CONFERENCE THEME
Role of Engineers in Realization of Saudi Vision 2030 & United Nations SDGs
ICSDI 2022 will focus on creating clear links between the most relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the built environment. Central to our discussion will be achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 11, Sustainable cities and communities by the 2030 deadline. From our perspective, the path towards Sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) is only possible, if other relevant SDGs are fulfilled.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Saudi Vision 2030
Saudi Vision 2030 is a strategic framework to reduce Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil, diversify its economy, and develop public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation, and tourism
KEY QUESTIONS
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How can the building sector contribute towards the creation of Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG11) of the future?
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What other UN SDGs (see below) should play a role in the pursuit of SDG11 from the built environment perspective?
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How does the role and importance of the UN SDGs (relevant for the built environment) differ in various parts of the world?
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What challenges and opportunities result for the building sector from implementing the UN SDGs?
SDG 1: No Poverty
In general, is well known that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were designed to achieve a more sustainable future for the entire world population. These SDGs address the global challenges that we live day by day, among which are including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice. It is worth noting that the 17 SDGs are all linked, and is expected to attain all of them by 2030.
Currently, Prince Sultan University (PSU) aligned its strategy, internal policies, and governance to embrace and implement the SDGs and already is contributing to the development of No Poverty GOAL 1: No Poverty. PSU in correspondence to the policies of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to eradicate poverty is twofold; within its borders and beyond them. These efforts stem from a sense of moral and humane responsibility and manifest in the Kingdom’s humanitarian assistance to the world developing nations, the ones most often stricken with poverty, as well as to international organizations battling poverty. Internally, the Kingdom strives to lighten the economic load on Saudi citizens and providing financial assistance to low- and mid-income families, in addition to supporting charity organizations, housing projects, and increasing allowances for widows and orphans.
Saudi Arabia initiatives and projects to stop Poverty:
SDG 3: Good health and well-being
Prince Sultan University is fully committed to good health and wellbeing. This is clearly reflected on different fronts. On the research front, the university faculty members produce quality research on health issues from different perspectives, particularly computer science and engineering. Additionally, PSU has formed collaborations with local and global health institutions. For example, the university’s prosthetics centre collaborates with Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City in Saudi Arabia and Nia Technologies Incorporation in Canada. The university also pays great attention to the health of its students and staff through a number of policies and services, such as a smoke-free policy, the provision of mental health support through the counselling offices at both the male and female campuses and the arrangement of campus visits by different hospitals and health centres to raise awareness of important health issues, such as diabetes, breast cancer, drug abuse, etc. The university extends its services to the local community to improve health and well-being through different strategies, including arranging blood donation campaigns, paying visits to hospitals and schools by outreach committees, holding mental health awareness sessions by the Psychology Club and providing sports training by the physical education clubs. The university makes its sports facilities, including swimming pools, basketball and volleyball courts and football pitches, accessible to the local community in pre-scheduled programs. Additionally, the university arranges regular sports competitions for schools and other institutions and offers special sports training programs for different age groups.
SDG 4: Quality Education
CDMA2020 is aimed to gather students, researchers and application developers from a wide range of Data Science related fields such as data analytics, computational intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, pattern recognition, databases, Big Data and Visualization.
In order to understand how a university is supporting early years education, this measures the proportion of university graduates who receive a degree that would enable them to teach at primary school level in their country
The PSU community is driven by a shared purpose: to make a better world through education, research, and innovation. We are fun and quirky, inventive and artistic, obsessed with numbers, and welcoming to talented people.
This focuses on research that is relevant to pedagogy, measuring paper views, the proportion of papers in the top 10 per cent of cited journals and the volume of research produced.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
Prince Sultan University taken efforts on bringing the environment pollution free and contribute towards climate change. As an important stakeholder, PSU contributes towards the achievement of sustainable cities and communities through various events, practices, and research. It regularly organizes events and exhibitions for students and employees to promote the affordable, clean and sustainable energy for all.
The strong commitment can be witnessed from the type of support provided in events related to clean energy, EV and the sustainable practices followed for sustainable PSU campus to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, research contribution on microgrid and EV, etc. Moreover, the integration of clean and affordable energy as an important topic is endorsed in our curriculum and outreach.
The Prince Sultan University is involved in several industrial collaborations that are leading the way in the search for alternative energy sources. One such example comes from our Renewable Energy Lab, who are in cooperation with Koncar Power Plant Electric Traction, Croatia for a collaborative consultancy project on microgrids test bench for EV charging and renewable energy.
The focus areas of the sponsors chosen business themes towards Saudi Vision 2030 and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG7,9, 11). The chosen themes help students, researchers, and faculty to gain the knowledge and experience on new technologies in the clean energy domain.
The Prince Sultan University is involved in several industrial collaborations that are leading the way in the search for alternative energy sources. One such example comes from our Renewable Energy Lab, who are in cooperation with Power and Telecom Technologies Co., KFB Holding Group, Riyadh for a collaborative consultancy project on investigations on minimizing electricity cost and feasibility study of self-sustainable campus.
The main objective of the project is to study PSU Lighting electricity network to provide Strategic solutions as per the sustainable development goals (SDG 7, 9, 11)
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Benchmarking the energy usage with Solar based LED Lighting
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Implementing stepping stones for the Localization Target within renewable energy based lighting sector in context of the Vision 2030
PSU's scholarly output researches related to affordable and clean energy in the past academic year has 832 views, cited 189 times and has 4.40 citations per paper.
PSU is partnered with ESF for achieving the following sustainable development goals (SDG 7,11,13 & 17), to promote 100% renewables and to train the students, researchers, faculty, and technical staff in PSU on Solar PV System Design with digital certification.
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
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More than 14.6% of total number of first-generation Students at PSU Starting the first-degree.
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More than 14.2% of total number of first-generation Students from developing countries at PSU Starting the first-degree.
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17 Students & 4 Staff with disabilities at PSU.
This table shows the distribution of first-generation students at PSU.
This table shows the proportion of international students at all degree levels who are from low-income and lower-middle-income countries, as defined by the World Bank.
This table shows the proportion of students with disabilities
Princes Sultan University has a policy-oriented to the management of the different capacities of students as well as their disabilities
SDG 5: Gender Equality
The PSU Women in Data Science (WiDS) forum aims to promote a higher representation of women in data science and expose the latest data science research and practices in the Arab Middle East. Prince Sultan University represented by the CCIS organized the third Women in Data Science (WiDS) forum,2019.
PSU’s total number of students for academic year 2019 is 5,442. The number of students starting a degree is 518 while the number of first generation students starting a degree is 76.
PSU systematically tracks and has clear policies for application, acceptance and completion rates for female students. PSU also provides appropriate women’s access schemes and encourages applications in areas where women are under-represented.
In PSU, women hold important senior positions at different levels. PSU has a total number of 803 employees, including 395 academic staff.
PSU has a total of 753 graduates in 2018-2019. In STEM, the total number of graduates is 223, among whom 103 are women which represents 46.2%.
PSU has well-established policies for non-discrimination against women, for maternity and paternity and for protecting the rights of those reporting cases of discrimination.
SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
Prince Sultan University is committed to an efficient use of all natural resources including water. PSU promotes conscious water usage on campus with regards to no water wastage and plants landscape to minimize water usage. Free clean drinking water is provided for all employees and students in campus.
PSU promotes conscious water usage on campus with regards to no water wastage and plants landscape to minimize water usage. Free clean drinking water is provided for all employees and students in campus.
PSU is an agreement with the water company to rationalize water consumption.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
The BSE Lab recently organized an international symposium titled: “1st International Symposium on MENA Economies and Markets” from 4-5th December 2019 which included a key note address by Dr. Avanidhar Subrahmanyam.
Minister of Labour, Mr. Ahmed Bin Sulaiman Al Rajhi visited PSU graduation ceremony of the fifth and sixth batch for Education for Employment.
Prince of Riyadh, H.H Prince Faisal Bin Bandar visited PSU graduation ceremony for the year 2018-2019.
H.H Prince Faisal Bin Sultan Bin Abdulaziz visited PSU to sign a memorandum of understanding between PSU and Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Foundation.
PSU's scholarly publications on decent work and economic growth has 1,066 views and 2.97 citations per paper.
PSU is committed to enhanced employment practices for both staff and faculty members.
PSU maintains an extremely high degree of faculty satisfaction and a retention rate of over 90%. The total expenditure on employee is SR 283,073,764 per year. The university president welcomes faculty back for the new academic year. A number of new faces are sprinkled among the returning faculty.
In alignment with the PSU mission which emphasizes on lifelong and service based learning, all 15 undergraduate programs offered at PSU have incorporated a career related professional program.
PSU is committed to provide safe and secure work environment. More than 71% of all academic and nonacademic staff at PSU has worked for more than 24 months, depicting a high level of employment security.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Prince Sultan University has been encouraging faculty members to establish external collaborations with academic and industrial partners, and currently there are several on-going collaborations. In addition, to support innovation PSU has been sponsoring patents applications. There are two published patents, and six more patents have been submitted in collaboration with Oblon patent office for application as patents in the US patent office and they are now under evaluation.
Several faculty members have established collaborations with international and local academic and industrial partners. Currently there are 16 on-going collaborations.
CDMA2020 is aimed to gather students, researchers and application developers from a wide range of Data Science related fields such as data analytics, computational intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, pattern recognition, databases, Big Data and Visualization.
PSU received research funding from Gaitech Robotics – China, for software development by the RIOTU Lab at PSU for the company.
PSU researchers were able to secure two patents, based on individual efforts and collaboration with external researchers, although the ideas were issued by PSU researchers.
PSU's scholarly publications on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure has 283 views and 3.13 citations per paper.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Prince Sultan University taken efforts on bringing the environment pollution free and contribute towards climate change. As an important stakeholder, PSU contributes towards the achievement of sustainable cities and communities through various events, practices, and research. It regularly organizes events and exhibitions for students and employees to promote the responsible consumption and production.
The strong commitment can be witnessed from the type of support provided in events related to, E-waste and the sustainable practices followed for sustainable PSU campus to promote responsible consumption and production, research contribution, etc. Moreover, the integration of consumption and production as an important topic is endorsed in our curriculum and outreach.
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
Prince Sultan University exhibits high commitment to the global blueprints designed to deliver progress, peace and prosperity for people and the planet, including preserving and sustaining the heritage of communities. As an important stakeholder, PSU contributes towards the achievement of sustainable cities and communities through various events, practices and research. It regularly organizes events and exhibitions for students and employees to promote the culture and appreciation of Saudi heritage.
The strong commitment can be witnessed from the type of support provided in events related to arts and heritage and the sustainable practices followed for sustainable commuting, remote working for employees, affordable housing, buildings to sustainable standards etc. Moreover, the integration of sustainability as an important topic is endorsed in our curriculum, research and outreach.
SDG 13: Climate Action
Prince Sultan University giving much attention on bringing the environment pollution free and contribute towards climate change. As an important stakeholder, PSU contributes towards the achievement of sustainable environment and campus through various events, practices, and research. It regularly organizes events and exhibitions for students and employees to promote the climate change.
The strong commitment can be witnessed from the type of support provided in events related to clean energy, EV and the sustainable practices followed for sustainable PSU campus to promote measures for climate change and research contribution etc. Moreover, the solutions and impacts of climate change is an important topic is endorsed in our curriculum and outreach.
SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
The Pleading Competition was organized by the Law Club of King Saud University in cooperation with the Saudi Bar Association. The cases of the competition were in various branches of the law. PSU team won first place, scoring 93 out of 100.
Students participating in the moot program foremost acquire practical research skills for a professional environment, persuasive legal writing styles and advocacy skills. The students will have a better understanding of the key concepts underpinning contracts for the international sale of goods and international commercial arbitration.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (Ministry of Labor) attends the Education for Employment (E4E) Program graduation ceremony. This activity is part of the Community Service and Continuing Education Center (CSCEC) as a way to address the challenges in employment in the Kingdom.
The Governor of Riyadh congratulates the PSU Graduates Class of 2019.
PSU's scholarly publications on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions has 526 views, cited for 176 times and has 7.33 citations per paper.
Prince Sultan University’s measure in governance includes an elected representation on the university’s governing body and recognition of a student’s union.
The university works hand in hand with the government to provide expert advice and outreach at the national and local levels.
SDG 14: Life Below Water
Healthy oceans and seas are very important to our healthy life and a healthy environment.
Although this aquatic space is covering 70 percent of our planet, humankind is damaging these precious resources of water, food, and energy by polluting them. It is the responsibility of every one of us to protect all marine life around the world.
The academic institutions and academia can play an important role in raising awareness and conducting campaigns to stop harming the aquatic space. The research should target reducing the pollution and restoring the ecosystem by reducing ocean acidification and this is done through cooperation at all levels. Joint efforts should be put to reduce and to regulate overfishing. The University should encourage scientific research, knowledge, and technology to protect oceans and seas health.
The implementation of sea law and the introduction of the sea law in the law curricula will help tremendously to raise awareness among the younger generation to be conscious of the bad effects on our lives in an unhealthy ecosystem.
Healthy oceans, clean water, and preserved aquatic resources are essential to living better and to stay healthy.
SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Our regular stakeholders’ consultation series discuss the agenda of UNESCO’s future of education:
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Human & planetary sustainability
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Citizenship & participation
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Knowledge, access & governance
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Work and economic security
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Vision 2030 aims to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy. It emphasises equal opportunities for men and women and the goal of increasing women’s labor force participation from 22% to 30%.
PSU has 259 scholarly publications on Partnerships for the Goals that has 6,886 views, cited for 1,345 times and has 5.19 citations per paper.
PSU has both direct and indirect involvement in, or input into, national government SDG policy development.
PSU annually publish SDG progress report. In addition, we publish report per SDGs to track the progress.
All programs of PSU have a meaningful commitment to meaningful education around the SDGs
SDG 15: Life on Land
The majority of the land area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is desert. Thus, sustaining life on land is essential in the Kingdom to preserve existing land use and restore or reverse desertification. The use of land to sustain human life is vital in supporting livelihoods.
Prince Sultan University is committed to ensuring its land preservation by implementing its policy on plastic waste reduction and policy on hazardous waste disposal.