Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi empowers UAE students to take the lead on research

14 March, 2022

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi organized a conference titled “The Social Sciences and Humanities Student Research Conference (SSHSRC)” which hosted 18 participants from various disciplines and universities in the UAE.
The conference aimed to promote undergraduate and postgraduate research in Social Sciences and Humanities by allowing students from different universities across the UAE to present their original undergraduate or postgraduate research to a committee of researchers, scholars and policymakers working in Abu Dhabi. During the conference, students had the chance to showcase their research capabilities, analytical skills and engage in scientific and policy-oriented discussions.
By the end of the conference, the committee granted three awards, two for the best undergraduate paper awarded to Jude Al Qubaisi, a student at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), and Shaikha Al Ali, a student at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) and the third one was for the best postgraduate paper and was awarded to Israa Mahgoub, a student at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi.

Dr Claude Spaak, Head of Philosophy and Sociology Department at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, commented “As a lecturer in the area of Philosophy, I am convinced that one of the key factors behind developing students’ problem-solving skills and critical thinking, is to encourage them to carry out research projects and to present them to larger audiences. This is one of the reasons the Social Sciences and Humanities Student Research Conference (SSHSCR) is such an important initiative for Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi. It is also a unique occasion for undergraduate and postgraduate students from various universities in the UAE to build interdisciplinary networks in the various fields of the social sciences and humanities and to sharpen their presentation skills.”

Dr Clio Chaveneau, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi commented “The first edition of the SSHSRC gathered 18 students from 6 major universities in the UAE and gave us the opportunity to discover and promote the high-quality research conducted by undergraduate and graduate students in the country. The conference is an opportunity for the students and the broader audience to discover the relevance and importance of research in humanities and social sciences”