Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi Advances Global Ocean Dialogue at the IUCN 2025

Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (SUAD) played a crucial role at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, held in Abu Dhabi from October 9th-15th, contributing to a multidisciplinary programme that brought together leading scientists, policy experts, academics, artists and students from around the world.

Through organising four official panel sessions, workshops, an art exhibition and student volunteer initiatives, SUAD underscored its leadership in marine science, environmental innovation and higher education.

The university’s academic contribution opened with a presentation by Dr. Clio Chaveneau, Head of SAFIR Research Institute, and Associate Professor at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, introducing SUAD’s new Ocean Institute, an interdisciplinary centre dedicated to marine studies. The session explored the evolution of marine education in the UAE and highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia and industry in addressing ocean challenges regionally and globally.

A featured panel titled ‘Marine Conservation in the Arabian Region – Nurturing the Next Generation,’ focused on inspiring and training young scientists to pursue careers in marine research

and conservation. Dr Giulia De Masi, Associate Professor, Department of Sciences and Engineering at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and Principal Investigator at Sorbonne Centre for Artificial Intelligence (SCAI), joined regional experts from Khorfakkan University, Miral Experiences, and the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre to discuss the importance of building educational pathways and professional opportunities that empower students to become the next generation of marine biologists and sustainability leaders.

As part of SUAD’s collaboration with the Archipel Pavilion – the flagship cultural and sustainability programme of the ELYX Foundation, designed as an immersive space connecting art, AI and climate action – Dr Giulia De Masi, also led the townhall ‘Marine Biosystem Preservation: Challenges and Technological Pathways,’ examining the UAE’s seagrass and coral reef ecosystems and introduced innovative restoration and monitoring technologies. She was joined by experts from ELYX Foundation and Future Culture, Zayed University and the UAE Dolphin Project, and M42 Health Environmental Sciences.

Dr Giulia De Masi additionally joined the interactive fishbowl ‘Exploring Nature-Based Solutions at the Science – Policy Interface: Can Mangroves Be a Climate Saviour?’ with Dr Beatriz Garcia, Associate Professor, Department of Law, Economics and Management at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, alongside experts from IUCN and academia. This was a prestigious session, part of the IUCN Congress Main Programme, for which Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was selected following a highly competitive review process. The session explored the crucial role of mangroves in carbon sequestration, their ecological connections to open-sea systems, and the governance challenges of managing shared coastal habitats. Experts also spotlighted pioneering blue-carbon research from Abu Dhabi, where the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi Ocean Institute is helping advance conservation through science and policy integration.

Adding a creative dimension to its participation, SUAD presented SYMBIOSIS, an art exhibition by postgraduate student Miles Critchley-Hope, pursuing a Master’s in Sustainable Environmental Engineering and Law. His photographic collages portrayed culturally significant UAE species such as the Arabian Oryx, Gyr Falcon and spiny-tailed lizard, each composed from detailed images of their natural surroundings, and highlighting the environmental threats facing these species and their habitats.

Meanwhile, a team of SUAD student volunteers supported the IUCN Archipel Pavilion throughout the week, assisting with guest liaison, cultural mediation and media coordination, reflecting the university’s emphasis on experiential learning and active participation in global sustainability efforts.

Professor Nathalie Martial-Braz, Chancellor of Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, said: “The IUCN Congress was a global stage for knowledge-sharing and innovation. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi’s participation reflected our responsibility as an academic and multidisciplinary research institution to help shape a sustainable future for the planet’s oceans. Through research, art and student engagement, we demonstrated how interdisciplinary collaboration can turn ideas into impact. Our participation falls in line with our global strategy for oceans and our role in the French NEPTUNE mission and the launch of the Ocean Cluster.”

Organised every four years by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Congress is one of the world’s most influential environmental gatherings, where thousands of experts and

leaders unite to address biodiversity loss and climate change. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was honoured to contribute to this historic edition in Abu Dhabi, further strengthening its role in the global movement for a sustainable future.