Ajman University Joins ISCN Scope 3 Emissions Community of Practice to Advance Campus Carbon Accountability

Ajman University has partnered with leading global institutions to tackle indirect emissions across supply chains, travel, commuting, and waste — one of the most complex challenges in higher education sustainability.

Ajman University has officially joined the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) Scope 3 Emissions Community of Practice, featured on the ISCN COP Hub. The university now collaborates with institutions including Harvard University, MIT, ETH Zurich, Princeton University, the University of Toronto, the National University of Singapore, and KAUST. The community is led by Manfred Braune, Director of Environmental Sustainability at the University of Cape Town.

The Scope 3 Emissions Community of Practice supports universities in measuring, reporting, and reducing indirect greenhouse gas emissions — sources that often represent the largest share of an institution’s carbon footprint. These include purchased goods and services, business air travel, employee and student commuting, and waste generation.

Why Scope 3 Matters

For universities, Scope 3 emissions are both the most significant and the most difficult to manage. They sit outside direct operational control but are tied directly to institutional choices, procurement systems, travel policies, and campus culture.

As Maya Haddad, Senior Sustainability Manager at Ajman University, has explained: “Our most significant carbon footprint lies within our value chain — these are our Scope 3 emissions. Scope 3 encompasses all indirect greenhouse gas emissions across the life cycle of the products we use.”

A Multi-Pronged Strategy to Reduce Scope 3 Emissions

Ajman University is addressing Scope 3 emissions through targeted actions across its value chain:

Sustainable Procurement — The university prioritises suppliers with a verifiable commitment to ecological responsibility and aims to build long-term vendor partnerships that optimise value while minimising environmental impact. It has already achieved a 10.59% decrease in emissions associated with capital goods.

Sustainable Travel and Commuting — Free shuttle buses and golf carts are reducing vehicle use and carbon emissions on and around campus. As the first UAE signatory of the CANIE Accord, Ajman University has committed to 61 actions across five thematic areas, with full completion under Leadership and Influencing and Climate Education, and measurable progress in Emissions Accounting, Travel, and Sustainable Operations.

Waste Reduction — Campus recycling and waste reduction programmes have contributed to a 23% reduction in emissions from operational waste generation during the 2022–2023 academic year.

Greenhouse Gas Protocol Alignment — The university’s Climate & Sustainability Strategy 2022–2030 sets out a roadmap and actionable targets aligned with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, including dedicated measures to reduce Scope 3 emissions across the institution’s value chain.

Commitment to Carbon Neutrality by 2030

Ajman University’s participation in the ISCN Scope 3 Emissions Community of Practice reinforces its commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The university is one of only two UAE universities pledged to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 under the Global Race to Zero campaign.

Global Collaboration, Local Impact

Through the ISCN Scope 3 Emissions Community of Practice, Ajman University gains access to a global network of institutions facing similar challenges in measuring and reducing indirect emissions. The collaboration allows the university to learn from best practices developed at institutions such as the University of Toronto, ETH Zurich, and the National University of Singapore, while sharing its own approaches to sustainable procurement, commuting, and waste management.

As Maya Haddad has noted: “Insights from translating international agreements into local action are directly applicable to our campus and community initiatives.”

Ajman University’s engagement in this community of practice reflects its commitment to turning global sustainability frameworks into measurable action — on campus, in the UAE, and across the higher education sector worldwide.