims to develop students’ skills and prepare the next generation of creators, innovators, entrepreneurs and researchers to contribute to the UAE’s knowledge economy and sustainable development.

Sponsored by ExxonMobil and Raytheon Emirates, the race took part from various countries including Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and Yemen. The event had 600 on-campus and 500 virtual attendees.

As part of ADU’s vision, the University aims to empower students and enhance their research skills, enabling them to translate their projects into innovative business ideas and explore new frontiers in their research fields.

With more than 400 submissions from 64 universities in 14 countries, teams had the opportunity to submit their research projects to ADU’s Launchpad program. The program supports selected students by providing additional mentoring and funding to transform their promising projects into market-ready businesses.

During the competition, 59 teams from participating universities received awards in 19 categories for their outstanding research concepts. Additionally, three teams received Launchpad Start-up Initiative Awards.

Professor Philip Hamill, Associate Provost for Research and Academic Development at Abu Dhabi University (ADU), said: “ADU’s Undergraduate Research Competition is an excellent opportunity for students to present their research projects and gain transferable skills that employers are looking for. I think Thank you students for their dedication and hard work in developing their unique work. We at ADU extend our thanks and appreciation to all our mentors and judges for their tireless efforts to support our students, as well as Raytheon Emirates and Generous sponsorship from ExxonMobil.”

Taher Hamid, President, ExxonMobil UAE, commented: “We have partnered with Abu Dhabi University to ensure our efforts meet the educational needs of our students. ExxonMobil sees education as a fundamental component of personal opportunity and economic growth, and STEM skills are critical to this. To achieve this, we are proud to sponsor Abu Dhabi University’s 10th Undergraduate Research Competition, which will foster interest among students in the UAE and the region to innovate using cutting-edge technologies and thus act as catalysts for change.”

Fahad Al Mheiri, Managing Director of Raytheon Emirates, said: “At Raytheon Emirates, we invest heavily in promoting STEM education and R&D to help pave the way for a promising future. We are proud to support this year’s undergraduate research competition, which Provides students with an invaluable platform to stimulate inquiry-led thinking and translate their groundbreaking ideas into substantive research contributions.”

ADU’s URC is the largest undergraduate research event in the GCC and MENA region, targeting all major programs and serving as a scientific platform for universities to showcase their undergraduate scientific research. The URC is a study through research program that enables young researchers to develop and improve valuable 21st century skills including critical and analytical thinking, collaboration, communication and problem solving.