University of Bahrain's “The Architects” team won the inaugural Sustainability Future Lab university challenge, a flagship youth-focused initiative of the Sustainability Forum Middle East (SFME).

The contest was designed to engage university students in developing practical, real-world sustainability solutions aligned with Bahrain’s national priorities and global climate commitments. 

Following a one-week innovation sprit, the challenge concluded with a student pitch showcase and awards ceremony attended by more than 100 people in the presence of Amna Hamad AlRumaihi, Chief Executive of the Supreme Council for Environment; and Jamal Fakhro, Managing Partner, KPMG Bahrain, which powered the challenge alongside SFME.

Taking part in the challenge were more than 50 students, which formed seven multidisciplinary teams with students from public and private universities in Bahrain. Teams were supported by nearly 20 senior and junior mentors from amongst SFME’s partners and its broader sustainability ecosystem. Over the course of the challenge, participating teams developed innovative, scalable, and implementable solutions across a range of sustainability-focused scenarios linked to the Forum’s recently held 4th edition reflecting regional and global priorities, including climate resilience, net zero transition, carbon markets, and capacity building for sustainability delivery, aligned with Bahrain’s national goals and global climate commitments.

Following an exciting pitch showcase where the teams each presented their solution to the judging panel and audience; the winning team was announced. “The Architects,” representing the University of Bahrain, were recognised for the strength, originality, and applicability of their proposed solution for one of the challenges relating to capacity building. 

The team members are Maryam Sayed Mohamed Abdulla Matooq, Nawraa Mohammed Ali Abdulla, Zainab Qatham Abdulla Ahmed Ismaeel, Maryam Sayed Jawad Darwish Alsharkhat, and Sara Abdulameer Abduljalil. The team was supported by mentors, including Amina Al Obaidli, Chief of Policies and Strategic Plans at the Urban Planning & Development Authority, and Zainab Mohamed, Urban Designer/Architect at the Ministry of Works, Municipalities Affairs & Urban Planning.

The winning team developed Mostadam, a digital platform designed to translate sustainability awareness into simple, actionable daily habits. Leveraging short-form content, gamified learning, and a reward-based approach, the platform encourages sustainable behavior among young people and bridges the gap between knowledge and practice. Aligned with Bahrain Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Mostadam highlights the potential of youth-led innovation to drive meaningful, grassroots sustainability impact.

As part of the awards, the winning team will receive specialised training from the Supreme Council for Environment, along with a dedicated training session delivered at Reboot Coding Institute, supporting continued capability building and practical skills development in sustainability and innovation.

AlRumaihi said: “Empowering young people to engage with sustainability challenges is essential to advancing Bahrain’s environmental and climate objectives. Sustainability Future Lab provides a valuable platform for developing the skills, knowledge, and practical experience needed to support long-term environmental stewardship. We are pleased to support this initiative and to see such promising ideas and talent emerging from our university students.”

Zahraa Taher, Managing Director of FinMark Communications, Founder and Organiser of Sustainability Forum Middle East, said: “Sustainability Future Lab reflects our strong commitment to meaningful youth engagement and capability building as part of Sustainability Forum Middle East. The creativity, dedication, and quality of thinking demonstrated by the participating teams highlight the importance of providing structured platforms that enable young people to translate sustainability dialogue into practical, real-world solutions. We are proud of all the participants and congratulate ‘The Architects on their well-deserved achievement.”

The pitch showcase and awards was held at EPIX Cinema, the Venue Partner, while Reboot Coding Institute served as Learning Partner for the mentoring sessions and innovation sprint, providing an enabling environment for collaboration, learning, and hands-on problem-solving throughout the Challenge.

The 2026 edition of Sustainability Forum Middle East was supported by Lead Partners: Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), SAFA and Tabreed Bahrain; Strategic Partners: United Nations Development Programme)UNDP), Bank ABC, Standard Chartered Bank and Gulf International Bank (GIB); Forum Partners: Aluminium Bahrain(Alba), National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard (ASRY), Bahrain Ship Repair & Engineering Company (BASREC), Gulf Aluminium Rolling Mill Company (GARMCO), American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain), and Gulf Air; Supporting Partners: Tamkeen, Hassan Radhi & Associates, GFH Financial Group, and United Enterprises; Learning Partner: Strathclyde University, Impact for Learning & Development and Reboot Coding Institute; EPIX Cinema as the Venue Partner and Media Partners: Arab News, Al Ayam, OGN, Trade Arabia, BFT Media, and The Butterfly Effect. - TradeArabia News Service