Latest news with #UoS
Gulf Today
4 days ago
- General
- Gulf Today
Sultan Bin Ahmed commends UoS for earning ‘Platinum Rating'
Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah (UoS), affirmed the continued support, advancement, and global presence of the university among its prestigious peers in various academic, scientific, and other fields. This, he noted, contributes to the university's progress and solidifies its standing as one of the leading institutions of higher education both within and beyond the UAE. This came on the occasion of the UoS becoming the first university in the Middle East to achieve Platinum Rating under the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) administered by AASHE. The university received a full 100% score in the category of sustainable education and research, reflecting its strong commitment to sustainability across operations and planning, as well as its role in preparing a generation conscious of sustainable practices. This achievement aligns with the UAE's and Sharjah's strategic agendas on sustainability and carbon neutrality through education, research, innovation, and sustainable management and planning. The UoS now joins an elite group of only 15 universities worldwide to have received this top-tier Platinum rating – including 8 universities from the United States, 6 from Canada, and now 1 from the Middle East. His Highness congratulated the Board of Trustees, university leadership, academic, administrative, and technical staff, as well as students, on this new milestone, which adds to the university's impressive record of accomplishments over the years. These successes are the result of a well-defined strategy, vision, and the concerted efforts of the UoS community in providing every possible support to students, who remain at the heart of the university's educational mission. H.H. emphasised the university's commitment to offering students the best possible experiences by continuously enhancing the academic and research environment – from curriculum development, research opportunities, student activities, and innovation support, to the quality of faculty and staff. This is all done through the lens of sustainability in higher education, a global trend that is reshaping the future of universities and colleges. As such, the UOS continues to advance in global rankings across a range of academic and scientific fields. The University's award came following its assessment under the STARS rating programme, a transparent and comprehensive system for measuring and tracking sustainability performance in higher education institutions worldwide. The programme encourages institutions to pursue long-term sustainability goals, fosters continuous improvement, and builds more diverse and high-performing university communities committed to excellence in education. The UoS joined the STARS programme in 2021, earning the Silver rating in its first year, then becoming the first Arab university to receive a Gold rating in 2022, and now achieving the Platinum rating, the highest possible level – a clear affirmation of the university's leadership in sustainability.
Channel Post MEA
19-05-2025
- Business
- Channel Post MEA
University of Sharjah and IBM launch My FarmWell Mobile App to Promote Sustainable Agriculture
The University of Sharjah (UoS), in collaboration with IBM through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, today announced the launch of My FarmWell, a mobile application designed to tackle water scarcity challenges and transform sustainable agriculture across the region. Built using IBM Environmental Intelligence and UoS Welly Chatbot , My FarmWell integrates IBM Cloud and region-specific water and climate data to provide farmers with timely, farm-level insights. From optimizing irrigation strategies to understanding local regulations, the app offers a comprehensive toolkit to support more sustainable and productive agricultural practices. With its bilingual (English and Arabic) user-friendly interface, My FarmWell equips farmers with access to well-specific data such as current water levels, historical groundwater trends, water quality indices (IWQI), and crop recommendations supporting smarter decisions in increasingly water-scarce environments. Speaking on the launch, UoS Chancellor His Excellency Prof. Essam El-Din Ajami expressed his pride in this scientific achievement, which stems from collaborative research conducted with IBM. He emphasized that, 'This milestone aligns with the university's strategic commitment to serving local and regional communities through impactful research that addresses environmental challenges'. He added that the University of Sharjah is dedicated to advancing sustainability efforts in a way that benefits not only the United Arab Emirates but also positions the university as a leading model for the entire Middle East and North Africa region. UoS Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, affirmed the keenness of the university's research sector to collaborate with various entities and institutions in conducting research of tangible societal benefit. He noted that 'My FarmWell represents a practical application of cutting-edge innovations in sustainability, offering solutions to pressing environmental challenges.' He added that it is also a concrete step toward smart, resilient, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Adewale Giwa, Principal Investigator of the project, underscored the app's transformative potential, saying, 'My FarmWell equips farmers with crucial insights that facilitate smarter water use and long-term sustainability.' 'My FarmWell is a great example of how IBM technology can help businesses of all sizes manage through environmental risks', said Shukri Eid, General Manager, IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan. 'Here we are empowering farmers with data-driven insights on water, but Cloud and AI can unlock progress for all sorts of organizations, helping them boost resiliency and lower costs.' Other Key Features of My FarmWell include: Intuitive app screen : Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. : Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. Comprehensive weather information : Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. : Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. Well water monitoring and insights : Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. : Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. Crop recommendations : Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). : Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). Farm water consumption calculator : Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. : Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. Educational hub : Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. : Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. Market price integration: Links to global food market prices, enabling farmers to align irrigation strategies with market trends. My FarmWell reflects a strong partnership between academia and industry, designed to address critical regional challenges through innovation. The project exemplifies the mission of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, a social innovation program that applies IBM technologies, such as hybrid cloud and AI, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale nonprofit and government organization initiatives, accelerating environmental and economic impact. 0 0
Mid East Info
19-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
University of Sharjah and IBM launch My FarmWell Mobile App to Promote Sustainable Agriculture in Water-Stressed Regions
Developed through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, the new mobile application supports sustainable agriculture in the UAE and MENA region. Empowers farmers with groundwater monitoring and data-driven irrigation insights to address water scarcity challenges in arid areas. Sharjah, UAE – May, 2025 – The University of Sharjah (UoS), in collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM ) through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, today announced the launch of My FarmWell, a mobile application designed to tackle water scarcity challenges and transform sustainable agriculture across the UAE and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Built using IBM Environmental Intelligence and UoS Welly Chatbot , My FarmWell integrates IBM Cloud and region-specific water and climate data to provide farmers with timely, farm-level insights. From optimizing irrigation strategies to understanding local regulations, the app offers a comprehensive toolkit to support more sustainable and productive agricultural practices. With its bilingual (English and Arabic) user-friendly interface, My FarmWell equips farmers with access to well-specific data such as current water levels, historical groundwater trends, water quality indices (IWQI), and crop recommendations supporting smarter decisions in increasingly water-scarce environments. Speaking on the launch, UoS Chancellor His Excellency Prof. Essam El-Din Ajami expressed his pride in this scientific achievement, which stems from collaborative research conducted with IBM. He emphasized that, 'This milestone aligns with the university's strategic commitment to serving local and regional communities through impactful research that addresses environmental challenges'. He added that the University of Sharjah is dedicated to advancing sustainability efforts in a way that benefits not only the United Arab Emirates but also positions the university as a leading model for the entire Middle East and North Africa region. UoS Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, affirmed the keenness of the university's research sector to collaborate with various entities and institutions in conducting research of tangible societal benefit. He noted that 'My FarmWell represents a practical application of cutting-edge innovations in sustainability, offering solutions to pressing environmental challenges.' He added that it is also a concrete step toward smart, resilient, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Adewale Giwa, Principal Investigator of the project, underscored the app's transformative potential, saying, 'My FarmWell equips farmers with crucial insights that facilitate smarter water use and long-term sustainability.' 'My FarmWell is a great example of how IBM technology can help businesses of all sizes manage through environmental risks', said Shukri Eid, General Manager, IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan. 'Here we are empowering farmers with data-driven insights on water, but Cloud and AI can unlock progress for all sorts of organizations, helping them boost resiliency and lower costs.' Other Key Features of My FarmWell include: Intuitive app screen: Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. Comprehensive weather information: Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. Well water monitoring and insights: Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. Crop recommendations: Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). Farm water consumption calculator: Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. Educational hub: Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. Market price integration: Links to global food market prices, enabling farmers to align irrigation strategies with market trends. My FarmWell reflects a strong partnership between academia and industry, designed to address critical regional challenges through innovation. The project exemplifies the mission of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, a social innovation program that applies IBM technologies, such as hybrid cloud and AI, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale nonprofit and government organization initiatives, accelerating environmental and economic impact. The app is available for download here: Android | iPhone ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF SHARJAH: The University of Sharjah (UoS) stands as a premier institution in the UAE, recognized for its academic excellence and research prowess. Ranked #1 in the UAE and #4 in the Arab region by U.S. News & World Report, UoS showcases its commitment to quality education. UoS ranks 53rd worldwide for Research Quality and 69th in the Times Higher Education Worldwide Young University Rankings 2024. The university offers over 120 programs across 14 colleges, emphasizing disciplines like engineering, health sciences, and business. Its expansive campus boasts over 200 advanced laboratories, state-of-the-art sports facilities, and dedicated research centers. Strategic partnerships with esteemed institutions such as McMaster University and the University of Sheffield further enhance its global footprint. ABOUT IBM: IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently, and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity, and service. About the IBM Sustainability Accelerator: Launched in 2022, the IBM Sustainability Accelerator is a social innovation program that supports communities facing environmental and economic stress around the world, through technologies like AI and an ecosystem of experts. Each year, the program selects five new projects to develop and scale technology and AI solutions addressing topics like sustainable agriculture, clean energy, water management, resilient cities or sustainable consumption and production.
TECHx
19-05-2025
- Business
- TECHx
My FarmWell App Launched via Sustainability Accelerator
Home » Green Tech » My FarmWell App Launched via Sustainability Accelerator The University of Sharjah (UoS), in collaboration with IBM, has announced the launch of My FarmWell , a new mobile application. This initiative is part of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator program. The app is designed to address water scarcity and promote sustainable agriculture in the UAE and the wider MENA region. Built using IBM Environmental Intelligence and UoS's Welly Chatbot, My FarmWell leverages IBM Cloud and region-specific climate data. It delivers farm-level insights to help farmers make better decisions. The app supports both English and Arabic. It offers a user-friendly interface and a range of features, including: Access to well-specific data, including water levels, historical trends, and water quality indices. Crop recommendations based on the Integrated Water Quality Index (IWQI). A farm water calculator to estimate usage for crops, trees, and livestock. UoS Chancellor, H.E. Prof. Essam El-Din Ajami, revealed that the app is the result of ongoing scientific research with IBM. He stated that this milestone aligns with the university's mission to serve local and regional communities. He emphasized UoS's commitment to environmental sustainability and regional impact. According to Prof. Ajami, the app highlights the university's role as a leading model in the Middle East and North Africa. UoS Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, confirmed the university's dedication to research with real societal benefits. He reported that My FarmWell demonstrates how innovation can solve environmental challenges. Dr. Adewale Giwa, Principal Investigator of the project, stated that the app offers critical insights for smarter water usage and long-term sustainability. Shukri Eid, General Manager at IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan, added that IBM's technology enables organizations to manage environmental risks more effectively. He noted that cloud and AI tools can improve resiliency and reduce costs. Other key features of My FarmWell include: Real-time weather updates, including temperature, humidity, wind speed, and 10-day forecasts. An educational hub with content on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. Integration of global food market prices to align irrigation with economic trends. The University of Sharjah and IBM reported that this app is a strong example of academia and industry working together to tackle regional challenges. They stated that My FarmWell supports the goals of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator. The program helps scale nonprofit and government initiatives using IBM technologies like hybrid cloud and AI. The My FarmWell app is now available for download on Android and iPhone.
Web Release
19-05-2025
- Business
- Web Release
University of Sharjah and IBM launch My FarmWell Mobile App to Promote Sustainable Agriculture in Water-Stressed Regions
University of Sharjah and IBM launch My FarmWell Mobile App to Promote Sustainable Agriculture in Water-Stressed Regions The University of Sharjah (UoS), in collaboration with IBM (NYSE: IBM) through the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, today announced the launch of My FarmWell, a mobile application designed to tackle water scarcity challenges and transform sustainable agriculture across the UAE and the broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Built using IBM Environmental Intelligence and UoS Welly Chatbot, My FarmWell integrates IBM Cloud and region-specific water and climate data to provide farmers with timely, farm-level insights. From optimizing irrigation strategies to understanding local regulations, the app offers a comprehensive toolkit to support more sustainable and productive agricultural practices. With its bilingual (English and Arabic) user-friendly interface, My FarmWell equips farmers with access to well-specific data such as current water levels, historical groundwater trends, water quality indices (IWQI), and crop recommendations supporting smarter decisions in increasingly water-scarce environments. Speaking on the launch, UoS Chancellor His Excellency Prof. Essam El-Din Ajami expressed his pride in this scientific achievement, which stems from collaborative research conducted with IBM. He emphasized that, 'This milestone aligns with the university's strategic commitment to serving local and regional communities through impactful research that addresses environmental challenges'. He added that the University of Sharjah is dedicated to advancing sustainability efforts in a way that benefits not only the United Arab Emirates but also positions the university as a leading model for the entire Middle East and North Africa region. UoS Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies, Prof. Maamar Bettayeb, affirmed the keenness of the university's research sector to collaborate with various entities and institutions in conducting research of tangible societal benefit. He noted that 'My FarmWell represents a practical application of cutting-edge innovations in sustainability, offering solutions to pressing environmental challenges.' He added that it is also a concrete step toward smart, resilient, and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Adewale Giwa, Principal Investigator of the project, underscored the app's transformative potential, saying, 'My FarmWell equips farmers with crucial insights that facilitate smarter water use and long-term sustainability.' 'My FarmWell is a great example of how IBM technology can help businesses of all sizes manage through environmental risks', said Shukri Eid, General Manager, IBM Gulf, Levant, and Pakistan. 'Here we are empowering farmers with data-driven insights on water, but Cloud and AI can unlock progress for all sorts of organizations, helping them boost resiliency and lower costs.' Other Key Features of My FarmWell include: Intuitive app screen : Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. : Provides weather information based on user location, quick overview of selected well details, links to agricultural regulations, food market prices, and a University of Sharjah-developed chatbot for farming and well-related advice. Comprehensive weather information : Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. : Powered by IBM Environmental Intelligence, offering current temperature (high, low, and perceived), weather conditions, humidity, wind speed and direction, precipitation forecast for the next 24 hours, and weather forecast for the next 10 days. Well water monitoring and insights : Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. : Allows users to track historical groundwater changes, assess trends over time, and evaluate the severity of well water scarcity. Crop recommendations : Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). : Suggests suitable crops to grow based on specific water quality indices (Integrated Water Quality Index levels). Farm water consumption calculator : Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. : Helps estimate water needs for crops, trees, and livestock, optimizing farm water usage. Educational hub : Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. : Provides comprehensive resources on groundwater conservation and climate adaptation. Market price integration: Links to global food market prices, enabling farmers to align irrigation strategies with market trends. My FarmWell reflects a strong partnership between academia and industry, designed to address critical regional challenges through innovation. The project exemplifies the mission of the IBM Sustainability Accelerator, a social innovation program that applies IBM technologies, such as hybrid cloud and AI, and an ecosystem of experts to enhance and scale nonprofit and government organization initiatives, accelerating environmental and economic impact. The app is available for download here: Android | iPhone
