INSTITUTE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Middlesex University (MDX) Dubai hosted ‘For the Love of the Planet’ (FTLOTP) day on 20 February 2025, an annual event dedicated to sustainability. 

The event, organised by the Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD), led by Andrew Mackenzie, Senior Lecturer and Head of ISD, began with an opening address from Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Middlesex University and Director, Middlesex University Dubai.

Rana Hajirasouli, MDX Dubai alumni and Founder and CEO of The Surpluss, delivered the keynote speech. Rana, a renowned climate-tech innovator and keynote speaker in the GCC, delivered an engaging talk on the importance of rethinking supply chains, how we manage resources and reducing waste in our industries.

She spoke about the life cycle of products, including how mobile phones will go through, on average, 600 people from conception to consumer. She spoke of her aims to change business psychology, so sustainability is not a one-off project but a circular and deeply embedded business process that is easy to use and even financially rewarding. 

The Surpluss is designed to change how businesses see and use waste through innovative climate technology and ‘Industrial Symbiosis’. At the end of the session Rana gave attendees the opportunity to play her symbiosis game, which involved participants in groups assuming an industry and then sharing or trading resources and waste for mutual benefits. This practical element gave participants a visual representation of the theories, embedding the learning.

Dr Rita Wolff, marine biologist and conservation expert, delivered a talk exploring real-world efforts to protect the Hawksbill and Green Turtles found in the UAE. Dr Rita spoke about threats like habitat loss and pollution, using monitoring techniques such as nest relocation and data collection. 

The day also marked the official launch of the Green Wave Society, a student run platform dedicated to fostering a community of sustainability advocates at MDX Dubai. 

Set up under the ISD, Green Wave aims to advance the university’s sustainability agenda, fostering leadership and organisational skills among students while they support ISD’s events and initiatives. Members will be involved with collaborative research with businesses, government and UN agencies, industry round tables and best practice consulting and corporate training workshops.
Throughout the day workshops were ongoing with students repurposing clothing to create unique, stylish looks on mannequins. Followed by a fashion show featuring upcycled and biodegradable materials.

MDX Dubai’s Icon Studio reinforce sustainable practices all year round in the BA Honours Fashion programme with teaching embedded into the curriculum about being responsive to the evolving needs of the fashion industry, aligning efforts with UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 to reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse. 
In addition, a cap personalisation workshop encouraged students’ creativity while promoting the idea of repurposing and upcycling clothes. A clothing and book drop off also took place in the week leading up to the day, further promoting sustainable practices in the community.

Andrew Mackenzie said: "For the Love of the Planet has been a reminder of the power of collaboration and innovation in creating a more sustainable future. 

“I would like to extend my thanks to our speakers, Rana and Dr Rita Wolff, for sharing their valuable insights, and to everyone who participated in making this day a success. 

“These activities align with MDX Dubai’s commitment to sustainability and community engagement, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” 

The SDGs are a set of 17 global objectives established by the United Nations in 2015, aiming to address pressing challenges and promote a sustainable future for all by 2030. 

These goals encompass a broad spectrum of issues, including poverty eradication, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, economic growth, and climate action. 

MDX Dubai have the responsibility to advocate the importance of SDGs and are proud to play their part in ful¬filling them, by providing research knowledge, innovations and solutions, external leadership in raising awareness about the SDGs, and shaping the next generation of environmental minded leaders in the community. 

To learn more about MDX Dubai’s sustainability initiatives, visit the ISD page.

EnviroServe is a leading environmental services company based in the UAE, specialising in sustainable waste management solutions. Known for its advanced recycling facilities, EnviroServe helps businesses and communities manage waste in an environmentally responsible way, ensuring that materials are properly processed and diverted from landfills.

The introduction of accessible recycling bins across campus, partnered with EnviroServe, shows the University’s proactive steps toward supporting the goals set out in the UAE Green Agenda 2030. This national initiative aims to reduce the country’s environmental footprint by promoting waste reduction, increasing recycling rates, and fostering a circular economy.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on 5 May, serves as a crucial reminder of the urgent environmental challenges and the severe climate changes we face today. The day is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach. The aim of this day is to stress the importance of global awareness and proactive measures to protect our planet, not just on one specific day, but every day. 

At Middlesex University (MDX) Dubai, we recognise our responsibility within the education sector to spread knowledge about these critical issues. We are committed to educating future generations on the importance of environmental protection, and our dedication to sustainability is reflected in our continuous efforts to integrate sustainable practices at all levels of university life.

MDX Dubai’s dedicated Institute of Sustainable Development (ISD) is an initiative that continuously promotes the advancement of sustainability in the university and wider community. Through outreach, research and training, ISD serves as a thought leader in sustainability advocating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The objectives of the ISD are to strengthen stakeholder collaboration by aligning academic knowledge and professional practice and by promoting partnerships with businesses, civil society and government to reach a sustainable future. Some of the activities of ISD include collaborating with businesses, government and UN agencies, providing best practice consulting and corporate training workshops and Sustainability Mindset Training and Community Outreach Programmes to name a few. 

Andrew Mackenzie, Head of Institute of Sustainable Development shared his thoughts; “On World Environment Day, Middlesex University would like to celebrate the power of individual actions and their ability to make a global impact. Our students can inspire others by adopting sustainable habits like recycling, using refillable bottles, opting for reusable bags instead of plastic, and reusing or repairing products, moving away from a ‘throw away culture’. These small changes contribute to a larger sustainable economy, nurturing a healthier planet for future generations.”

Highlighted below are some of the sustainability events and initiatives that have been undertaken at Middlesex University Dubai over the past year.

For the Love of the Planet

In 2023, the ISD launched ‘For the Love of The Planet’, a sustainability festival putting the UAE’s future leaders at the heart of student-driven solutions to the issues of sustainable fashion, food sustainability and developing a circular economy.  The second edition, held in March 2024 and aligning with the objectives set out during COP28 in December 2023, showcased sustainability solutions and featured a lineup of activities and exhibits presented by distinguished guest speakers, students, and businesses advocating for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During this initiative, a fashion styling workshop allowed students to creatively style a mannequin with repurposed clothing. Other engaging activities included denim patch workshops and mannequin styling, encouraging students’ creativity and demonstrating the potential of repurposing and upcycling clothes. This activity ran alongside clothes drive that collected pre-loved items to be gifted to Thrift for Good, promoting a more sustainable lifecycle of clothing and materials. It also highlighted MDX’s sustainability goals while reiterating the strength of our Recycle, Reuse, Reduce programme.

For the Love of the Planet also featured video presentations by Digital Media and Fashion students, including a Food Waste Solution Display and performances by the MDX Fearless and Poetry Club. In collaboration with Enviroserve, ISD also organised an e-waste and recycling initiative to encourage students and staff to contribute to electronic device recycling efforts.

Climate Law and Governance Day in Alignment with COP28

In December 2023, Middlesex University Dubai was proud to host the 2023 Climate Law and Governance Day (CLGD 2023) event in conjunction with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP28). Organised in collaboration with the Climate Law and Governance Initiative (CLGI), the University of Cambridge, and the University of Dubai, CLGD 2023 was virtually broadcast worldwide. Building upon the legacy of CLGI events co-hosted during each COP since COP11 in Montreal (2005), CLGD 2023 provided a platform for engagement, discussion, debate, and decision-making on climate law and governance. Themed 'Engaging in Global Stocktake through Legal Lenses,' the symposium connected students, attendees, and partners with COP28 delegates and leading climate law and governance experts to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement and contribute to building a sustainable society.

UNCTAD 2024

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Forum 2023, one of most prestigious UN events, took place in Abu Dhabi, UAE from 16 to 20 October 2023, and MDX Dubai was honoured to be part of the occasion as an official Local Academic Partner. 

The UNCTAD World Investment Forum is a high-level forum focusing on the theme of “Investing in Sustainable Development,” and addressed key investment challenges caused by today’s multiple global crises. Since the first WIF in 2008, the forum has become the largest global platform for high-level dialogue and action on investment for development. This year the event consisted of insightful events focusing on innovative solutions to global investment-for-development challenges. Over 130 student volunteers across different programmes became the University's ambassadors, embodying its commitment to experiential learning and community engagement. 

Sustainability and Waste Recycling Symposium 

The Sustainability and Waste Recycling Symposium hosted by Middlesex University Dubai’s Business School and ISD in partnership with Enviroserve UAE and DGRADE, was held on 8 November 2023 at the University’s Dubai Knowledge Park campus. The event was designed to play a key role in advancing youth engagement in sustainable practices and empowering good decisions when it comes to reusing and recycling.

The event featured an enlightening keynote from Stuart Fleming, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Enviroserve – the only R2 compliant e-waste processing facility in the UAE and Africa, before moving into a series of impactful presentations, including a significant exploration into consumer perspectives on e-waste by Dr Sreejith Balasubramanian, Head of the Centre for Supply Chain Excellence at MDX Dubai.

RoboTechX Lab at Emirates Robotics Competition

Four teams of students from the MDX RoboTechX Lab participated in the second edition of Emirates Robotics Competition organised by Khalifa University, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and Dubai Future Labs. The event ran from December 2023 to February 2024 and brought together talented teams from across the region, united by a common goal: harnessing the power of robotics to address the pressing issue of environmental cleaning.

MDX won the first prize in the ‘Manipulation’ category, where the robot must pick up trash, classify the item as metal, plastic, paper, or glass, and place the trash in the related bin. 

Simply Bottles

MDX Dubai is also the first university in the UAE to implement a recycling programme and eliminate all non-PET plastic on campus in partnership with Simply Bottles (a DGrade initiative). This initiative was launched to encourage the staff and students to increase the recycling of plastic water bottles in the UAE, increase environmental sustainability practices through behavioural change and eliminate the use of Single Use Plastic (SUP) on campus.

Conservation-Focused Field Trips

The Student Activities department ensures that conservation and sustainability are at the forefront of our students’ regional trips, with hikes organised in the winter months to mountainous areas in the north of the region. Students are encouraged to create a zero-waste impact during their excursions, ensuring their own waste and any they come across on their walks are disposed of responsibly. 

Club Impact is a student-led social club that focuses on raising awareness and assisting in creating a better environment in the community. As part of their initiatives, they often undertake beach cleanups at regular tourist spots on the Dubai coastline, to pick up rubbish and dispose of it in a responsible manner. They also frequently visit initiatives such as the Turtle Rehabilitation Programme in Jumeirah Al Naseem, where they learn about the importance of sea conservation and animal protection.

Campus Consumption

Across the campus, state-of-the-art energy saving LED lightbulbs ensure that electricity output is minimised. Automatic motion sensors in all high-traffic public spaces reduce the likelihood of wasted energy. All staff computer devices go into sleep mode after one hour of inactivity, and other devices such as projectors and printers will sleep while idle, saving electricity. Printing is also limited to a certain number of pages per student, to reduce unnecessary paper consumption.

MDX is a responsible entity that continuously works towards sustainability and the protection of the environment. Our initiatives and partnerships demonstrate our commitment to creating a sustainable future. Future generations deserve a home to live in, and our planet is the only home we know. We hope that this World Environment Day, and those to come, will encourage sustainable practices in university life and at home. 

For more information about the ISD, click here: https://mdx.ac.ae/isd 

To find out more about the sustainable initiatives of MDX Dubai, visit https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd 

Middlesex University Dubai hosted the 2023 Climate Law and Governance Day (CLGD 2023) on Tuesday, 5th December in conjunction with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP28) held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

Organised by the Climate Law and Governance Initiative (CLGI), Middlesex University Dubai, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Dubai, alongside other valued CLGI partners, the day-long event unfolded at Middlesex University Dubai’s Knowledge Park Campus and was virtually broadcast worldwide.

Building upon the legacy of CLGI events co-hosted during each COP since COP11 in Montreal (2005), CLGD 2023 provided a platform for engagement, discussion, debate, and decision-making on climate law and governance. Themed 'Engaging in Global Stocktake through Legal Lenses,' the symposium aimed to connect students, attendees, and partners with COP28 delegates and leading climate law and governance experts to advance the goals of the Paris Agreement and contribute to building a sustainable society.

Professor Marie-Claire Cordonnier Segger, Executive Secretary of CLGI and Visiting Chair, University of Cambridge said: “During this Climate Law and Governance Day, we are expanding on and creating new partnerships, and sharing knowledge in order to galvanise and harness the power of law for the global response of climate change. Every single one of the 16 substantive sessions at CLGD were co-hosted by incredible organisations who are world leaders in their areas. The event as always had a diverse and rich agenda which allows leaders of different organisations who are in Dubai for COP 28 to come together to share their solutions.

Right now we don't have the capacity to implement the Paris Agreement. We barely have the capacity to comply with it. And so as much as possible, Climate Law and Governance Day is about implementation and about compliance. It's about finding ways to be able to connect to the people who have the expertise in this emerging area with law students, law professors, and practitioners who are willing to consider developing specialisations to help their countries and the world reach our climate change goals.”

Middlesex University Dubai, the largest UK university in Dubai according to the KHDA, was a fitting location for this significant event. The campus, spanning four blocks of Dubai Knowledge Park, boasts state-of-the-art classrooms for hybrid learning, labs for Graphic Design, Robotics, Engineering, VR, Cybersecurity, and Fashion Design, along with the MDX Social Hub, featuring a Dance Studio, Gaming Room, and more. Middlesex University Dubai also has a second campus in Dubai Academic City and is the first UK branch university in the UAE with a campus in each of the city’s higher education hubs.

In preparation for the event, which had over 1000 virtual registrations and 700 in-person registrations, the campus was transformed to welcome the delegates. Each lecture hall was renamed after previous COP locations: Glasgow, Marrakesh, Rio De Janeiro, Bali, and Montreal.

The event's four key themes included operationalising the Paris Agreement in International Law, testing legal and governance tools for high-ambition implementation, advancing climate resilience and justice, and developing net-zero legal frameworks to enable climate-neutral investment and finance.

Dr Markus Gehring, Associate Professor at Cambridge University, and former Director of the Centre for European Legal Studies (CELS), commented: “Climate Law and Governance Day is an international opportunity to discuss and shape one of the most vibrant and fast-moving fields of law. COP28 in Dubai will not only take stock of global efforts but also highlight where new efforts in law and governance will be needed. The discussions at CLGD will now literally shape the future.”

The day commenced with a grand opening featuring Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger; Professor Cody Morris Paris, Deputy Director at Middlesex University Dubai and Head of the MDX Business School; Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University and Director of Middlesex University Dubai; and Dr Nasiruddeen Muhammad, Assistant Professor at the University of Dubai. During her opening address, Professor Marie-Claire gave a sobering reminder that this is the last COP where we as a global society retain a chance of keeping to the Paris targets. She emphasised that the law is front and centre of the environmental challenge. Now that law on climate change is being brought into the courts, we need our students and future policymakers to understand how pivotal their future work will be.   

During the first High-Level Plenary of the day, Taking Stock of Legal Progress on Climate Change, chaired by Adv Wendy Miles KC, Laureate, CLG Global Leadership Award; and Adv Douglas Leys KC, Laureate, CLG Global Leadership Award and Senior Fellow, CISDL, we heard from keynote speaker Professor Payam Akhavan, who warned of the ticking clock threatening the future of small island states, who have been losing landmass under the rising seas. He stressed the importance of not only using the law to make immediate change, but to see these small states as a warning and prominent glimpse of a global future. In that same panel, we heard from Professor David Boyd, UN Rapporteur on Human Rights and Environment, who explored climate law through a human rights lens.
The conference then broke away into concurrent sessions, including expert panels, roundtable discussions, and workshops covering diverse topics like legal progress on climate change, technology transfer under the Paris Agreement, and protecting the rights of future generations.

Middlesex University Dubai hosted its own session: Promoting Public and Private Contributions to Legal and Financial Frameworks for UAE’s 2050 Net Zero Transition Experts Panel, chaired by Dr Sreejith Balasubramanian, Associate Professor and Head of the MDX Centre for Supply Chain Research; and Mahine Rizvi Ahmad, Senior Lecturer in Law and Politics and member of the MDX Institute for Sustainable Development.

During this session, experts focused on how private sector companies access financing and capital to support sustainability initiatives in alignment with net zero goals, and how businesses ensure transparency and accountability in reporting their sustainability initiatives.

A central theme of the event that was explored during the whole conference was the responsibilities of financial institutions concerning their adherence to the Paris Agreement, with a specific focus on the perspectives of key Multilateral Development Banks. General Counsels from prominent institutions such as the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Asian Development Bank contributed insights, emphasising the transition to a Green Economy and regulatory reforms. Notably, discussions also revolved around debt relief provisions designed to support developing countries affected by climate change.

Professor Cedwyn Fernandes, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Middlesex University and Director of Middlesex University Dubai said: “The outcomes from the discussions on our campus today will carry significant weight in shaping future decisions on the climate crisis. It is our responsibility as a leading university to contribute not only on behalf of our students but also for the betterment of our community and the general global landscape. Being part of this crucial conversation is an honour that underscores our commitment as a university to addressing the pressing challenges of environmental sustainability. It is worth highlighting that even the lanyards worn today were created from recycled materials by our BA Hons Fashion Design students, who are taught throughout their curriculum about the importance of sustainable consumption and design. The day may be over, but we will continue strong in our mission to align our objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the greater good.”

The closing ceremony featured the announcement of the 2023 Global Climate Law and Governance Leadership Awards. The event aimed to inspire continued commitment to climate action and foster collaboration among governments, institutions, and individuals dedicated to addressing the challenges posed by climate change. 
As the international community reflects on the outcomes of CLGD 2023, the legacy of collaboration and commitment to addressing climate change continues. The exchange of ideas and best practices during the symposium will contribute significantly to global efforts for a sustainable and resilient future.

For more information about the sustainable initiatives happening at Middlesex University Dubai, please check out our MDX Sustainable Development Initiative page here: https://mdx.ac.ae/isd 

For more details on Institute of Sustainable Development: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd

Students had the opportunity to get practical and try their hand at ways to upcycle their favourite clothes. Tasneem Nawab from social entreprise Zaish Denim, which specialises in supporting and lifting up artists and artisans through ethical, handcrafted products, visited campus to lead a denim customisation workshop. Ellie Collins, Creative Director of vintage thrift shop Fashion Rerun, brought in some of their collections, which students used in a fast-paced and competitive styling competition to promote the purchase of second hand instead of fast fashion clothing. Thrift For Good also joined forces with us to show students how they can turn old t-shirts into fashionable, usable tote bags.

The workshops demonstrated the creativity and ingenuity that can be found when upcycling clothes, and our students learnt how they can style pre-loved items to express themselves and their personality, while reducing the environmental impact of fashion as an industry.

The day also featured a lively clothes drive, which encouraged students and staff to avoid sending their unused clothes and other items to landfill. All students and community members are encouraged to continue to bring clothes and textiles to campus. Collection boxes are available in Block 15 and 16, Dubai Knowledge Park.

Day 2 of the event, under the theme of the circular economy, saw a wide range of activities ranging from sustainable business solutions focusing on sustainable food systems through to Environmental, Social and Governance best practices, as well as sustainable business funding. A contest was held to create the design for a t-shirt made entirely of fibres generated from recycled plastic bottles, highlighting the practical application of the concepts championed by the event’s key themes.

A riveting address from guest speaker Malachi Halliday of The Halliday Group provided valuable insight into current and future trends of business financing. Mallachi also shared his top tips for entrepreneurs who are looking to navigate the complexities of modern business on a global scale.

Particularly relevant to the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, a panel discussion on the topic of sustainable food systems took place between distinguished local entrepreneurs and business leaders including Adele Repas (Nutritionist), Iman Suguitan (Cofounder of Co Chocolat), and Daniel Solomon (Cofounder of HeroGo and MDX Dubai alumni). Real-world insights were shared which gave students and other attendees an incredibly valuable look into how businesses are addressing food sustainability challenges right now, demonstrating the viability of business solutions that combine good values with profitability.

A diverse range of sustainability-focused businesses exhibited at the event to educate attendees on the varied business solutions to sustainability. These included Adele Repas Nutritionist, Co Chocolat, HeroGo, DGrade, D K Hot Sauce, Daroora, Enviroserve, Nuttino, Organiq Living, ReLoop, Satori Apothecary, and Skinny Genie. 

Our students also showcased their work in sustainability throughout the event in mediums such as fashion, digital media, video, business and design, highlighting the integration of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in their respective curricula. Brilliant student presentations were an inspiration to see, with students demonstrating a passion for the future and being proactively part of solutions that added a great energy to the festival’s activities.

The event could not have been as successful as it was without the amazing contribution from the organisers: Andrew Mackenzie, Margo Tummel, Vaishali Raj Sharma, Rory McConnon, Claudia Maher, Anna Ro, Ryan Kenneth Stephenson, Marian Fletcher, Sai Gayatri Nainani and Slamet Suprianto.

Learn more about For The Love Of The Planet here.

The full report on the dialogue proceedings can be read here.

Middlesex University Dubai is proudly taking action to advance women's leadership and representation in business by joining Target Gender Equality (TGE), an accelerator programme from the UN Global Compact. TGE supports companies engaged with the UN Global Compact in setting and reaching ambitious corporate targets for advancing women’s participation in business at the highest levels.

Focused on uniting businesses across the world, the UN Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. It works with over 12,000 companies to align their strategies and operations to advance social goals in areas such as the environment, society and governance.

Our TGE ambassador Mahine Rizvi Ahmad, Senior Lecturer in Law, and our TGE representatives Dr Fehmida Hussain, Head of Computer Engineering and Informatics, and Andrew Mackenzie, Chair of our Institute of Sustainable Development (ISD) will lead our participation in the Target Gender Equality initiative under the ISD umbrella.

Middlesex University Dubai is already a signatory to the UN’s Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) and has a robust strategy in place for empowering its female staff and students to succeed in their respective fields, reporting its successes and progress in gender equality through the UN Global Compact.

The University also supports all student research on gender equality and inclusivity by providing resources, funding and grants in diverse fields such as sustainability, law, graphic design, media, tourism, psychology, engineering, IT and business.

The University will be setting further tangible goals in 2021 to reach even greater gender equality and progression targets, involving even more women in leadership and increasing female student representation and mentoring roles. Middlesex Dubai also plans to use the WEPs Gender Gap Analysis Tool to assess gender equality performance and set further goals.

Andrew Mackenzie said: “The Middlesex Institute of Sustainable Development (ISD) fosters the advancement of sustainability across the University, the community and in global practice. Through outreach, research and training, the ISD is a thought leader in advocating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. Developing targets for goal 5 (Gender Equality), we understand that empowering women and promoting gender equality is crucial to accelerating sustainable development. Goal 5 is an integral part of our mission to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls.

“We have provided corporate training in the principles of gender equality and encourage companies to share ideas about how to design and implement initiatives to attract and retain women in male-dominated industries and university fields. We are proud to be joining Target Gender Equality and working with UN Global Compact to further this important mission.”

Learn more: www.unglobalcompact.org/take-action/target-gender-equality

Middlesex University Dubai’s Institute for Sustainable Development (ISD) conducted a training session with Deutsche Post DHL as part of the company’s Global Learn & Grow Week. The session was held on 18th June 2021 and was a great success.

Learn & Grow Week brings together DPDHL employees from all over the world to discuss topics that are at the heart of the company’s strategy, including digitisation. The session was conducted by Middlesex faculty Andrew Mackenzie, Mahine Rizvi Ahmad and Stephen King.

Participants in the session were located across three continents and different cities, including Bonn, Germany; Istanbul, Turkey; Ghana; Mauritius; South Africa; and Dubai, UAE. This workshop introduced key concepts and ideas around environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG), the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and what DPDHL are doing and can do to support such initiatives.

Through interactive activities, participants reflected upon how they are contributing to both a better world and to DPDHL’s sustainability vision, connecting people and improving lives. The guests found inspiration on how they can further contribute personally and within their communities.

ISD’s mission is to promote a sustainable future through information exchange, capacity-building and innovation and to address global challenges through research, education and engagement, preparing tomorrow's leaders for life and work.

Find out more about their work at www.mdx.ac.ae/isd.

On March 1^st the Institute published the UN Global Compact report to the UN website at https://www.unglobalcompact.org/. The report outlines the achievements of Middlesex University Dubai (MDX) from 2018 until October 2020 in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within our community.

This is the University’s second report for the UN Global Compact (UNGC) demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable and inclusive environment for our students, staff & the community.

The University focuses on fostering and promoting an environment of equality, inclusivity in education. Some of the highlights from the 54 page report included:

Middlesex University Dubai became the first University in the UAE to be part of a sustainable system for recycling 'waste' back into everyday products, such as clothing and accessories.

Middlesex University Dubai has staged a series of initiatives to support both faculty and students during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Many community campaigns, mental health panel discussions and virtual fitness and music activities were held as proactive measures used to foster school spirit and boost wellbeing.

The switchover to online academic delivery was both seamless and a resounding success.

To raise awareness & encourage social change, Middlesex University Dubai hosted workshops, guest lectures and international conferences on technological advancement, innovation and sustainability

Middlesex University Dubai promotes equality and inclusion focusing on the provision of equal opportunities to students, irrespective of any disabilities or learning differences they might experience.

The imperative to discover, and navigate, a transition to a sustainable future means that research into sustainability has become increasingly important and the University faculty members prioritise research, contributing to a significant number of journal articles, conference papers & book chapters

A huge thanks to Andrew Mackenzie - ISD Chair, Mahine Rizvi Ahma - Coordinator for UN Global Compact, Rory McConnon - Research and Training Liaison and Ajoke Adetolabo Adeyomoye for putting this impressive report together.

For more information on the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd

Find out more about the Institute of Sustainable Development and its initiatives at www.mdx.ac.ae/isd.

Tourism team raises awareness on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

To direct attention towards the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, Senior Lecturer in Tourism, Dr Heather Jeffrey and Sara Ali Abdelghani Abdelmonem presented research on the profiles of activist groups working towards the elimination of violence against women at the Institute for Sustainable Development at Middlesex University Dubai. 

The research is to be included in a book on Gender-based violence in Tourism edited by Dr Paola Vizcaino, Dr. Heather Jeffrey and Dr Claudia Eger to be launched next year. The presentation was attended by faculty and dozens of students from various departments. 

The Institute of Sustainable Development fosters the advancement of sustainable development into the university, community and global practices. Through outreach, research and training, ISD is a thought leader in sustainability advocating for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

For more information on the Institute of Sustainable Development at Middlesex University Dubai, please visit www.mdx.ac.ae/isd

 

For more information please visit www.mdx.ac.ae/isd or contact Dr Belisa Marochi at [email protected].

For more information the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd  or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

Dr Belisa Marochi, Head of the Institute of Sustainable Development, recently participated in a panel discussion on 'Data for Good: Impact Metrics' along with Malik al-Madani, from Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority (FCSA), Kate Willoughby from DP World, and Felicie Degonfreville from Societe Generale, in an event organised by AmpUZ, Goumbook and Area 2071. Dozens of companies along with students and Alumni of the MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development and MA International Relations also attended the event.

The event brought dialogues on impact data to the mainstream highlighting the need for data collection and dissemination in order to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The discussion also advocated for more 'data driven stories' to be shared by companies across the UAE. 

Ayla Bajwa, Founder of AmpUZ, commented 'the Data for Good: Impact Metrics panel brought together a dynamic line up of speakers to share their insights and experiences around data for the Sustainable Development Goals'. 

The Institute of Sustainable Development at Middlesex University Dubai is committed to collaborating with government, civil society, businesses and the youth in order to reach the UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

For more information on our programmes visit www.mdx.ac.ae/pg

For more information on the MA International Relations and MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development programmes, please visit http://www.mdx.ac.ae/courses/school-of-law/politics-and-international-relations

To register in the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd  or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

For more information the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd  or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

For more information on the MA International Relations and MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development programmes, please visit http://www.mdx.ac.ae/courses/school-of-law/politics-and-international-relations

To register in the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd  or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

For more information on the MA International Relations and MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development programmes, please visit http://www.mdx.ac.ae/courses/school-of-law/politics-and-international-relations

For more information on the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

For more information on the MA International Relations and MA Global Governance and Sustainable Development programmes, please visit http://www.mdx.ac.ae/courses/school-of-law/politics-and-international-relations

For more information on the Institute of Sustainable Development, please visit: https://www.mdx.ac.ae/isd  or contact Dr Belisa Marochi on [email protected]

Middlesex University Dubai is proud to be one of the first universities in Dubai to support the #HeForShe initiative for gender equality. The campaign was organised by our Media Students and Club Impact and featured guest speaker Raha Moharrak, the first Saudi woman to Climb Mount Everest. Dr Cedwyn Fernandes, Director of Middlesex University Dubai, along with other faculty members, signed the pledge for gender equality on behalf of the University.

The event saw several activities, performances and speeches, including an Instagram photo booth whereby students and staff were encouraged to have their photograph taken after they’d taken their pledge to support the campaign, initiated by UN Women. Guest speaker Raha Moharrak then gave an impassionate and powerful talk about the importance of chasing your dreams and being fearless regardless of your background and gender.

As a result of the hard work of our students, Maha Waseem, Daniel Shepherd and Arwa Kharawala, 324 pledges have been made on the official HeForShe website as a result of their attempt to raise awareness.

To find out more about the HeForShe initiative, visit http://www.heforshe.org/en.