Ajman University Showcases Sustainable Urban Innovation at Dubai Municipality’s UAE Innovation Month 2025 Exhibition

Ajman University continues to establish itself as a leading force in sustainable urban design. Dr. Muna Salameh, representing the College of Architecture, Art, and Design (CAAD), proudly led the Architectural Team at the Dubai Municipality’s UAE Innovation Month 2025 Exhibition. Organized by the Excellence and Knowledge Management Department, the exhibition provided a premier platform for visionary minds to showcase solutions to pressing urban challenges.

Pioneering Sustainable Park Design

Through this high-profile initiative, Dr. Salameh guided a dedicated team of faculty and students in presenting innovative sustainable park design proposals. The team’s work highlighted cutting-edge green urban solutions, climate-responsive landscapes, and smart sustainability strategies aimed at transforming urban spaces into resilient, ecologically friendly environments.

The proposals directly addressed the critical need for cities to adapt to a warming climate by integrating natural systems into the urban fabric. By focusing on sustainable landscapes and smart design, the Ajman University team demonstrated how public spaces can serve as both community hubs and vital tools for environmental cooling, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

Empowering the Next Generation of Architects

A core pillar of Dr. Salameh’s approach is the integration of experiential learning with professional practice. By bringing faculty and students together to participate in a prestigious governmental platform, she provided the students with invaluable real-world exposure.

This hands-on experience strengthened the students' engagement with complex sustainability challenges, allowing them to apply their academic knowledge to actual municipal frameworks and professional standards. Dr. Salameh’s guidance served as a masterclass in effective leadership and mentorship, showing students firsthand how academic innovation can influence public policy and urban planning.

Dr. Salameh reflected on the achievement, stating: “I am proud to have led the Architectural Team representing Ajman University during Dubai Municipality’s UAE Innovation Month 2025 Exhibition. Through this initiative, I guided faculty and students from the College of Architecture, Art, and Design in presenting innovative sustainable park design proposals, highlighting green urban solutions, climate-responsive landscapes, and smart sustainability strategies. This experience provided students with valuable exposure to professional, governmental platforms and strengthened their engagement with real-world sustainability challenges, demonstrating effective leadership and mentorship.”

A Legacy of Innovation and Leadership

This successful exhibition follows closely on the heels of Dr. Salameh’s recent leadership at the Dubai Municipality’s Innovation Lab, where her team developed innovative underground urban planning strategies. These consecutive achievements underscore her growing reputation as a leading voice in sustainable architecture, further validated by her recent receipt of the Sustainability Champion Award 2025 from the Global Ambassadors of Sustainability (GAoS).

Aligning with Ajman University’s Strategic Vision

Ajman University’s active participation in UAE Innovation Month aligns seamlessly with its institutional commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

These efforts are directly reflected in the university's outstanding performance in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026, where Ajman University ranked among the world's top 300 institutions overall and achieved the #1 position in the UAE for both SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Building the Cities of Tomorrow

As the UAE continues to pioneer smart, green, and resilient urban development, the role of academic institutions in bridging the gap between research, education, and municipal implementation is more critical than ever. Through the visionary leadership of experts like Dr. Muna Salameh and the enthusiastic participation of CAAD students, Ajman University is not just predicting the future of sustainable cities—it is actively designing and building it.