Abu Dhabi University Hosts Its 11th Annual Undergraduate Research And Innovation Competition

Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has launched the 11th Undergraduate Research and Innovation Competition (URIC) at its main campus. This annual event provides a platform for university students to present their research projects across 28 tracks, including engineering, business, education, arts and social sciences, natural and health sciences, and innovation.

This year, the competition received nearly 600 submissions from 77 universities in over 10 countries, including the UAE, KSA, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Palestine, India, North Macedonia, and the USA. The event attracted around 800 on-campus attendees and 400 online participants, comprising students, judges, mentors, and VIP guests.

The event featured notable speakers such as Fahad Al Mheiri, Managing Director of Raytheon Emirates; Dr. Dirk Richter, Senior Advisor and Director of Health Sector Innovation at the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi; and Dr. Karim Houni, Head of Digital Innovation at Emirates Global Aluminium.

Professor Ghassan Aouad, Chancellor of ADU, expressed his delight at the high turnout. "For the 11th year, we are delighted to witness the great turnaround of university students partaking in the Competition," he said. He highlighted ADU's collaboration with strategic partners like RTX to advance students' research and innovation skills while promoting critical thinking.

Prof. Aouad extended gratitude to all participants for their dedication and to ADU’s faculty and staff for their support. He also thanked RTX for their continuous sponsorship. "Through this Competition, we aim to inspire GCC and MENA region universities to integrate scientific research into undergraduate education to cultivate lifelong learning and boost students’ career prospects," he added.

Fahad Al Mheiri emphasized the importance of fostering an inquiry-based culture that embraces multidisciplinary innovation. "The ADU Undergraduate Research and Innovation Competition provides an exceptional platform for students to transform their ideas into tangible research projects," he said. He praised the impressive submissions as a testament to students' inquiry-driven minds and passion for becoming future leaders.

Event Growth

The URIC is the largest undergraduate research event in the GCC and MENA region. Over the years, it has seen significant growth. Last year alone saw approximately 400 research papers presented from 25 disciplines by teams from 64 universities across 14 countries.

The competition continues to serve as a vital platform for nurturing innovation and critical thinking among university students in the region.

With inputs from WAM