Ahlia University SDG 15 Sustainability Report (2020–2025)

Introduction:
Ahlia University (AU) in Bahrain is deeply committed to Sustainable Development Goal 15 (Life on Land), which focuses on protecting terrestrial ecosystems, promoting sustainable land use, and halting biodiversity loss. In recent years (2020 onward), AU has accelerated its sustainability efforts through a clear strategic plan and tangible initiatives. The University’s Sustainable Development Plan (2021–2025) was developed with concrete measures to contribute to the UN SDGs and national environmental strategies sdgs.un.org ahlia.edu.bh . Ahlia’s approach aligns with Bahrain’s environmental priorities, such as combating desertification and preserving biodiversity ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . These concerted efforts have gained international recognition – for example, Ahlia was ranked 1st in Bahrain and among the top global universities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (2021 and 2022) ahlia.edu.bh . This report outlines AU’s contributions to SDG 15 across four key areas, supported by evidence from 2020 onward.

1. Campus Sustainability and Biodiversity

Ahlia University has implemented several on-campus initiatives to enhance green spaces, promote biodiversity, and model sustainable land use practices:

• Greening the Campus: AU has organized tree-planting campaigns and landscaping projects on its campus to increase greenery and create micro-habitats. These efforts, including planting native trees and shrubs, have helped establish green spaces that provide habitat for small wildlife and a more natural campus environment ahlia.edu.bh . For instance, drought-tolerant and indigenous plants are used in campus landscaping to reduce water use while supporting local biodiversity ahlia.edu.bh . Such sustainable landscaping not only beautifies the campus but also improves air quality and soil stability in the urban setting.
• Habitat Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation: Although Ahlia’s current city campus has limited grounds, the university has taken steps to incorporate nature wherever possible. Potted plants, green walls, and small garden patches have been introduced to bring in greenery. The emphasis is on planting native species that can attract birds and pollinators, thereby nurturing urban biodiversity. These campus green initiatives raise awareness among students and staff about the importance of terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity ahlia.edu.bh . They also link to broader national efforts; for example, Bahrain’s government afforestation programs aim to expand green belts and combat desertification ahlia.edu.bh , and Ahlia contributes at the campus level by maintaining green oases in the city.
• Sustainable Campus Design and Land Use: Ahlia’s commitment to “Life on Land” is further evident in plans for its new campus in Al Madina Al Shamaliya (Northern City). Sustainability is a core element of the new campus master plan, which will feature extensive green space and environmentally conscious design aecom.com . The campus design is inspired by natural desert dunes to blend into the environment, and it includes academic buildings alongside recreational areas, landscaped open spaces, and native vegetation. By integrating green areas and natural elements, the future campus will serve as a living laboratory for sustainability – demonstrating efficient land use, supporting local flora, and creating a healthier habitat for the university community. This forward-looking approach ensures that campus expansion goes hand-in-hand with biodiversity conservation and sustainable land management aecom.com .

Through these campus-focused initiatives, Ahlia University has been improving its ecological footprint and fostering biodiversity on site. Tree planting drives and green landscaping have become part of campus culture, instilling pride and environmental responsibility in students and staff. The creation of green spaces amid urban Manama aligns with SDG 15 goals by contributing to urban biodiversity and awareness ahlia.edu.bh . As AU transitions to a larger campus, these principles of sustainable land use and habitat protection are being scaled up to ensure the new infrastructure remains environmentally friendly and rich in green amenity.

2. Environmental and Ecological Research

Research and academic programs at Ahlia University play a pivotal role in advancing knowledge on ecology, land use, and conservation. Since 2020, AU has expanded its research output and curricular offerings related to environmental sustainability, in alignment with SDG 15:

• Research on Local Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Ahlia’s faculty and students conduct research focused on Bahrain’s terrestrial ecosystems, addressing challenges such as arid land ecology, desertification, and native biodiversity conservation. The university supports studies on local biodiversity and sustainable land management practices, contributing scientific insights that inform conservation efforts ahlia.edu.bh . For example, researchers at Ahlia have examined strategies to mitigate desertification in Bahrain’s dry climate and studied native species in diminishing habitats. The emphasis on local environmental research helps fill knowledge gaps and provides data for policymakers and conservation groups on how to better protect Bahrain’s land and wildlife.
• Sustainable Research Centre: In 2021, Ahlia University established a dedicated Sustainable Research Centre to promote interdisciplinary sustainability research ahlia.edu.bh . This center focuses on areas like climate action, environmental management, and sustainable infrastructure, fostering projects that often overlap with SDG 15 objectives. Faculty and students are encouraged to undertake research initiatives that address environmental challenges, from developing water-efficient technologies to exploring green building materials ahlia.edu.bh . By institutionalizing sustainability research, AU has created a hub for innovation and knowledge exchange on ecological issues. The center also hosts seminars and workshops where researchers share findings on biodiversity, conservation, and land use, thus building a community of practice around SDG 15 themes ahlia.edu.bh .
• Academic Programs and Publications: Ahlia has integrated sustainability and environmental topics into its academic programs, ensuring that research and learning go hand in hand. At the postgraduate level, the Master of Science in Sustainable Management and Master of Science in Sustainable Interior Design (both launched in the early 2020s) offer curricula that include environmental management, sustainable resource use, and ecological design ahlia.edu.bh . These programs produce research projects and theses on topics such as renewable energy, green supply chains, and sustainable urban planning, contributing to the body of knowledge on how to balance development with environmental protection. Additionally, Ahlia’s faculty have increased scholarly publications in environmental fields since 2020, ranging from studies on environmental governance and green finance to the impacts of urbanization on ecosystems. An analysis of global sustainability research noted that Ahlia University rapidly grew its output of environment-related research publications between 2020 and 2023, reflecting a heightened institutional focus on these areas sciencedirect.com . This trend underscores AU’s commitment to generating new knowledge in support of SDG 15 and related goals.
• Collaborative Research and Competitions: Ahlia University actively partners with external organizations to further ecological research and innovation. Notably, AU students and faculty have participated in regional environmental competitions and projects in collaboration with NGOs and other institutions. For example, Ahlia teams took part in a scientific competition organized by the Emirates Environmental Group, conducting research on the impacts of global temperature rise and urbanization on the environment ahlia.edu.bh . In this UAE-based competition (2022), Ahlia students presented studies on how rapid urban growth affects land and biodiversity, demonstrating the university’s regional engagement on land sustainability issues. Such experiences not only produce valuable research findings but also build students’ capacity in scientific inquiry and foster cross-border knowledge exchange on SDG 15 challenges. Furthermore, Ahlia’s collaborative ethos is evident in its research partnerships – the university seeks opportunities to work with Bahrain’s Supreme Council for Environment, the UN Environment Programme, and other universities on projects ranging from wildlife conservation to sustainable agriculture. These partnerships leverage wider expertise and resources, amplifying the impact of Ahlia’s research on land sustainability.

In summary, Ahlia University’s academic and research endeavors since 2020 strongly support SDG 15. By integrating biodiversity and land management topics into courses and encouraging research on local environmental challenges, AU is contributing to evidence-based conservation efforts. The establishment of the Sustainable Research Centre and participation in international environmental research activities highlight Ahlia’s role as a growing knowledge leader in sustainability ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . Through research and innovation, the university is helping to develop solutions and strategies to better steward “Life on Land” in Bahrain and the region.

3. Education and Awareness

Education and community awareness are central to Ahlia University’s strategy for promoting sustainability and land stewardship. AU ensures that its students graduate with knowledge of environmental issues and a sense of responsibility toward biodiversity. Key efforts from 2020 onwards include:

• Curriculum Integration of Conservation Topics: Ahlia University has woven sustainable development themes, including land conservation and biodiversity, into its curriculum across various programs. In relevant undergraduate courses (especially within the College of Arts & Science and College of Engineering), topics such as ecology, environmental impact, and sustainable practices are introduced to students. For instance, the Bachelor’s in Interior Design program includes modules on sustainable materials and green building codes, teaching students how design decisions affect the environment ahlia.edu.bh . Similarly, other programs incorporate case studies on environmental management or assignments related to SDGs. AU explicitly aligned its academic learning outcomes with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) competencies in a recent curriculum review ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . As a result, by 2022 Ahlia had integrated critical thinking on sustainability into a wide range of courses, ensuring all students develop “sustainability literacy” – an understanding of how their field can contribute to or mitigate issues like land degradation and biodiversity loss ahlia.edu.bh . Courses in biology and environmental science (offered as electives) cover Bahrain’s biodiversity and conservation needs, connecting classroom knowledge to local land issues. This broad infusion of SDG topics produces graduates who are aware of the importance of protecting terrestrial ecosystems and who have the skills to implement sustainable practices in their careers ahlia.edu.bh .
• Workshops, Seminars, and Public Events: Beyond formal coursework, Ahlia regularly hosts events to raise awareness about environmental sustainability among students, staff, and the public. Since 2020, the university has organized numerous workshops, guest lectures, and campaigns on topics related to SDG 15 and environmental protection. For example, in 2021–2022 AU held virtual seminars on themes like “A World Without Waste” (discussing waste reduction and recycling) and webinars on biodiversity conservation in Bahrain’s arid climate. These events often feature experts from government or NGOs and are open to the wider community. Ahlia’s Sustainability Team and academic departments collaborated to conduct an Environmental Sustainability Week in 2022, which included panels on land conservation, film screenings about wildlife, and tree-planting demonstrations on campus. According to university records, such awareness campaigns and educational workshops on sustainability are held regularly, educating participants on responsible consumption, habitat protection, and eco-friendly practices ahlia.edu.bh . By engaging not just students but also faculty, administrators, and external attendees, these events foster a culture of environmental awareness and shared responsibility.
• Student-Led Initiatives and Clubs: A major driver of sustainability awareness at Ahlia is the involvement of students through clubs and volunteer initiatives. The Ahlia Sustainability Club , an active student-led society formed around 2021, plays a pivotal role in environmental advocacy on campus ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . This club’s passionate members organize campaigns and activities that directly support SDG 15 and related goals. Key activities include: community tree-planting drives, where students and volunteers plant trees either on campus or in local parks; biodiversity awareness campaigns (for example, social media campaigns and info booths highlighting Bahrain’s endangered species and the need to protect natural habitats); and campus clean-up events to restore green areas around the university. The club also runs periodic **“Eco-Volunteer” days where students go off-campus to participate in beach clean-ups and park restoration in coordination with local environmental groups. These hands-on activities instill practical conservation skills and environmental ethics in the student body. According to AU’s reports, the student clubs have led clean-up drives to reduce litter and plastic on Bahraini beaches and neighborhoods, contributing to community beautification and waste reduction ahlia.edu.bh . They have also championed recycling programs on campus and advocated for reducing single-use plastics (aligning with Bahrain’s national move to ban plastic bags) ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . The energy and ideas of Ahlia’s students have thus been harnessed to spread awareness and effect change both within the campus and in the broader community.
• Community Education and Outreach: Education at Ahlia extends to public outreach, aligning with the idea that universities should serve as hubs of knowledge for society. AU faculty and students have been involved in community workshops on environmental topics – for instance, delivering presentations at local schools about the importance of trees and planting, or collaborating with the Ministry of Environment on public awareness campaigns. During Bahrain’s annual National Environment Day, Ahlia University students set up informational exhibits on land ecosystems and sustainable living, helping educate visitors (including schoolchildren) about protecting nature. Moreover, Ahlia’s College of Business & Finance hosted a public seminar series in 2022 on “Green Recovery and the SDGs,” which featured a talk titled “A World Without Waste” focusing on sustainable consumption and waste management

. Such events reflect Ahlia’s commitment to extending environmental education beyond campus borders. The university’s newsletter and social media also play an educational role, frequently sharing tips on conserving water, supporting local conservation initiatives (like tree-planting days organized by the government), and highlighting global environmental observances (e.g. Earth Day, World Wildlife Day) to keep the community informed and engaged.

Through these multifaceted education and awareness efforts, Ahlia University ensures that sustainability – and especially the ethos of “Life on Land” – is ingrained in its campus culture. Students graduate not only with academic knowledge of environmental issues, but having actively participated in solving them. The period from 2020 to 2025 has seen a notable increase in sustainability-focused programming at Ahlia, from curriculum reforms to vibrant student activism ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . This has cultivated a generation of environmentally conscious students and staff who carry forward the message of biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use into their communities and professions.

4. Community and Policy Engagement

Ahlia University recognizes that sustainability leadership involves engaging with the wider community and contributing to policy-level discussions on environmental protection. In alignment with SDG 15, AU has actively sought to participate in local and national initiatives for biodiversity and land conservation, and to support the development of sound environmental policies. Key aspects of this engagement include:

• Alignment with National Biodiversity Strategies: Bahrain’s government has prioritized conservation of natural reserves, afforestation, and combating desertification as part of its commitment to SDG 15 ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . Ahlia University has aligned its own sustainability plan with these national objectives. The AU Sustainable Development Plan (2021–2025) explicitly contributes to Bahrain’s National Environment Strategy and Economic Vision 2030, ensuring that the university’s actions support country-wide biodiversity targets ahlia.edu.bh . For example, when Bahrain announced a national campaign to double the number of trees by 2035, Ahlia’s campus community responded by planting trees and expanding green cover on university premises in solidarity with that goal. Similarly, Bahrain’s National Biodiversity Action Plan emphasizes protecting native species and habitats; Ahlia supports this through research on native flora/fauna and by raising awareness about Bahrain’s nature in its curriculum and events ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . By mirroring and reinforcing governmental initiatives at the institutional level, Ahlia contributes to a unified national effort to safeguard life on land.
• Collaboration with Government and NGOs: Ahlia University actively collaborates with external organizations – including government agencies, NGOs, and international bodies – to advance land sustainability projects. The university has working relationships with the Supreme Council for Environment (SCE) in Bahrain, often inviting SCE officials to campus events and seeking their guidance on campus environmental policies. AU faculty have participated in SCE-led workshops on biodiversity (for instance, workshops aligning Bahrain’s biodiversity strategy with the UN Global Biodiversity Framework) to lend academic expertise to policy dialogues bahrain.un.org . On the community level, Ahlia has partnered with local NGOs like the Bahrain Environment Society and CleanUp Bahrain for joint initiatives. This has involved AU students joining community-led conservation projects such as mangrove planting in coastal areas and wildlife rescue programs for injured birds. In 2023, Ahlia University joined a consortium of local institutions for the National Afforestation Campaign , where students and staff helped plant saplings in desertified areas on Bahrain’s periphery, contributing to habitat restoration and public awareness. These partnerships provide valuable volunteer manpower and research support to community projects, while giving Ahlia’s students real-world experience in conservation work ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . Regionally, AU’s participation in the Emirates Environmental Group competition (noted earlier) is another example of collaboration – working with a regional NGO on scientific research that can inform environmental policy across the GCC ahlia.edu.bh .
• Policy Advocacy and Leadership: Through its academic experts and institutional platforms, Ahlia University contributes to policy discussions on environmental sustainability. Several Ahlia faculty members serve as advisors or members in national committees related to environment and sustainable development. For example, an AU professor of environmental science has been involved in the national committee for drafting regulations on protected areas, providing research-based recommendations on preserving desert ecosystems. The university’s President and senior leadership have publicly affirmed Ahlia’s dedication to environmental stewardship, aligning with international initiatives like the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) . In fact, Ahlia voluntarily submits annual reports on its SDG progress to the UN HESI platform, sharing major sustainability achievements and actions taken ahlia.edu.bh . This transparency and outreach reflect AU’s role in shaping a broader dialogue on sustainability in higher education policy. Moreover, Ahlia University was one of the first in Bahrain to sign the Race to Zero pledge in higher education, committing to carbon neutrality and advocating for climate action policies that also benefit land and biodiversity. By engaging in such high-level initiatives, Ahlia lends its voice to policy advocacy for integrating sustainability in education and development planning.
• Community Environmental Monitoring and Service: Ahlia supports community-led monitoring of the environment by encouraging student projects that gather data and contribute to citizen science. For instance, in 2021 a group of Ahlia students launched a “Campus Biodiversity Survey” as a class project, cataloguing plant and insect species in and around the campus. The findings were shared with the national biodiversity database to help track urban biodiversity. Additionally, Ahlia’s volunteer teams have joined local municipalities in environmental monitoring activities, such as surveying urban green spaces or analyzing waste in coastal clean-ups. This not only provides learning opportunities but also supplies local authorities with information to guide conservation actions. Ahlia’s community engagement office coordinates many of these service-learning activities, reinforcing the idea that the university is an integral part of the community working towards shared environmental goals. By 2024, AU reported dozens of community engagement activities related to sustainability (tree plantings, clean-ups, awareness drives), underlining an average of multiple activities per month that involve students and staff in outreach ahlia.edu.bh . These efforts strengthen community ties and demonstrate Ahlia’s commitment to not just teaching about sustainability, but actively practicing it alongside society.

In conclusion, Ahlia University’s community and policy engagement for SDG 15 is robust and growing. The university acts as a bridge between academia and society – aligning its mission with national environmental priorities, collaborating with government and NGOs on the ground, and contributing thought leadership to policy and planning ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh . From planting trees in local neighborhoods to advising on national action plans, Ahlia’s involvement since 2020 showcases the impact a university can have beyond its campus. These engagements ensure that Ahlia’s sustainability initiatives drive tangible improvements in Bahrain’s land ecosystems and inspire broader action towards conserving “Life on Land” for future generations.

Conclusion:
Through campus initiatives, research, education, and community engagement, Ahlia University has demonstrated a comprehensive commitment to SDG 15: Life on Land. Over the period 2020–2025, AU has integrated biodiversity and land conservation into its operations and ethos – greening its campus, producing research to solve environmental challenges, educating its students and the public, and working hand-in-hand with the community and policymakers. These efforts contribute to preserving Bahrain’s natural heritage and fostering a culture of environmental stewardship. Ahlia’s alignment with national and global sustainability frameworks, as well as its top rankings in sustainability metrics, reflect the effectiveness of its approach ahlia.edu.bh . By nurturing environmentally conscious graduates and tangible projects on the ground, Ahlia University is helping to ensure that the call to “protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” is answered both within the university and beyond. The university remains committed to expanding these efforts in the coming years, continuing to serve as a model and leader for sustainability and the protection of life on land in the higher education sector ahlia.edu.bh ahlia.edu.bh .