Expo 2020 empowers university students in UAE to find solutions to region’s most-pressing problems

DUBAI, 3rd September, 2018 (WAM) -- University students in the UAE are being asked to help shape the future through an Expo 2020 Dubai programme that entrusts the nation’s youths to develop creative solutions to global challenges that affect the region. The second cycle of the University Innovation Programme, UIP, a key pillar of Expo 2020’s innovation and partnership programme Expo Live, was launched on Sunday. It calls upon student teams to produce original ideas or prototypes that could benefit communities by positively impacting society, preserving the environment, or both. Successful student teams will each receive a grant, between AED25,000 and AED50,000, to help advance their idea to the next level. Students will also receive guidance from their universities and Expo Live to advance research and development, create a business model, grow their team and potentially partner with other entities. Grantees may even have the opportunity to showcase their projects to millions of people at Expo 2020 Dubai. Regarding the programme, Yousuf Caires, Vice President – Expo Live, Expo 2020 Dubai, said, "Expo Live firmly believes that innovation can come from anywhere, to everyone and this especially includes university students. We saw this during the first cycle of the UIP, when student teams across the UAE developed truly innovative projects that we are now helping to develop. "We should never underestimate the power of collaboration, which is why we are asking students to team up and work with the support of their universities. We have already seen how enthusiastically our students can work together to create a positive impact, and we hope to recreate the same sense of eagerness to tackle our most pressing challenges during the second cycle." The first cycle of the UIP, which launched in September 2017, received more than 280 applications from student teams across the UAE. Nineteen teams were awarded grants to help bring their solutions to life, with support from their universities, the Expo Live team and Expo 2020 Dubai and its partners. Besides providing funding, guidance and exposure, the annual programme builds partnerships between students, government entities, business incubators, accelerators and mentors, helping to maximise participants’ chances of success beyond Expo 2020 Dubai. Teams in the second cycle have until 15th October, 2018, to submit applications. Proposed projects should be in keeping with Expo 2020 Dubai’s sub-themes of "Opportunity, Mobility, and Sustainability." Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a design-thinking workshop, where they will pitch their projects to a panel of judges and receive feedback to help them prepare for the final at the end of November.