SDG9: INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 9, "Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure," underscores the importance of building resilient and sustainable infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. In Kuwait, a country with a rapidly growing economy, there is a significant emphasis on achieving this goal. GUST Gulf University is playing a pivotal role in contributing to these efforts by fostering innovation and addressing infrastructure needs.
Kuwait's Progress in Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure:
Kuwait has been proactive in advancing infrastructure, innovation, and industry development:
1. Infrastructure Development: Kuwait has invested in modernizing its infrastructure, including transportation networks, ports, and utilities, to support economic growth and development. Projects like the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway exemplify this commitment.
2. Innovation Hubs: Initiatives like the Kuwait Innovation Center have been established to promote entrepreneurship and innovation in the country. These hubs provide resources and support for startups and innovators.
3. Investment in Education: Kuwait is investing in its education system to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship. The country recognizes that a well-educated workforce is crucial for driving innovation and industrialization.
GUST's Contribution:
GUST actively contributes to achieving SDG 9 in Kuwait:
1. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Programs: GUST offers programs and courses that foster innovation and entrepreneurship among its students. These initiatives help students develop the skills and mindset needed to drive innovation in various industries.
2. Research and Development: The university conducts research in fields related to industry and infrastructure development. Faculty and students engage in projects that address real-world challenges and contribute to innovative solutions.
3. Collaboration: GUST collaborates with government and industry partners on projects related to infrastructure and innovation. These partnerships help bridge the gap between academia and industry.
4. Skill Development: GUST Gulf University focuses on equipping students with practical skills that are relevant to industry needs. This ensures that graduates are prepared to contribute to Kuwait's industrial growth.
Kuwait's commitment to SDG 9 reflects its vision for a more innovative and infrastructure-resilient future. GUST Gulf University plays an essential role in this journey by nurturing a culture of innovation, conducting relevant research, and preparing its students to be drivers of positive change in industry and infrastructure development. Together, Kuwait and institutions like GUST are working towards a more sustainable and innovative future, aligning with the principles of SDG 9.
Innovation & Technology Learning Spaces
GUST provides community-forward technological spaces that encourage hands-on learning, digital innovation, and lifelong skill development. These facilities can be accessed through outreach programs, workshops, competitions, and collaborative initiatives, ensuring the broader public can benefit from cutting-edge education.
AWS Innovation Hub – Cloud Computing & Collaborative Learning
The AWS Innovation Hub at GUST is a cutting-edge space designed to foster creativity, collaboration, and technological advancement. Established in 2024 in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), the hub provides students and the wider community with hands-on exposure to cloud computing, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation.
Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and modern workspaces, the hub serves as both a learning and innovation center. It regularly hosts courses, workshops, and lab sessions for students in Management Information Systems (MIS), Computer Science, and Business, offering practical training in AWS tools and cloud-based solutions.
Beyond academics, the AWS Innovation Hub also acts as a collaborative arena for innovation challenges, organized in partnership with AWS and industry experts. These events encourage participants to apply their skills to real-world problems, inspiring entrepreneurial thinking and innovation.
GUST Fab Lab – Creative Engineering & Digital Fabrication Hub
The Fab Lab is a state-of-the-art prototyping center where learners transform ideas into real-world solutions. The facility features:
- 3D printers, laser cutters
- Robotics systems and programmable automation tools
- 3D modeling, CAD/CAM, and design-for-manufacturing software
- Technical support from trained specialists and faculty
The Fab Lab facilities is open to any member in the community who would like to turn their innovative ideas into a reality. With the presence of a dedicated Fablab engineer, special training courses, meetings and visits are done systematically on campus to open a door for a greater vision, that is making Kuwait a sustainable city.
The Fab Lab regularly hosts:
- School outreach visits and STEM engagement challenge
- Community workshops on robotics and future manufacturing
- Interdisciplinary innovation for social impact projects
- Collaborations with healthcare, sustainability, and tech industry partners
Huawei Innovation Lab – Advanced Computing & Career-Ready Tech Training
GUST Huawei lab is the only lab in Kuwait that gives courses with Huawei in AI and Big data. An in campus Huawei certified trainer is available to teach members in GUST community and locally in Kuwait on GUST grounds. Huawei lab at GUST is involved in different courses such as the CSC492 course in Computer Science department, and is a part of different events, workshops, and seminars.
In partnership with Huawei, this digital learning lab gives the community access to:
- Free courses leading to certificate or award.
- High-performance PCs and professional networking infrastructure
- Access to AI, cybersecurity, and cloud computing tools
- Training programs with globally-recognized certifications
- Public lectures and expert-led sessions focused on future technologies
Through industry-aligned learning pathways, community participants can upskill without barriers. Thus, strengthening employability and digital inclusion across Kuwait.
GUST Startup Lab
The GUST Startup Lab (GSL) is a dedicated innovation-and-entrepreneurship hub founded within GUST in 2024 to nurture and accelerate startup ventures. It offers a year-round incubator where aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage teams receive one-on-one mentoring, industry-specific expertise, structured resources and networking support.
- Year-Round Incubator
- Seasonal Bootcamp Programs
- Exclusive Events & Collaborations
- Mentorship & Networking
Apart of the GSL intensive seasonal Bootcamp programs is a 4-week “Startup Bootcamp” where participants advance from ideation through minimum viable product (MVP) development and business modelling to launch strategy.
Through these activities, the Startup Lab empowers students, alumni and regional innovators to transition from concept to high-impact startup, strengthening GUST’s role in the Gulf’s innovation ecosystem and aligning with sustainability goals around quality education, decent work and industry innovation.
The CEA Hosts Prof. Nik Watson from the University of Leeds
As a part of an ongoing collaboration between GUST and the University of Leeds, the Electrical and Computer Engineering department from the CEA hosted a professor of Artificial Intelligence, Prof. Nik Watson.
He remotely delivered a seminar discussing the application of AI in food production. With the emergence of AI in multiple industries, it was interesting to see the opportunities and challenges there are in deploying it in the food industry, specifically.
This seminar gave room for the students to connect between real world problems and AI, clearly showcasing the impact AI can have given the correct environment and tools.
Scopus AI Workshops by the GUST Library
The acting head for the GUST Library, Ms. Wadhhah Ahmed, conducted workshops for students in the Business Administration department. With the assistance and collaboration of Dr. Sam Toglaw, the students enrolled in MGMT 201 and 484 courses were able to benefit from this initiative.
The focus of these workshops was on Scopus AI, a research tool to help you search academic articles using natural language, i.e. without the need of using Scopus queries that require specific strings and operators. This tool also provides summaries and lists of expert researchers.
Not only were the students taught this useful tool, but Ms. Wadhhah also highlighted the importance of evaluating any AI-generated content and how to cite this or any other tool in a responsible, ethical manner.
This seminar gave room for the students to connect between real world problems and AI, clearly showcasing the impact AI can have when given the correct environment and tools.
Major Win for GUST CS Students in the Kuwait Cyber League "Capture the Flag" Hackathon
The Kuwait Cyber League Hackathon is a competition for security fanatics who want to test their knowledge and know-how in a competitive environment. Teams will go in challenges, answering questions relating to different categories on cybersecurity (Digital Forensics, Reverse Engineering, Networking, etc.). The goal is to collect as many points by answering questions of varying difficulty. This competition, prepared by Dawrat, is open to both university and industry teams.
Two teams of students from our university's Computer Science department practiced to participate in the competition. Among all universities in Kuwait, one of the GUST teams took 1st place, while they held the 4th position overall, being beaten by only three industry-professional teams.
This is a stupendous achievement done by the GUST CS students, which can only further cement the strength of the department's and university's education and dedication to the students.
The names of the winning students are:
- Essa Alayoub
- Anwar Alawadhi
- Hisham Ghannam
- Mohammad Kamali
GUST CSD Policy "Sustainable Innovation Under Stakeholder Pressure"
Written by Dr. Mohammed Laid Ouakouak on December 2025, this policy from the university's Center of Sustainable Development (CSD) discusses the importance of organizational innovation and how it relates to sustainability-oriented innovation. Seeing as this policy was made in collaboration with SDSN Kuwait, the country's Sustainable Development Solutions Network, it follows that this policy focuses on sustainability-driven strategies and solutions to environmental and ethical challenges.
Sustainability-based innovation has been attracting the attention of stakeholders as of late, therefore shifting their focus to more sustainable organizational innovation. With this change in stakeholder pressure comes pressure on organizations to follow. This push allows organizations to try different practices; for example, green human capital or employee environmental awareness. Green human capital can be defined as the abilities employees possess that would help them in supporting sustainable-oriented initiatives.
Following such strategies can help organizations achieve sustainability goals while strengthening their competitiveness in the marketplace.
GUST CS Students Visit Diyar United Company
As part of a collaboration between the Computer Science department and Diyar, GUST CS students were taken on a field visit to one of the country's leading companies in cybersecurity and cloud computing: Diyar United Company.
Along with their supervisor, Dr. Ziad Salem, the students were taken on a tour of the company with the organizers demonstrating the systems they use, sharing insight on industry-level practices on application development, application integration, managed services, and more. The seemless integration of innovative practices in their systems impressed the students and they appreciated getting to learn from the professionals.
Much like all site visits GUST supports, this visit allowed the students to see the theoretical knowledge they learned in class applied in practical scenarios, further enhancing their learning experience.
Leading the Innovation Shift Seminar
On November 19, 2025, GUST hosted the “Leading the Innovation Shift” Seminar, featuring Alberto Aguilar, Founder and CEO of Plantaform, a company recognized for its smart indoor gardening and sustainable agriculture technologies. This event marked the first time a Plantaform seminar was held in Kuwait, giving students, entrepreneurs, and faculty direct exposure to cutting-edge discussions on innovation, technology-driven solutions, and the future of sustainable industries. Sponsored by Zain and KFAS, the seminar highlighted the role of collaboration between academia, industry, and national science institutions in fostering technological progress.
The seminar provided valuable insights into how emerging technologies can address challenges in resource management, and sustainable development—key themes within SDG 9. It also taught students that embracing failures leads the road to success, encouraging the audience to never give up. By bringing global innovators to campus and giving students access to industry expertise, GUST strengthens Kuwait’s innovation ecosystem, encourages entrepreneurial thinking, and helps prepare the next generation to lead infrastructure and technological development in the region. This initiative reflects GUST’s commitment to advancing innovation, building industry partnerships, and promoting forward-thinking solutions in alignment with SDG 9.
MoU Between GUST and GE Vernova’s KTC
In 2024, Gulf University for Science and Technology strengthened its commitment to SDG 9 by forging a major industry partnership with the Kuwait Technology Center (KTC) of GE Vernova, which is one of the region’s leading hubs for technological innovation in energy and renewables. As part of an official field visit, faculty members from the College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) toured KTC’s state-of-the-art facilities, including advanced simulation rooms, real-time diagnostics labs, training classrooms, and turbine analysis units. This provided GUST with direct exposure to cutting-edge industrial practices and emerging technologies that shape modern infrastructure systems.
The visit concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between GUST and KTC, establishing a long-term collaboration that expands opportunities for engineering students to engage in specialized training, hands-on technical learning, and internship programs within a globally recognized industrial environment. Through this partnership, GUST is actively bridging the gap between academia and industry while equipping students with the practical skills, technological competencies, and innovation-driven mindset required by current and future infrastructure sectors.
This initiative directly supports SDG 9 by enhancing access to industrial expertise, promoting sustainable technological development, and fostering an innovation ecosystem that prepares students to contribute to Kuwait’s evolving energy and engineering landscape. It reflects the University’s broader commitment to advancing research, strengthening industry linkages, and building the engineering capacity needed for resilient and sustainable national infrastructure.
GUST Organized The 1st Kuwait National Robotics Competition
The 1st Kuwait National Robotics Competition, organized by
Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) and sponsored by Kuwait
Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), concluded on March 5th,
2023, with great success, showcasing remarkable teamwork among 16 teams from
different schools across the country, who demonstrated their technical skills
and creativity in building and programming their robots to complete various
challenges.
The competition emphasized the importance of teamwork and
collaboration, as students worked together under the supervision of their
teachers to design, build and program robots that can solve complex problems.
The teams competed in three categories: Design Award, Robot Skills Award, and
Tournament Championship Award. Selected team from Middle and High school will
be invited by RECF to represent Kuwait in the World Championship in Dallas,
USA, and compete against other top teams from around the world.
The National Robotics Competition is part of the
international VEX Robotics competition and is organized in partnership with the
Robotics Education and Competition (REC) Foundation. The VEX Robotics
competition provides students with the opportunity to explore the fields of
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), inspiring them to
pursue careers in these fields.
This year's
competition also marked the opening of GUST's new laboratory - Digital
Innovation and Robotics Automation Lab (DIRA Lab). The new facility provides
students with advanced tools and equipment to enhance their skills and
knowledge in robotics and automation, preparing them to meet the challenges of
the future.
Dr. Noura Aljeri,
Chair of DIRA Laboratory said, “We wish the winning teams the best of luck in
representing Kuwait at the World Championship and look forward to seeing more
talented students at next year's National Robotics Competition.”
GUST Students Wins First Place at the Rowad Innovation Program
For the second time, GUST students were awarded first place at Warba Bank’s Pioneers of Innovation Rowad Program, which was organized for the 4th time. The four students competed against three other local university teams for the prize after attending a 3-week program of customized workshops and lectures led by Warba Bank, which kicked off on October 23rd 2022 and continued until December 15th 2022. The program aims to support the innovation of banking services and develop creative solutions in the Islamic banking sector.
The participating GUST students were: Abdulrazzaq Al Eisa, Khalifa Al Enezi, Essa Al Noufal, and Sarah Al Enezi, who were selected by a Warba Bank Committee to participate in the program. Over the three weeks, they completed workshops and lectures to learn all the essential information in the banking field, such as the different services and products currently available, to complete the assignment successfully. The other participating universities were Kuwait University, Australian University, and the American University of Kuwait.
During the closing ceremony, the students presented their ideas to a panel of industry experts. They were evaluated based on their final presentation, innovative & fresh thinking, the practicality of implementing their ideas, and team effort in meeting all the requirements. As a result, the GUST team was awarded the first-place prize for their innovative ideas and stellar presentation.
GUST CS Students Visit Digital Innovation Center at Boubyan Bank
GUST Computer Science students, from the Software Engineering class, paid a visit to the Digital Innovation Center at Boubyan Bank, as part of a collaboration between the two entities. They were accompanied by their professor, Dr. Mahmoud Elish, and teaching assistant, Mariam Kinawi.
The visit started with a presentation about the working mechanism in the center, and gave the students an overview of the adopted software development process model for mobile and web application development and evolution. The students were then given a tour of the facility to get an inside look into the center’s work environment, and experience how the agile deployment approach is being applied. The visit concluded with a fruitful discussion on our students’ proposed capstone project ideas. They were able to get feedback on their ideas and ask questions on how to enhance them.
GUST always stresses the importance of practical experience alongside academic knowledge.
GUST Hosts TESOL Conference
Gulf University for Science and Technology (GUST) hosted the third Annual Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Conference at its campus in Mishref, carrying the theme Innovation, Creativity, Communication: Facing Novel Challenges in TESOL.” 500 local and regional educators who teach English attended the event.
Invited to the event were prominent professors and educators, including Professor David Crystal whose keynote focused on “ The Centrality of Pragmatics”; Professor Farzad Sharifian, whose keynote was titled “ Cultural Conceptualizations in Language Teaching”; Professor Mihaela Irimia, whose keynote was titled “Literature, the Storehouse of Memory and Topoi of Remembrance”; and Professor Karen Price, whose keynote was titled “ Digital Learning & Interaction: Innovation, Creativity, Communication.” The conference also included over 20 workshops, 30 presentations and 5 panel discussions for the attendees to choose from based on their specialties and interests.
Dr. Hussain Al Sharoufi, the organizer of the TESOL Kuwait Conference, said, “I’d like to thank everybody who helped put everything together and help accomplish our goal that to create a veritable knowledge hub for students and educators alike. The aim of this conference was to explore the notions of innovation, creativity, and communication with regards to teaching English to speakers of other languages. My sincere hope is that this event acted as a focal point where various perspectives met, and that educators walked away with new ideas to implement in their classrooms.”
Conference attendees were exposed to new methods on how to teach English to native Arabic speakers, in addition to gaining insight about the latest innovations and research in the field of English language teaching. The event also offered an opportunity for attendees to network with educators throughout Kuwait and the region benefiting from this conference as English is their medium of instruction.
Professor Donald Bates, GUST President, said, “It is an honour that such a prestigious event would take place on our campus. This way, we can show the world that GUST is serious about becoming a centre for learning, growth, and development for students and educators alike.”
TESOL Kuwait is a non-profit organization of teachers to speakers of other languages affiliated with the U.S. based TESOL International, housing 46,000 members worldwide. TESOL seeks to improve the teaching and learning of English and content subjects to non-native speakers of English. It is a professional community committed to advancing excellence in English language teaching. The community fosters the exchange of ideas, research and peer-to-peer knowledge, and provides expertise, resources, and a voice on issues affecting the profession.
GUST takes a special interest in finding advances ways to teach the English language, which is reflected in the international standards implemented in its Foundation Program, which was accredited by the CEA in 2013. The university continuously implements the best methods to develop its curricula and ensure a premier educational experience for its students.
