Canadian University Dubai — Academic Freedom and Research Policy
Policy Statement
Canadian University Dubai explicitly endorses academic freedom and maintains a robust research policy to support scholarly activity. The University’s official mission statement (Goal 3) commits "to generate an atmosphere with the established international ethical freedom of teaching and research" while encouraging "open and public lectures to encourage debate grounded in academic rigor."
This academic freedom policy ensures that faculty and students have the unfettered right to pursue research topics of their choice, disseminate their findings, and engage in public scholarly debate without institutional censorship.
Research Governance and Institutional Support
CUD’s research agenda is supported by dedicated institutional structures focused on continuous improvement and ethical scholarship.
| Institutional Body | Role in Research Support |
|---|---|
| Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) | Led by the Dean of IRP, this office supports institution-wide continuous improvement efforts. It uses relevant, up-to-date information to support assessments, decision-making, and policy formation, driving a performance-driven learning and research environment. |
| Office for Ethical Compliance | Ensures all research activities align with the Ethical Research Policy, the Policy on Research Involving Humans, and the Policy on Research Involving Animals, Biohazards Agents, or Radioactive Material. |
| Centre for Sustainability and Innovation | A dedicated research hub established in 2022 that drives applied research in climate change, the built environment, environmental science, and social justice. |
Research Dissemination and Publication
CUD actively supports the dissemination of research through open-access platforms and academic journals.
| Research Output | Description |
|---|---|
| Gulf Journal of Mathematics | Established by CUD faculty, this is the UAE’s very first journal dedicated to mathematics (launched in 2013). It is an electronic, open-access journal indexed in the American Mathematical Society (AMS) database. |
| CUD Digital Repository | An online platform where research articles, student theses, and faculty publications are freely available to the public worldwide. |
International Conferences and Knowledge Exchange
As part of its research policy, CUD regularly organizes conferences and workshops that bring together researchers and practitioners to share expertise on an international stage.
- Recent Events:
- Climate Summit 2025: A two-day summit convening climate scientists, policymakers, and innovators to discuss decarbonization and sustainable development.
- AI for Sustainability Hackathon 2026: A hybrid innovation event bringing together students, researchers, and developers to solve SDG-related challenges.
- Beyond Intelligence (2026): An interdisciplinary expert panel on creating sustainable business value in the digital economy.
- Historical Milestones:
- Global Climate Conference (2018): Co-hosted with the University of Prince Edward Island, featuring government representatives and global experts.
- International Conference on Web & Open Access to Learning (2014).
Alignment with National and Global Goals
This academic freedom and research policy aligns with SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), particularly UN Target 16.10 (Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements). By guaranteeing freedom of teaching and research and providing robust support for open-access publication, CUD fosters a transparent and intellectually free academic environment.
For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (IRP).