4.3.2 Canadian University Dubai — Educational Events Open to the General Public
Institutional Commitment to Public Education and Lifelong Learning
Canadian University Dubai (CUD) is committed to extending educational opportunities beyond its enrolled student population through public lectures, conferences, professional discussions, educational workshops, cultural learning activities and community engagement events.
As part of its commitment to lifelong learning, CUD hosts educational activities that bring together members of the general public, external researchers, school students, educators, professionals, industry representatives and community organisations.
These events provide opportunities for individuals who are not formally enrolled at CUD to engage with academic expertise, explore emerging developments, develop knowledge and participate in discussions addressing societal challenges.
The University provides a combination of free public educational activities and events with specific registration, sponsorship or ticketing arrangements, depending on the event organiser and programme.
Through these initiatives, CUD supports wider access to knowledge and encourages educational participation beyond formal university degree programmes.
1. Public Educational Events Hosted in 2025
During 2025, CUD hosted and collaborated on educational events addressing artificial intelligence, climate change, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, literature, youth leadership and other subjects of academic and public interest.
The following events illustrate the University's role in providing educational opportunities for external audiences.
AI in Dubai Conference 2025
Date: 21 January 2025
Venue: Canadian University Dubai, City Walk Campus
The AI in Dubai Conference brought together academics, researchers, industry professionals and experts to examine the transformative role of artificial intelligence in education and professional practice.
The programme included keynote presentations and panel discussions addressing:
- Artificial intelligence in higher education.
- Emerging applications of AI in teaching and learning.
- Innovation in university operations.
- Opportunities and challenges associated with AI adoption.
- Collaboration between academic institutions and technology professionals.
The event featured CUD academics alongside invited experts and representatives of other educational and professional organisations.
By convening participants from outside the University, the conference supported knowledge exchange and broader discussion of emerging technologies affecting education and society.
External audience: Academics, educators, professionals, researchers and interested participants beyond CUD.
Harvard Model Congress Middle East 2025
Date: 24–25 January 2025
Venue: Canadian University Dubai
CUD hosted Harvard Model Congress Middle East, an educational youth conference designed to develop leadership, communication, negotiation and critical-thinking skills among secondary school participants.
The programme provides participating students with opportunities to simulate political and international decision-making, debate contemporary global challenges and formulate policy responses.
The conference's educational focus includes:
- Public speaking and structured debate.
- International relations and governance.
- Leadership and negotiation.
- Critical analysis of global challenges.
- Collaboration among students from different educational institutions.
The event extends CUD's educational engagement beyond its enrolled students by welcoming secondary school delegates from participating institutions.
External audience: Secondary school students, educators and participating youth delegations.
Fireside Chat and Book Signing with Dr. Adil Alzarooni
Date: 10 February 2025
Venue: CUD HUB Lobby
CUD organised a public-facing literary and educational discussion featuring Emirati entrepreneur, educator and author Dr. Adil Alzarooni.
The event explored themes associated with literature, entrepreneurship, cultural identity and professional experience.
Programme activities included:
- A moderated discussion with the guest speaker.
- Exploration of literary creativity and storytelling.
- Insights into entrepreneurship and professional development.
- Audience questions and answers.
- Opportunities for engagement through a book-signing session.
The event provided an opportunity for interested participants to engage with literary and professional knowledge in an accessible university setting.
External audience: Invited community participants, readers, aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals interested in literature and professional development.
Climate Summit 2025
Date: 3–4 June 2025
Venue: CUD HUB Building
CUD served as the official host of Climate Summit 2025, convened in collaboration with external organisations and sustainability partners.
The summit brought together speakers and participants to explore environmental challenges, climate action, sustainability and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.
The programme included presentations and discussions involving representatives from academic, environmental and professional organisations.
Key educational themes included:
- Climate change and environmental sustainability.
- Institutional and organisational responses to climate challenges.
- Climate-related innovation and investment.
- Partnerships supporting sustainability initiatives.
- Knowledge exchange among academic and professional stakeholders.
The event extended the University's educational engagement by providing a platform for participants and specialists beyond CUD to discuss global sustainability challenges.
External audience: Sustainability professionals, researchers, external organisations, industry representatives and other participating stakeholders.
Cyber Security Day 2025
Date: 18 June 2025
Venue: CUD HUB Theater
CUD hosted Cyber Security Day, an educational programme addressing the cybersecurity sector and emerging challenges in artificial intelligence security.
The event brought together academic participants, researchers and professionals to explore developments in cybersecurity practice.
The programme consisted of two principal sessions.
Seminar: Breaking Into Cyber — The Business Behind the Breaches
The seminar introduced participants to the cybersecurity ecosystem, including the roles of technology vendors, system integrators, consultancy organisations and security service providers.
It also addressed skills, professional qualifications and career pathways in the cybersecurity sector.
Workshop: CUD × OWASP — AI Security and Governance
The workshop explored security considerations associated with AI and large language model applications.
Topics included AI system vulnerabilities, secure development practices, model poisoning, prompt injection and responsible governance.
By engaging external professional speakers and inviting researchers and professionals, the event created an opportunity for knowledge transfer between industry and the wider educational community.
External audience: Cybersecurity professionals, researchers, students from relevant backgrounds and participants interested in cybersecurity.
Brand Me Summit 2025
Date: 22–23 November 2025
Venue: CUD HUB Building
CUD hosted the second edition of the Brand Me Summit, an entrepreneurship and professional development event bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs, creators and industry professionals.
The programme focused on:
- Personal branding and professional identity.
- Entrepreneurship and business development.
- Leadership and communication.
- Career development.
- Professional networking and industry engagement.
The summit offered educational presentations, discussions and networking opportunities for individuals interested in entrepreneurship and professional advancement.
As part of the University's involvement, CUD announced sponsored event passes enabling members of the CUD community to attend without paying the applicable ticket charge when registering through the designated promotional arrangement.
The summit also involved broader event registration and ticketing arrangements.
External audience: Entrepreneurs, industry professionals, creators, business leaders and other registered participants.
2. Recurring Educational and Community Engagement Activities
In addition to individual conferences and special events, CUD maintains recurring formats for educational engagement with external audiences.
These activities help extend the University's academic and cultural contribution beyond formal degree programmes.
Public Lectures and Guest Speaker Events
CUD organises guest lectures and speaker discussions featuring academics, entrepreneurs, industry experts and other invited specialists.
These events provide opportunities to explore subjects of academic, professional and social interest.
Public-facing speaker events may include presentations, moderated discussions and audience questions.
CUD Leaders Series
The CUD Leaders Series brings together academic, professional and community perspectives through discussions about contemporary societal and cultural issues.
Past sessions have addressed subjects such as cultural diversity, sustainability, creative industries and the role of arts in society.
The series demonstrates the University's wider commitment to dialogue and the exchange of knowledge between higher education and external stakeholders.
Educational Conferences and Professional Forums
CUD hosts and collaborates on academic and professional conferences that bring together experts from different institutions and sectors.
These events promote discussion of research developments, industry practice, innovation and global challenges.
Participation arrangements vary depending on the event, with some activities open without charge and others operating through conference registration or ticketing.
Cultural and Literary Learning Events
The University provides opportunities for educational engagement through literary discussions, book-related events, exhibitions and cultural programmes.
These activities encourage intercultural understanding, creative learning and appreciation of the arts.
They also provide opportunities for members of the wider community to engage with academic and cultural perspectives outside conventional university classrooms.
School and Youth Engagement
CUD welcomes participants from schools and external educational organisations through selected conferences, workshops, campus activities and educational programmes.
These initiatives promote early exposure to university learning environments, leadership development and engagement with academic disciplines.
Public engagement formats may include youth conferences, invited workshops and educational outreach programmes.
3. Public Access and Participation Arrangements
CUD promotes public educational participation by advertising relevant activities through its institutional communication channels and providing event-specific registration information.
Different events may operate under different access arrangements.
| Event Category | External Participation | Admission and Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Public lectures and fireside discussions | Members of the public and invited external audiences | Event-specific registration; fees, if any, are stated by the organiser |
| Educational conferences and forums | Researchers, professionals, educators and external participants | Free, sponsored or ticketed depending on the event |
| Youth educational conferences | Students and delegations from external schools | Delegate registration and eligibility requirements may apply |
| Public webinars and online learning events | External participants joining remotely | Free where expressly advertised |
| Cultural and literary events | Interested members of the community | Event-specific access and registration |
| Brand Me Summit | Registered community and professional participants | Sponsored passes for eligible CUD-community participants alongside other registration arrangements |
The University communicates the relevant registration requirements for each event through its event announcements and organising teams.
Where events are designated as free, participants may attend without paying an admission fee, subject to applicable registration requirements and venue capacity.
For events involving ticketing or paid registration, the applicable conditions are communicated through the event organiser.
4. Educational Contribution and Community Engagement
CUD's public events contribute to lifelong learning by providing opportunities for individuals from different educational and professional backgrounds to engage with academic knowledge.
These events support several areas of educational development.
Knowledge Sharing: Academic conferences, lectures and professional discussions enable the exchange of research findings, practical expertise and emerging ideas.
Professional Development: Entrepreneurship, technology and industry-focused events expose participants to professional skills, career pathways and contemporary workplace practices.
Youth Learning: Educational conferences and school engagement activities support leadership, communication, critical thinking and early exposure to higher education.
Community Dialogue: Public discussions and cultural programmes encourage engagement across academic, professional and community groups.
Sustainability Education: Climate and environmental events raise awareness of sustainability challenges and create opportunities to explore responses through collaboration and innovation.
Through these activities, the University helps connect academic expertise with the knowledge needs and interests of the wider community.
5. Institutional Coordination
CUD's public events are organised through collaboration among academic departments, university administrative units, student organisations and external partners.
The relevant organising unit is responsible for establishing each event's programme, venue, intended audience and participation arrangements.
Public event announcements communicate educational themes, dates, venue information and registration details.
This approach allows CUD to host diverse public learning activities while accommodating different educational formats and external audiences.
6. Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 4 — Quality Education
CUD's public lectures, conferences, educational workshops and cultural learning events contribute to lifelong learning opportunities for individuals beyond the University's enrolled student population.
The University promotes wider engagement with education through public-facing activities involving researchers, professionals, young people and members of the community.
SDG 8 — Decent Work and Economic Growth
Entrepreneurship and professional development events create opportunities for knowledge exchange concerning skills development, innovation, career opportunities and business practices.
SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities
Public educational engagement can help extend access to knowledge and learning opportunities beyond formal university enrolment.
SDG 13 — Climate Action
Climate-related conferences and educational discussions support public awareness and knowledge exchange concerning environmental challenges and sustainability.
SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals
Collaborations with external educational institutions, businesses, professional organisations and other stakeholders support knowledge sharing and joint engagement on societal challenges.
Institutional Commitment
Canadian University Dubai remains committed to hosting educational events that bring university knowledge, professional expertise and cultural learning opportunities to audiences beyond its enrolled student population.
The University's 2025 programme included conferences, public-facing discussions, youth educational events and professional development activities covering subjects such as artificial intelligence, climate action, cybersecurity, literature and entrepreneurship.
Through a combination of free, sponsored and event-specific registration arrangements, CUD continues to promote public educational engagement and opportunities for lifelong learning.
Responsible Units: Academic Departments, Student Affairs, and relevant organising teams.
Reporting Period: Calendar Year 2025.