Welcome to the latest edition of the WTUN newsletter featuring a roundup of news, updates and events happening across the network.
Below you will read about opportunities to contribute to our Annual Congress (WTUC2025), our upcoming event for International Women in Engineering Day, and the latest news from across the network.
As always, if you would like to share news, updates, events or milestones via this newsletter, then please contact wtun@bradford.ac.uk.
World Technology Universities Congress 2025
Guest Invitations
There is just four months to go until WTUC 2025. All WTUN members have been sent formal invitations and notification that registration is OPEN.
The deadline for register for Congress is Thursday 7 August.
Call for Speakers
Deadline: Thursday 03 July 2025
We invite and encourage your institutions to contribute to the Congress theme ‘The Glocalization’ – Functional Role of Higher Education from Local to Global’
Delegates are invited to reflect, share, and challenge on a range of issues related to this year’s theme including the impact institutions have on their communities and places. This year’s theme refers to the concept that higher education institutions play a dual role in both local and global contexts. It emphasises the integration of global perspectives with local needs, ensuring that universities contribute to regional development while also engaging with international academic and research networks.
In these sessions we will explore the sub-themes identified for the Congress through a range of short presentations leading into round table discussions. Each session will have a Chair to facilitate the discussion, and we hope the conversations might spark areas for future WTUN collaboration and workstream developments.
Together, the sessions correspond to this year’s Congress sub-themes of:
- Social Innovation for Area-based Development
- Technology and Digital Transformation in Glocalized Education
- University-Industry Partnerships for Sustainability
- AI Technology and Higher Education
Please contact your institution’s WTUN Operational Board member (https://www.wtu-n.net/members/) for further details and the session briefs. We invite submissions via email with your draft title and brief abstract to wtun@bradford.ac.uk
Deadline: Thursday 03 July 2025
WTUN for International Women in Engineering Day 2025 – Speakers Announced
Join us to celebrate International Women in Engineering Day 2025 on Monday 23 June, at 15:00 (GMT+1), via Teams.
Register here to attend: Book your place on MS Teams
This year’s theme is #TogetherWeEngineer and we are pleased to announce our speakers for this sharing session to celebrate the work that women engineers around the world are doing.
Dr Teeranoot Chanthasopeephan, Associate Professor, Department of Mechnical Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi
“From Flexibility to Intelligence: Advancements in Soft Robotics”
Ms. Mujahidah Ameenah D. Sharief, Registered Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Mindanao State University
“Muslim Meranaw Woman in Engineering”
Richa Bhardwaj, Principle Investigator, Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing Materials (CIRAMM), Southern Alberta Institute of Technology
Dr Sara Rye, Associate Professor in Project Management for Development, University of Bradford
“Engineering Uncertainty: Women Leading Risk Management and Humanitarian Logistics in Times of Crisis”
Arathyram Sasikala (Arathy), Assistant Professor in Formulation Science, Centre for Pharmaceutical Engineering Science and Institute of Cancer Therapeutics, University of Bradford
“Engineering a Better Future: Inclusive Innovation Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration”
Full speaker biographies and abstracts can be viewed here: WTUN Webinars
Event Replay – AI for Good with Professor Tillal Eldabi
Missed our AI for Good webinar? Watch the event back on our YouTube Channel here:
During this lecture, Prof. Eldabi shared his experience supporting student projects which implemented the use of Artificial Intelligence to solve real-world issues. He discussed the ongoing development of AI tools in light of the global climate to create real societal impact:
Of the sustainability and human interaction with AI, Professor Eldabi shared the following:
“…it’s about efficient utilization of AI technologies. It’s very important to consider that AI, as much as its data hungry, it’s also power hungry and we need to identify better ways and much more streamlined ways of using technology to support AI.
Fair access is another very important aspect of AI because if some people or a group of people are using AI, and others are not, then the one group will have a much more competitive and even more dominant impact on the other. People need to think about people-orientated AI so, AI for the sake of serving people rather than the other way around.”
Watch the full lecture on our YouTube channel: WTUN Webinars on YouTube
Who’s who at the World Technology Universities Network?
The World Technology Universities Network comprises 20 technology universities from across the world, each committed to driving inclusive, sustainable innovation in teaching and research to address the challenges of the 21st century.
Through these “Member in the Spotlight” articles, we aim to shine a light on the inspiring work of our members and inspire opportunities for connection and to foster collaboration between our members for the benefit of the network, our members, and the global community.
Get to know Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte:
This week the spotlight is on Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN).
UFRN is a leading educational and research institution based in Natal, Brazil. Their mission is to promote excellence in teaching and research and to foster sustainable and inclusive growth and development in society.
Discover the collaborative work of UFRN in the latest “Member in the Spotlight” article: Getting to know Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
BC Scholarship Prize 2025 – Applications Closed
We are pleased to share that following the deadline for this year’s WTUN BC Scholarship Prize, we have received 4 entries.
These entries come from 3 WTUN Member Institutions from PhD students exploring a range of research topics including the application of artificial intelligence within healthcare settings, developing sustainable supply chains, supporting precise control of nanosatellites, and the use of nanomaterials for medications to treat parasitic diseases.
We would like to thank this year’s assessors for their support on this activity:
- Dr N Manoharan, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science
- Prof Melba M Angni, Mindanao State University
- Prof Muralidhar Miryala, Shibaura Institute of Technology
- Dr Wipawee Usaha, Suranaree University of Technology
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
International Sustainability Summit 2025 (ISS2025)
3-5 November 2025
Emerald Hall, Sunway Hotel, Johor Bahru (Malaysia)
Website: https://iss2025.utm.my/
International Sustainability Summit 2025 (ISS2025) invites researchers, academics, students and industry professionals to submit extended abstract paper and posters. The theme of the ISS2025 is ‘Sustainability Through ESG: Transforming Commitments into Action. Key focus areas include sustainable energy and water, transportation, circular economy, planetary and occupational health, biodiversity, ethical governance, community empowerment, and strategic partnerships for a more resilient future.
“Sustainability Through ESG: Transforming Commitments into Action”
- Energy and Water Management
- Sustainable Tranportation Solutions
- Waste Reduction and Circular Practices
- Planetary Health
- Biodiversity and Land Stewardship
- Access and Affordability in Essential Services
- Community Engagement and Empowerment
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Integrity and Ethical Conduct in Organizations
- Risk Management Strategies
- Human Resource and Financial Sustainability
- Building Strategic Partnership for Sustainable Development
Important Dates:
- Extended Abstract or Poster Submission Deadline: 15 August 2025
- Notification of Abstract Acceptance: 22 August 2025
- Registration Deadline: 30 September 2025
Do you know someone in your university who would be interested in this newsletter? Forward the email to colleagues or share the link with your networks.
All members are invited to contribute to this newsletter through their Operational Board Member (found here). Please contact your Operational Board member with stories or events which will be of relevance to the shared vision and commitments of the WTUN and its members, inspiring opportunity for engagement on commonalities, sharing knowledge, or collaboration.
All calls for content can be shared with the WTUN Secretariat at wtun@bradford.ac.uk.
To discuss joining the World Technology Universities Network, please contact the WTUN Development Manager:
Denise Whitehead
Email: wtun@bradford.ac.uk