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Name of the project |
UNESCO |
USTF |
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Project website |
https://ustf.ac.ae/?p=ustf-empowerment-of-school-girl-students |
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Abstract |
How has your project advanced girls' and women's education? Explain its objectives, methodology and key results in maximum 1,000 characters.
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Our project significantly advances girls' and women's education by providing equal opportunities for engaging in advanced educational activities. We highlight success stories of female students who have thrived in the program, serving as inspiration for others. To close the gender gap in STEM, we implement initiatives ensuring equal representation and participation. We teach girls the importance of owning their projects, fostering responsibility and leadership. Our organizing committees include women leaders and mentors who serve as role models, offering invaluable guidance and support. The results have been outstanding: over 50% female participation in competitions, a significant increase in research papers by female students, strategic MOUs with schools, and over 60% female participation in camps. Empowering women through support and recognition fosters a generation ready to lead and innovate. |
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Specific contribution to the advancement of girls’ and women’s education
Select one
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Participation: Supporting girls to transition from primary education to lower secondary education and to complete full basic education
Literacy: Supporting adolescent girls and young women to acquire literacy skills
Environment: Supporting the creation of a gender-responsive and safe teaching-learning environment
Teachers: Engaging teachers to be change agents with gender-responsive teaching attitudes and practices
Skills: Supporting girls and women to acquire knowledge/skills for life and work
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Skills: Supporting girls and women to acquire knowledge/skills for life and work
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Project duration
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Indicate start and expected end date. Please note that only projects that have been running for at least TWO years will be considered.
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Starting from February 2022 and still ongoing at the present |
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Target group(s) for the project
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School Girl Students living in UAE |
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Geographical coverage
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UAE, with special emphasis on the Eastern Region |
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Covered countries.
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UAE |
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Number of beneficiaries to date
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Indicate the number of beneficiaries to date. If the project targets multiple age groups, please provide age-disaggregated data. If the project includes interventions that also engage men and/or boys, please provide sex-disaggregated data
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2000 |
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Source(s) of funding
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Indicate the funding source(s) (current and planned).
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Internal funding from the University |
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Annual project budget
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Please indicate 2023 costs in USD
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15,000 USD |
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Number of staff
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Specify the number of staff involved in the project in 2023 (part-time or full time).
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20 Faculty, teaching assistants, administrative staff on part-time basis |
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Achievements and impact
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Please describe the major achievements and impact of the project on girls’ and women’s education, using concrete information such as feedback from participants, project scale up and expansion or number of site visits to the project website. Please also briefly outline key findings of your monitoring and evaluation exercises, noting how data is collected and disaggregated as well as examples of indicators used in maximum 2000 characters.
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We aligned key activities with national strategies, such as the Week of Innovation, Sustainability Research Forum, AI Research Competition, and Fujairah Art Marvels Competition. These events helped students, especially girls, develop research and presentation skills, boosting their confidence and technical abilities. Innovation Week concluded with "Empowering the Women" on March 7, 2024, attended by over 100 female students and Her Excellency Aisha Al Dhanhani. The event highlighted the importance of innovation and women empowerment. Our summer and winter camps focused on developing skills in robotics, programming, and entrepreneurship, with significant female participation. The project's quality was evaluated through letters of support from schools, official letters from government institutions, and student feedback. Performance indicators measured the quality of activities, ensuring continuous improvement and high standards. Initially launched in a few schools in Fujairah, the project now includes schools across multiple Emirates, including Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. Participation increased significantly, with 172 student participants in the May 2023 conference and 496 participants in the November 2023 Fujairah Wonders Competition, reflecting an increase of approximately 188%. Surveys indicated that 89% of students reported increased confidence and research skills, and 56% noted improvements in applying research methods to real-world problems. There was also a notable increase in research papers published by female students. The project saw 924 students participate, with a significant proportion being female. Twenty-one schools were involved, promoting wide reach and impact. By engaging in research competitions and activities, girls developed crucial skills and confidence, empowering them to pursue further education and careers in research and innovation. |
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Innovation
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Please explain how the project is innovative in terms of themes, methods, channels used, or how it is generating gender-specific knowledge, tools, and products to advance girls' and women's education, in maximum 900 characters.
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Our project stands out for its innovative approach through the integration of advanced technologies and modern methodologies. We conducted 3DMax modeling and 3D printing sessions, providing hands-on experience in designing and creating 3D models. These sessions offered valuable skills in modern engineering and technology fields, preparing students for future careers in these areas. We organized AI Research Competitions and workshops, aligning with the UAE's National AI Strategy 2031. These activities inspired students, particularly girls, to explore AI applications and develop projects addressing real-world problems. By incorporating robotics into our curriculum, we created a dynamic learning environment where students learned programming and automation. This equipped them with technical skills and fostered problem-solving abilities, essential for future STEM careers. |
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Sustainability
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Please explain what measures the project is taking to ensure it is sustainable (e.g. addressing institutionalization, stakeholder engagement, capacity-development) to achieve a lasting impact on girls' and women's education, in maximum 900 characters
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We address institutionalization by integrating our initiatives into the regular curriculum of participating schools, helping to enhance the school's overall stance by involving students in research activities and ensuring long-term adoption. The collaboration with government bodies, educational institutions, and industry partners helps secure ongoing support and resources. We focus on capacity development by training teachers and mentors to continue delivering advanced educational content and support. Additionally, the contribution to the sustainable development goals is achieved through providing girls with the skills and opportunities needed for lifelong learning and career development. Monitoring and evaluation frameworks are established to track progress and adapt strategies, ensuring a lasting impact on girls' and women's education. |
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Outline the future strategy of your project.
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Describe the follow-up plan of the project, indicating information such as scale-up strategy, target groups, duration, and budget, in maximum 900 characters.
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The follow-up plan focuses on sustaining and expanding the project's positive impact on girls' education. The target groups remain school students, with a focus on both male and female students to ensure gender inclusivity. We will continuously engage distinguished female students, encouraging them to complete promising projects from our competitions. Academic support and supervision will be provided by university faculty, and students will have access to the university's scientific and laboratory facilities. We will assist students in securing financial support for their research from funding agencies. Additionally, we will offer opportunities for top students to work as research assistants on topics aligned with national strategies. Competitions will be developed into conferences with local and international participation, fostering idea exchange from diverse scientific cultures. |
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Use of Prize money
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Indicate how the US $50,000 Prize money would assist in the achievement of this strategy.
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The funds will be used to hire students for research work, providing valuable hands-on experience and mentorship. This financial support will also help enhance their career readiness by allowing them to acquire essential job market skills. Through these opportunities, we aim to empower girls and women, fostering their development as future leaders and innovators in their fields. |
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SUPPORTING MATERIALS (e.g. action plans, publications, videos, websites, evaluations, reviews, or other documents outlining results and impact)
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Provide up to 10 links, with a brief description.
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Supporting Materials 1. Planning, implementation, and results 7. Schools’ visits to promote Research and Innovation 8. Eventsa. Innovation Competition - Feb. 2022 b. Sustainability Competition 1 -May 2023 e. Art competition - Nov. 2023 f. Entrepreneurship competition - Feb 2024 |
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PERMISSION
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The candidate and the nominator agree that, even if the nominated project is not selected as one of the two Prize laureates, a project summary and any photos provided via this form can be published on the UNESCO website as good practices on girls’ and women’s education.
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USTF Agrees |