Sustainabilty Committee
AASTMT Sustainability Committee and Executive Oversight
1. Overview
The Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT) has formally established a Sustainability Committee tasked with providing strategic direction, institutional alignment, and policy oversight for sustainability-related matters across the university’s campuses. This committee is a permanent fixture of AASTMT’s governance structure and directly supports the institution’s alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The committee includes a member of the university’s executive leadership, ensuring institutional accountability, policy oversight, and strategic direction for all sustainability-related goals. This structure is central to AASTMT’s commitment to long-term sustainable development and transparent university governance.
2. Formation and Composition of the Sustainability Committee
The AASTMT Sustainability Committee operates as a multidisciplinary, cross-campus governance body that ensures the integration of sustainability principles into all dimensions of university life, including education, operations, infrastructure, student engagement, and external partnerships.
Committee Composition Includes:
- Vice President for Community Service, Sustainable Development, and Training (Executive Leadership Representative)
- Deans or Associate Deans from selected academic colleges
- Representatives from the Institutional Research and Quality Assurance Offices
- Campus operations and facilities managers
- Designated SDG-aligned faculty coordinators
- Student representative(s) from the elected Student Union
3. Roles and Responsibilities
The committee meets on a regular basis to:
- Review and evaluate university-wide sustainability initiatives
- Provide strategic recommendations on sustainable infrastructure, curriculum, and community engagement
- Approve sustainability action plans and targets across AASTMT campuses
- Oversee institutional reporting for rankings such as UI GreenMetric, THE Impact, and QS
- Guide partnerships with national and international stakeholders in the field of sustainability
4. Executive Leadership Involvement
A key feature of AASTMT’s Sustainability Committee is the direct inclusion of a member of the executive leadership team:
The Vice President for Community Service, Sustainable Development, and Training serves as a core committee member and chairs high-level strategic planning sessions.
This executive-level engagement ensures that sustainability planning is integrated with AASTMT’s overall institutional priorities and decision-making processes.
5. Impact and Outcomes
Through this committee, AASTMT has:
- Increased alignment of academic curricula with the SDGs
- Launched multi-campus sustainability initiatives (energy, waste, green events)
- Improved performance in sustainability-related global rankings
- Fostered a governance model that empowers cross-functional and inclusive decision-making