United Arab Emirates University Research Articles

Sexually transmitted diseases knowledge assessment and associated factors among university students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study.

Sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDIs) remain a serious public health menace with over 350 million cases each year. Poor knowledge of STDIs has been identified as one of the bottlenecks in their control and prevention. Hence, assessment of knowledge, both general and domain-specific, is key to the prevention and control of these diseases. This study assessed the knowledge of STDIs and identified factors associated with STDI knowledge among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a cross-sectional study among 778 UAE University students across all colleges. An online data collection tool was used to collect data regarding the participants' demographics and their level of knowledge of STDIs across different domains including general STDI pathogens knowledge (8 items), signs and symptoms (9 items), mode of transmission (5 items), and prevention (5 items). Knowledge was presented both as absolute and percentage scores. Differences in STDI knowledge were statistically assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared tests. Logistic regression models were further used to identify factors associated with STDI knowledge. A total of 778 students participated in the study with a median age of 21 years (IQR = 19, 23). The overall median STDI knowledge score of the participants was 7 (out of 27), with some differences within STDI domains-signs & symptoms (1 out of 9), modes of transmission (2 out of 5), general STDI pathogens (2 out of 8), and prevention (1 out of 5). Higher STDI knowledge was significantly associated with being non-Emirati (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.24-2.75), being married (OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.50-5.56), residing in emirates other than Abu Dhabi (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.16-2.25), and being a student of health sciences (OR = 4.45, 95% CI = 3.07-6.45). In general, STDI knowledge was low among the students. Having good knowledge of STDIs is essential for their prevention and control. Therefore, there is a need for informed interventions to address the knowledge gap among students, youths, and the general population at large.

Interview Seitakhmetova N., Toktarbekova L. with Professor of United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Doctor of Sociological Sciences Zabirova Aigul

Aigul Zabirova - Doctor of Sociological Sciences, Professor of United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). Her research and writing focuses on Identity Pol-icy in post-soviet space, urbanization and mi-gration in Central Asia. For many years she has examined the Power, Identity’s Policy and Modernist Architecture in Kazakhstan. Her current research investigates how households in Central Asia, confronted by different economic, political and national environment try to achieve sustainable live-lihoods.

Applying the Innovative Approach of Employing a Business Simulation Game and Prototype Developing Platform in an Online Flipped Classroom of an Entrepreneurial Summer Course: A Case Study of UAEU

As opposed to only having subject knowledge, the necessity of skills has repeatedly been emphasized as essential to succeed in the practical world. Being able to adjust to new circumstances is crucial, especially in today’s world, where uncertainty, volatility, ambiguity, and complexity are ubiquitous. Experiential Learning Theory can be implemented during innovative pedagogical approaches to better prepare students for entering the market as successful entrepreneurs in such a tumultuous time—for instance, an entrepreneurial course might incorporate using business simulation games, such as MonsoonSim and prototype developing software, including Justinmind to experience enhanced experiential learning with thematic goals. In order to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning and foster self-directed learners better equipped to cope with existing challenges, this study investigates the processes of implementing a business simulation game along with prototype development software and distinguishes it from a typical classroom experience. The sample consists of students enrolled in a short summer entrepreneurial course designed by the United Arab Emirates University at the request of the Ministry of Education, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), for secondary and higher secondary school graduates. The students from private and government schools across all seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates participated in this course. The online flipped classroom was carefully designed by blending several approaches during the pre-class, in-class, and post-class activities. In order to provide an advanced learning experience, a web-based business simulation game (MosoonSim) and online prototype development software, Justinmind, were introduced during the course. The qualitative and quantitative results show that incorporating business simulation games had a significantly positive impact on students’ learning outcomes, such as critical and higher-order thinking, idea creation, and problem-solving capabilities, and improved engagement through an easy, enjoyable, and interactive environment. Furthermore, findings show that the learning outcomes are significantly influenced by the attributes of the group members and their consistency during group activities in a flipped classroom, and assigning a dedicated instructor or a senior group member having solid background knowledge in a particular subject can assist in significantly enhancing the learning outcomes of a whole group.

Education Leaders' Perception on the Effectiveness of Online Learning during the COVID -19 Crises in UAE Universities

Purpose: The current study aimed at exploring education leaders' perceptions of online learning in four universities in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The study explored two dimensions of educational institutions’ experiences during the pandemic: the effectiveness and educational impact of online learning.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: To achieve the aim of the study, a 34-items survey was developed. The validity and reliability of the survey were ensured. A total of 113 education leaders across five UAE universities were surveyed in order to know their views on the effectiveness of online teaching during COVID-19 lockdowns.
 Findings: The results of the study showed that despite the pressure, stress and uncertainty that accompanied the shift to online education as a result of the spread of coronavirus. University education leaders highly appreciated online teaching in both domains of the survey. However, the more experienced education leaders expressed positive views on the effectiveness of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, there were no significant differences in perceptions among education leaders based on gender, academic rank or position.
 Conclusion: The current study explored education leaders’ views on online learning. Apparently, addressing differences among education leaders can help in providing more effective and sound learning experiences.
 Practical implications: The results of the study highlighted the crucial role of education leaders especially during times of crises and massive disruptions and the need to take into account the differences between their views. Therefore, the study suggests dealing with education leaders' differences carefully in order to deliver effective online learning.
 Contribution to literature: The study provides a different perspective on online learning as it captures education leaders' perspectives on online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development of YOLOv5-Based Real-Time Smart Monitoring System for Increasing Lab Safety Awareness in Educational Institutions.

The term "smart lab" refers to a system that provides a novel and flexible approach to automating and connecting current laboratory processes. In education, laboratory safety is an essential component of undergraduate laboratory classes. The institution provides formal training for the students working in the labs that involve potential exposure to a wide range of hazards, including chemical, biological, and physical agents. During the laboratory safety lessons, the instructor explains the lab safety protocols and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent unwanted accidents. However, it is not always guaranteed that students follow safety procedures throughout all lab sessions. Currently, the lab supervisors monitor the use of PPE, which is time consuming, laborious, and impossible to see each student. Consequently, students may unintentionally commit unrecognizable unsafe acts, which can lead to unwanted situations. Therefore, the aim of the research article was to propose a real-time smart vision-based lab-safety monitoring system to verify the PPE compliance of students, i.e., whether the student is wearing a mask, gloves, lab coat, and goggles, from image/video in real time. The YOLOv5 (YOLOv5l, YOLOv5m, YOLOv5n, YOLOv5s, and YOLOv5x) and YOLOv7 models were trained using a self-created novel dataset named SLS (Students Lab Safety). The dataset comprises four classes, namely, gloves, helmets, masks, and goggles, and 481 images, having a resolution of 835 × 1000, acquired from various research laboratories of the United Arab Emirates University. The performance of the different YOLOv5 and YOLOv7 versions is compared based on instances' size using evaluation metrics such as precision, F1 score, recall, and mAP (mean average precision). The experimental results demonstrated that all the models showed promising performance in detecting PPE in educational labs. The YOLOv5n approach achieved the highest mAP of 77.40% for small and large instances, followed by the YOLOv5m model having a mAP of 75.30%. A report detailing each student's PPE compliance in the lab can be prepared based on data collected in real time and stored in the proposed system. Overall, the proposed approach can be utilized to make laboratories smarter by enhancing the efficacy of safety in research settings; this, in turn, will aid the students in establishing a health and safety culture among students.

Knowledge Management Mediation Model of Higher Learning Institution Performance

There are many studies on Knowledge Management (KM) in different organizations however less investigation on university, especially teaching staff in terms of using KM to enhance their duties at the universities. Thus, this paper presents a study to examine the Critical Influential Factors of Knowledge Management and Innovation Management on UAE Universities Performance. The study adopted a quantitative approach where a questionnaire survey was carried out among academic staffs of UAE universities. A total of 330 respondents involved in this survey. The data gathered from the survey was used to develop the mediation model which comprises of innovation learning acts as mediator to the relationship between the five knowledge management variables and the university performance variable. The model was developed and assessed in SmartPLS software. The mediation model comprises of direct effect relationship and mediation effect relationship. For direct effect relationship, it was found that two KM dimensions have a direct significant effect on universities’ performance, which are knowledge acquisition and knowledge application. And also, it indicates that there is a significant direct effect for innovation learning on university performance. For mediation effect, it was found that innovation learning on the relationship between KM dimensions (knowledge acquisition, knowledge storage, knowledge sharing, and knowledge application) and universities’ performance. The results from this modelling work, indicated that knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing have a significant indirect effect on universities’ performance with partial mediation for knowledge acquisition and full mediation for knowledge sharing. The findings of this research could benefit academic and decision makers in terms of enhancing organization performance through KM. Also, innovation learning can be considered as a stimulant to KM in further enhancing the university organization performance.

Prevalence of chronic diseases among United Arab Emirates University students: cross-sectional study

Abstract Background Chronic disease burden is increasing globally. In Arab Gulf Countries, the burden has increased exponentially over the past five decades due to rapid economic growth and urbanization. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), chronic diseases are the leading cause of mortality and economic burden, hence, there is need to explore their patterns for targeted interventions. Studies among university students in Europe and the United States show chronic diseases prevalence ranging from 16.5% to 30.0%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the Gulf region to assess multiple chronic diseases among university students. Our study describes the prevalence and patterns of multiple chronic diseases among UAE University (UAEU) students. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study among UAEU students ≥18years from July to October 2021. Online questionnaire was used to collect data. Self-reported chronic diseases were described and compared between male and female students using chi-square and t tests. Other students’ characteristics were also explored. All analyses were conducted using STATA statistical software. Results 902 students participated in the study with mean age of 21.9±5.2yrs. 79.8% were females. 80.7% were undergraduates. The prevalence of self-reported chronic diseases was 23.0%. Obesity, Diabetes and Asthma/Allergies were the commonest (12.5%, 4.2% & 3.2%, respectively). 34.8% of the students were either overweight or obese. Overall chronic disease prevalence was similar between males and females [27.5% vs 21.8%, 0.104] though it was significantly higher among postgraduates, students who are older, married and have family history of diabetes. 4.7% of the students reported 2 or more chronic diseases. Conclusions Our study showed that more than 1 in 5 of the students reported at least one chronic disease. This shows the need for proactive chronic disease screening and prevention programs to meet the health needs of the students. Key messages • Prevalence of chronic diseases (Diabetes, Prediabetes, Obesity, Hypertension, Asthma/Allergies, Lipid disorders, Thyroid disorders, GI disorders, and CVDs) was high among the university students. • Universities should commit to researching students’ health and creating targeted health policies and interventions, as chronic diseases have direct and indirect negative impact on students’ education.

Podcasting as an Effective Pedagogy for Teaching Chemistry During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all educational institutions worldwide to switch their active routine to ONLINE. With students attending classes virtually, a number of problems arose including the absence of social interaction and the imposed difficulty of digesting the materials of different courses, especially for those with a scientific background. General chemistry (GC), as an introductory course, is usually registered by students from different backgrounds, including Science, Engineering, and Agriculture. At the United Arab Emirates University, the second level of GC (GCII) is more focused on problem-solving as related to various topics. With the absence of face-to-face experience because of the COVID-19 circumstances, students’ understanding of the chemical concepts and implementing that in problem-solving has become a challenge. The current work investigates the effect of using professionally-made podcasts of GCII on the extent of understanding of students registered for this course during the period of 2020-2020 over a course of four semesters. The results of surveying the usage and feedback of students engaged in this experiment are outlined. Conclusively, this pedagogy is fully supported by most of the students who regard it as a suitable alternative to face-to-face settings.

Predictors of cheating in online exams among business students during the Covid pandemic: Testing the theory of planned behavior

Drawing on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and prior empirical research, this quantitative study aims to identify the main predictors of academic dishonesty in online exams among undergraduate business students during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Complete data were collected through online questionnaire from 176 undergraduate business students from different UAE universities. Three proposed conceptual models were tested using structural equation modeling analysis (SEM). Results of SEM demonstrate that, in line with the TPB, students’ favorable attitude toward cheating, social norms supportive of cheating, and perceived control over the engagement in cheating are the main predictors of cheating intentions in online exams among business students. This study shows that perceived control and cheating intentions are the direct predictors of actual cheating in online exams. The study also demonstrates that attitude toward cheating, social norms supportive of cheating, and perceived control over cheating indirectly influence actual cheating behavior in online exams. The findings of this study can help university administrators and faculty members understand and curb cheating during online exams among business students not only in the context of the continuing COVID-19 pandemic but also in the years ahead.

Energy Optimization for Fenestration Design: Evidence-Based Retrofitting Solution for Office Buildings in the UAE

With the prevalent use of large glazings, particularly in office buildings, offices receive an abundance of light and are among the largest consumers of electricity. Moreover, in an extreme hot arid climate such as in the UAE, achieving comfortable daylighting levels without increasing solar heat gain is a challenge, in which the window or fenestration design plays an essential role. This research adopts a case study of a higher education (HE) office building on the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) campus, selected to investigate an evidence-based retrofitting solution for the west façade that can be applied in existing office buildings in the UAE in order to reduce cooling energy load as well as enhance indoor environmental quality. To achieve an evidence-based retrofitting solution, the research design built upon a comprehensive exploratory investigation that included indoor environmental quality physical monitoring and occupant satisfaction surveying. Model simulation was performed by means of DesignBuilder software to perform a single- and multiparameter sensitivity analysis for three key passive window design parameters, i.e., window-to-wall ratio, glazing type, and external shading, aimed towards minimizing annual cooling load and solar heat gain, while maintaining appropriate indoor daylight illuminance levels. The results highlight the importance of the window-to-wall ratio (WWR), as it is the single most significant parameter effecting total energy consumption and daylighting levels. The results recommend 20–30% WWR as the optimum range in the west façade. However, by utilizing high performance glazing types and external shading, equal energy savings can be achieved with a larger WWR. Double Low E tinted glazing and 0.4 projection shading overhang and side fin revealed a noteworthy reduction of energy use intensity of 14%. The study concludes with final retrofitting solutions and design recommendations that aim to contribute validated knowledge towards enhancing window performance in a hot arid climate to guide architects and stakeholders to apply a range of passive parameters towards reducing energy consumption and improving occupant comfort in office buildings.

University Students’ Perceptions of Food Waste in the UAE

This study examines the relationship between food waste and gender, income, and where students live. The research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2, 11, and 12; moreover, the massive global food shortage in 2022 due to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine makes saving food a priority. A questionnaire was used to collect data from 201 students at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU). A large proportion of the respondents were female (71.6%). The most common reasons cited by the respondents for food waste were over purchasing (31% of respondents), attitude (26.5%), and poor management (24%), while the most common reasons for having extra-cooked food were expecting guests (46%) and wanting to eat the food that had been prepared (35%). The majority of the respondents (57%) agreed that young people waste more food than older people. The methodology used in this study could be adopted by other researchers around the globe, and the output may help in developing policies and designing educational material for food waste intervention programs. Beneficiaries may therefore include food producers/consumers, environmental departments, and charitable organizations. The research contributes to the knowledge about food waste, perception, and intervention programs.

UAE University Students’ Dietary Practices and Lifestyles at Times of Covid-19: A Cross Sectional Study

We examined the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students’ dietary practices and lifestyles. In this study, the term “dietary practices” refers to people’s choice in food consumption, whereas “lifestyles” refers to their overall habits including both diet and exercise. We followed a quantitative approach through a cross sectional study and collected data from 475 university students in the UAE by means of an online survey. The results of this study indicated that a majority (67%) of the surveyed students seem to have changed their dietary practice for the better and were making healthier life choices. Additionally, it appears that students started leading more active, healthier lifestyles by incorporating exercise in their daily routine. The research concludes with initial suggestions and implications for healthcare practitioners and providing them with information regarding how younger adults in the UAE have behaved during a pandemic. Understanding the results from similar studies will help the health authorities in reshaping policies on nutrition in anticipation of any future pandemics.

Transitioning to Online Learning amid COVID-19: Perspectives in a Civil Engineering Program

The transition from face-to-face classes to fully online learning (OL) during the spring semester of 2020 occurred almost globally because of the imposed COVID-19 lockdown. The present study investigated the perception and experiences of undergraduate students and faculty members of the Civil Engineering program at the United Arab Emirates University concerning switching to OL during COVID-19. Quantitative questionnaires were distributed to faculty members and students following the end of the spring semester of 2020. Students and faculty members identified student engagement and online exams as major areas that require improvement. Online exams were challenging for students and difficult to prepare, control, and administer for faculty. Providing technical support is critical for the successful streaming of online courses. Initially, half of the surveyed students began the transition with a positive attitude toward OL, and this percentage increased during the transition. The capacity to continue learning during the COVID-19 crisis and the availability of recorded materials were perceived by the students as the main advantages of OL while challenging online examinations and the lack of social interaction were the main disadvantages.

Prevalence of Insomnia among university students in the United Arab Emirates

The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of insomnia among three United Arab Emirates (UAE) university students, of different majors; namely, Ajman University, University of Sharjah and the American University of Sharjah from March 2021 to June 2021, through comparing components of everyday behavioral activities with their sleep patterns and overall sleep quality. The questionnaire was distributed in two forms; online via the Planet Survey Website and paper-based. Three hundred and eighty out of four hundred, with 95% response rate, UAE university students, 48.7% males and 51.3% females, average aged 24 years completed a questionnaire on insomnia that includes sociodemographic, the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and lifestyle details. Most of the participants were Muslims (95.5%), 74.5% of them were Arabs, 94.3% were singles and 91.6% were full-time students. The resultant prevalence of insomnia among the students was assessed by three criteria. These are, time to fall asleep, quality of sleep and respondents with and without problem sleeping. With respect to time to fall asleep, 51.8% of respondents needs ≥ 30 minutes to fall asleep, 29.2% of them were females and 22.6% males. Regarding quality of sleep, both genders scored almost identical figures of 19.5% and 2% for fairly and bad quality of sleep respectively. With respect to problem sleeping, 37.9% of respondents were having problem sleeping, 22.4% of them females and 15.5% males. Our results identified some significant relations between some sleep disorders and behavior or diseases. Nightmares had a significant relation with listening to rap music (p<0.031), play with cell phone or tablet before sleeping (p <0.023), drinking tea and coffee (p<0.004), energy drinks (p<0.034) take a medicine to promote sleeping (p <0.017), as well as allergic rhinitis (p<0.009). Whereas falling experience had a significant relation with listening to pop music (p<0.018), play with cell phone or tablet before sleeping (p<0.009) and diseases like hypothyroidism (p<0.009) and diabetes (p<0.009). On the other hand, spinning room experience had a significant relation with cardiac diseases (p<0.019), take a medicine to promote sleeping (p<0.003), hyperthyroidism (p <0.009) and listening to rap music (p<0.015). The results also identified that sleep-walk had a significant relation with listening to rock music (p<0.050), and rap music (p< 0.035) before bed. Whereas sleep-talk had a significant relation with asthma (p<0.048) and hypertension (p< 0.034). This study provides preliminary data on sleep quality and risk factors for insomnia, which may be used to guide sleep hygiene promotion and intervention among university students.

‘Imitate or Incubate?’ Evaluating the Current State of University-Based Business Incubators in the United Arab Emirates

Although there has been extensive research on business incubators (BIs) in the private sector, relatively little is known about university-based business incubators (UBIs) in the context of emerging markets such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study explores the current state of UBIs in the UAE by analysing secondary and primary data obtained through desk-based research and qualitative semi-structured interviews with UBI managers, academics and support staff. Informed by this study comprising nine cases of UBIs in the UAE, the data were collected through Voice over Internet Protocol and telephone during March 2021–February 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the analysis of data using Template Analysis, the findings illustrate that UAE universities’ BIs are relatively young and characterized by eight key themes, which were identified as (a) attracting new students, (b) improving communication skills, (c) curriculum development, (d) extra-curricular development, (e) industry engagement, (f) innovation/spinoffs, (g) research skills and (h) strategic thinking. As per the UAE Vision 2031, UBIs will play a crucial role in innovation and entrepreneurship, and therefore there are implications for academics, entrepreneurs and policymakers.

Acceptability and Willingness of UAE Residents to Use OTC Vending Machines to Deliver Self-Testing Kits for COVID-19 and the Implications.

PurposeSelf-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 appear effective, practical, safe and reliable as well as helping patients with mild-to-moderate symptoms to be successfully managed at home without going to hospital. As a result, ease pressures on hospitals. OTC vending machines offer the potential for SARS-CoV-2 self-testing kits alongside making available OTC treatments to alleviate the symptoms of COVID-19. As a result, providing confidentiality alongside ease of use in case people do not want their status broad casted. Consequently, there was a need to assess the acceptability and willingness regarding the availability of OTC vending machines to dispense self-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 among UAE residents to provide future direction.Patients and MethodsA cross-sectional survey using a designed questionnaire was based on previous research and expert input and pilot tested. All items in the final questionnaire were seen as acceptable with a satisfactory content validity. A purposive sampling strategy was used in the principal study by primarily sending a link to the questionnaire to UAE universities via Facebook and WhatsApp.ResultsA total of 876 respondents participated in the study and completed the whole questionnaire. Most participants were female (63%), Arabic origin (42%) and holding a bachelor’s degree (84.5%). There was high acceptability and willingness to use self-testing kits (87.2%), with 88.6% of respondents believing OTC vending machines would be beneficial for patients with actual or suspected SARS-CoV-2. Gender, nationality, educational level, employment status, having relatives infected with SARS-CoV-2 and being vaccinated were significantly associated with attitudes towards the self-testing kits. Recognised barriers include their potential costs, ease of access and help for those who cannot read the instructions.ConclusionOverall, there was high acceptability and willingness to use OTC vending machines to deliver self-testing kits for SARS-CoV-2 among the surveyed participants. Key barriers will need to be addressed to enhance their use.

TYPOLOGY OF INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS UNIVERSITY-BASED INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS ENTREPRENEURS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Purpose- This paper explores the typology of innovation ecosystems obtained from the literature review which university-based innovation ecosystems in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) universities on the entrepreneurial subdivision of the innovation ecosystem and terms it an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Methodology- The aims of this study is qualitative in nature, while reflecting its exploratory nature and the absence of any previous work on university Typology of innovation in the UAE. A list of all UAE universities from the Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA) will be used as primary research. Secondary sources and used as a sampling frame. The sampling procedure involved contacting the universities or colleges. Findings- The Centre of Excellence for Applied Research and Training (CERT) at Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) Established in 1996 the first center to adopt entrepreneurial initiatives. The UAEU Science and Innovation Park (UAEU-SIP) and Start AD, NYU Abu Dhabi both established in 2016 as the first concepts of innovation and incubator centers in the UAE universities. The UAE Government and Local government are the biggest supporters of universities, and with limited support from the private sector. Due to the early stage of those incubators and centers, with building a skilled workforce with entrepreneurial mindsets, the outcomes of incubated startups are expected to emerge after some time. Conclusion- This study focused only on universities located in the UAE which it's an emerging country. This study focused on university incubators or Innovation Centers only as introduced above more research is required on university-based innovation ecosystems' reach and strategic context. Keywords: Entrepreneurial, Ecosystem, Typology of innovation,UAE, University-based innovation JEL Codes: O30, O31

Design of Innovative Parametric/Dynamic Façade Integrated in the Library Extension Building on UAEU Campus

The building industry is in constant change and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a leader in innovative solutions for green buildings. The standards used in achieving sustainable buildings, such as LEED, Estidama, have contributed to building structures that reduce energy consumption. More than 40% of the total energy is consumed by residential and commercial buildings as electricity. The strategies applied in a building in order to have low energy consumption vary depending on the region and climate. In the UAE, a country with a hot arid climate, these strategies have relevant importance. The aim of this study is to design an innovative parametric/dynamic façade in a new building, to be built on the United Arab Emirates University Campus, AL Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE. The new structure is an additional library building (with additional functions to the current building). The design shall be based on the region’s architectural heritage. The modelling and simulation tools used are Rhino and plug-ins like Grasshopper. Furthermore, an optimization process of the parametric/dynamic façade is conducted. Based on the energy simulation results, the application of the innovative parametric/dynamic façade brings a reduction of 25% in the energy consumption of the building. In addition, the daylight improvement by the application of this façade is 44%. This research brings innovation in terms of the advanced tools used in calculating several parameters for the advanced façade and the process from concept to modeling and simulation. These findings are promising for regional industry due to the advanced tools and methods used. Moreover, it shall help the local authorities such as Abu Dhabi Municipality achieve the sustainability goals 2030.

Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment and Occupant Satisfaction: A Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a UAE University Office Building

As occupants spend almost 90% of their day indoors, especially in the workplaces, Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) plays a primary role in health and wellbeing, productivity, and building energy consumption. Adopting the IEQ and Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), data has been gathered from nine multilevel open offices within a university building located in Al Ain, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for three winter months. Physical parameters were monitored using data loggers to record the main IEQ factors. In parallel, POE questionnaires have been distributed to obtain occupants’ satisfaction with the IEQ and health-related symptoms experienced in the workspaces. The IEQ and POE data have shown slightly above or below the recommended ranges with the occupants similarly and slightly dissatisfied with the building. The thermal comfort revealed concerns with 99% of temperatures below international standards where 55% of the survey respondents reported “too cold”. The IAQ measurements showed 45% and 30% of the respondents reporting “stuffy air” and “headache” which indicated symptoms that could be tracked to other parameters or a combination of several, and the findings have been discussed in detail in this paper. This research contributed to identifying correlations between measured data and occupant satisfaction and identifying common IEQ defects and their sources to better communicate with facility managers and architects.

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Its Knowledge and Associated Factors among United Arab Emirates University Students.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) burden is burgeoning globally. Correct knowledge about GDM among young people is paramount for timely prevention. This study assesses GDM knowledge and identifies factors associated with it among United Arab Emirates (UAE) University students. A validated self-administered questionnaire collected data from the university students. We analyzed the data for GDM knowledge status (ever heard of GDM) and GDM knowledge levels (poor, fair, and good) and conducted ordinal logistic regressions to assess for associated factors. A total of 735 students were surveyed with a mean age of 21.0 years. Of these, 72.8% had heard of GDM, and 52.9% of males versus 20.3% of female students had never heard of the condition before. Higher age (p = 0.019) and being a postgraduate student (p = 0.026) were associated with higher GDM knowledge status in males. GDM knowledge level analysis showed that 24.0%, 58.5%, and 17.5% had poor, fair, and good knowledge. The mean GDM-knowledge score was 6.3 ± 2.4 (out of 12). Being married [aOR-1.82 (95%CI 1.10–3.03)] and knowing someone who had GDM [aOR-1.78 (95%CI 1.23–2.60)] were independently associated with higher GDM knowledge levels among students. Students’ primary source of GDM knowledge was family/friends. There is an observed knowledge gap related to GDM among the students, especially males. This study urges the need to accelerate targeted GDM awareness campaigns among university students and the general population in the UAE.