Page 7 - Dhofar University - Foresight - English

SPECIAL FEATURE

The geographic and climatic realities of the Dhofar
region, along with Oman’s broader socio-
economic context, create an urgent need
for sustainable solutions. Yet within
these challenges lie tremendous
opportunities. As a forward-looking
institution, DU is leveraging its
strengths in education, research,
and community engagement to
address these pressing issues and Centre for
to shape a more sustainable and
resilient future. Sustainability

The creation of DUCS is rooted in
several strategic imperatives: Dhofar
University’s alignment with Oman Dhofar University
Vision 2040 and the National Strategy ﺔﻣاﺪﺘﺳﻼﻟ رﺎﻔﻇ ﺔﻌﻣﺎﺟ ﺰﻛﺮﻣ
for Education 2040; its institutional
ambition of becoming a leading university
in the Arab region; and its achievement of
top national recognition in the Times Higher
Education (THE) Impact Rankings. DU is now focused

on leading sustainability efforts within Oman and across the region.

Before 2021, DU began embedding the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) into its institutional framework. The United
Nations SDGs are a set of 17 global objectives designed to address urgent
environmental, social, and economic challenges. These goals are intended
to guide countries, organizations, and communities toward a sustainable
future. In 2022, DU formalized this commitment by adopting an SDG policy,
initially targeting seven core goals with the aim of gradually integrating
all 17. DU also seeks to become a regional hub for SDG awareness and
engagement among faculty, staff, students, and the wider community.

“The Sustainable Development Goals, also known as the Global Goals, were
first adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to
end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace
and prosperity,” notes Professor Amer bin Ali Al-Rawas, Vice-Chancellor of
DU. “All 191 UN Member Countries at that time, including the Sultanate of
Oman, have agreed to try to achieve these goals by the year 2030. DU fully
endorses the commitment of the Sultanate of Oman towards achieving
these SDGs and strives to make contribution towards that.”
Though DU has already introduced several sustainability initiatives,
including energy-efficient infrastructure and waste reduction programs,
these efforts have lacked a unifying structure. DUCS addresses this gap
by providing a centralized, coordinated platform to guide and amplify
sustainability actions with both national priorities and global standards.

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