Curtin University Dubai hosted the 2nd International Conference on Innovation, Sustainability, and Applied Sciences (ICISAS 2025) on 22 and 23 February 2025 at the Dubai Police Academy, marking another milestone in its commitment to advancing impactful research and global collaboration.
Building on the success of the inaugural 2023 edition, the conference brought together more than 250 participants from 36 countries, including researchers, academics, industry professionals, and policymakers. Organised in partnership with the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment and the Dubai Police Academy, the event was held under the patronage of Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police.
Across two days, ICISAS 2025 featured keynote addresses, research presentations, and networking sessions that encouraged meaningful exchange across disciplines. Following a rigorous double-blind peer-review process, 260 papers were accepted from more than 425 submissions, reflecting strong academic quality and growing international interest. Topics spanned engineering, computing, environmental science, sustainability, business, social sciences, education, and psychology, reinforcing the conference’s interdisciplinary approach to addressing global challenges.
A key highlight of the conference was the keynote address by His Highness Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, widely known as the “Green Sheikh”, who emphasised the role of responsible leadership in shaping a sustainable future. He stated, “The role of authentic leadership is vital in driving sustainable change. We must all strive to be game changers in our respective fields.” His message set the tone for the discussions that followed, aligning closely with the conference’s themes of innovation, sustainability, and collective action.
Further strengthening its global outlook, ICISAS 2025 featured a distinguished lineup of international speakers from academia and industry. These included Professor Melinda Fitzgerald, Professor Wahidul K Biswas, Professor Rachel Sheffield, and Associate Professor Ben Milbourn from Curtin University, Australia; Dr Eisa Mohamed Abdellatif from the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, UAE; Professor Marc A Rosen from Ontario Tech University, Canada; Ms Renisha Winston, Founder and Chairman of i-manager Publications; and Dr Balamurugan Balusamy from Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence, India. Their participation highlighted the importance of cross-border collaboration and thought leadership in advancing applied research.
Extending these conversations into emerging areas of research, a panel discussion titled “Impact of AI on Research” brought together experts from academia and industry to explore the evolving role of artificial intelligence in knowledge creation. Moderated by Dr Nidhi Sehgal, Head of School – Business and Humanities at Curtin University Dubai, the panel featured Mr Daniel Adkins, CEO of Transnational Academic Group; Ms Farah Alkhateeb, Founder of eGreenBadge; Mr Gowri Shankar Sivabala, Chief AI Officer at FAB Ventures Group; Mr Hassan Habib, Transformation and Engagement Architect at PCL Learning; and Dr Immanuel Moonesar, Professor at the Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government. The discussion examined the ethical considerations, practical applications, and interdisciplinary impact of AI across research, education, and innovation.
The outcomes of ICISAS 2025 will extend well beyond the conference itself. Selected papers will be published in collaboration with leading academic publishers, including Springer Nature, Taylor and Francis, MDPI, Inderscience, and Atlantis Press, ensuring global dissemination of the research presented.
With contributions from Curtin’s campuses in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, the conference embodied the “One Curtin” approach, bringing together global expertise to address shared challenges. As ICISAS continues to grow, Curtin University Dubai strengthens its role as a regional hub for research and innovation, connecting ideas, people, and disciplines to shape a more sustainable future.
