Abstract The phenomenon of fake news has reached unprecedented proportions in the age of the Internet so much so that commentators have argued that we live in the 'post-truth' era. Although fake news, and its multiple variations, such as misinformation, deception, propaganda and lies, are not recent problems, the mass adoption of new communication technologies and social media in the last decade has played a crucial role into their becoming a major threat facing countries and governments around the world. Besides, the lack of awareness and necessary training to deal with misleading and fake news can aggravate the seriousness of this problem, especially among young people who constitute the majority of active social media users. In this context, the main objective of this research project is to examine the extent to which young people in the UAE possess the necessary critical-thinking skills and media literacy required for analyzing the reliability of news and distinguishing between factual information and misleading media content. The project also seeks to assess the adequacy of existing media and communication programs and curricula taught at the UAE universities to train and provide youth with information and media critical skills and competencies that can enable young people to navigate safely online. The project, thus, seeks to fill a significant research gap in this domain within the context of the UAE, and to contribute to existing educational and societal policies and projects aiming at enhancing online and digital security and communication in the UAE and the Gulf region.

Title: Empirical Investigation of Visual Factors Affecting the Legibility of Arabic Highway Signs

PI: Shaima Elbardawil – Collage of Fine Arts & Design

Abstract:As rapid urbanisation continues across Middle Eastern and North African countries, the ways people interact with urban environments, through various information systems, are very important. Since the early days of the automobile, visual information transmission through signs became critical as highway and safety problems emerged along with continuously increasing traffic. The term 'legibility' refers to the ability to recognise and perceive letters and words and read continuous textual material. This research project aims to explore visual factors affecting the legibility of Arabic typefaces used on highway signs. This iterative, practice-based research process will test and evaluate a specifically designed typeface using a variety of dependent and independent variables. The findings from this research will contribute to design of highway signs in bilingual communities, development of Arabic typeface design standards, and enhancement of knowledge in glance-based legibility for Arabic typeface studies.

Title:Platformaization of Arab New Websites and Quatity Journalism
PI:Bouziane Zeid - College of Communication
Abstract: One of the main challenges facing Arab news websites is to sustain revenue streams that allow for the costly endeavor of producing quality news stories while remaining editorially independent. Recent developments in the Arab world have attested that news websites have been experimenting with various kinds of journalistic writings, digital technologies, and digital marketing strategies and tactics, and in doing so seem to be losing ground to PR journalism and sponsored content. This project investigates the extent to which “born on the Internet" news websites abide by quality journalism while maintaining sustainable revenue streams in the context of increasing platformization of digital news production. This project uses qualitative document analysis (QDA) to systematically analyze the contents of a representative sample from top Arab news websites. The critical areas of analysis are derived from two of Scheuer's (2008) three imperatives of quality journalism: the moral imperative of truth and the intellectual imperative of context, and a combination of Wardle's (2017) and Newman's (2018) typologies of information disorder.

Title:Platformaization of Arab New Websites and Quatity Journalism

PI:Bouziane Zeid - College of Communication

Abstract: One of the main challenges facing Arab news websites is to sustain revenue streams that allow for the costly endeavor of producing quality news stories while remaining editorially independent. Recent developments in the Arab world have attested that news websites have been experimenting with various kinds of journalistic writings, digital technologies, and digital marketing strategies and tactics, and in doing so seem to be losing ground to PR journalism and sponsored content. This project investigates the extent to which “born on the Internet" news websites abide by quality journalism while maintaining sustainable revenue streams in the context of increasing platformization of digital news production. This project uses qualitative document analysis (QDA) to systematically analyze the contents of a representative sample from top Arab news websites. The critical areas of analysis are derived from two of Scheuer's (2008) three imperatives of quality journalism: the moral imperative of truth and the intellectual imperative of context, and a combination of Wardle's (2017) and Newman's (2018) typologies of information disorder.

Title: "Investigating the impact of main marketing ethics' concepts on creating and maintaining supplier-customer relationship"

PI: Dr. Muhammad Alshurideh - College of Business

Abstract:This study is mainly intended to measure the effect of applying a set of ethics elements in relationship marketing practices and measure their effects on maintaining long-term relationships through communications with customers. The main marketing ethics elements used are: Honesty, Autonomy, Privacy and Transparency. This study will employed the quantitative method to test the developed hypotheses and test them through collecting primary data from a number of customers (300-350). The PLS-SEM will be used to test the study's model and hypotheses. The study expected to test to what level that marketing ethics' elements affect the ability of establishing and maintaining long-term relationships with customers. Further parts will be added to this paper such as implications, limitations, future invistigation venues presented in this study.

Title: The reality of using Blackboard by faculty members and students at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at University of Sharjah

PI: Wafa Barhoumi - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

CO-PI: Alaa Abdullah - Omaima Muhammad - Makiya Juma

Abstract: As online learning environment is growing among universities worldwide including developing countries, still, there are some difficulties that might interrupt the implementation of this environment; such as: Technological difficulties and/or Skills lacking. The aim of this research is to identify the using of Blackboard as a blended learning system by faculty members and Students and recognize the perceptions of faculty members who involved in e-learning programs and trained to use the blackboard in Education. The sample surveyed in this study was 50 faculty member and instructors at University Of Sharjah (UOS) at different departments at the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Studies such department of Sociology, department of Arabic language, department of History, department of Education, etc. Descriptive methodology has involved analysis of the implemented online system at the college of UOS and how faculty members are interacting with it. The main obstacles found in the study were: Lack of needed training and experience in using ICT (Information & Communication Technology), lack of continuous internet connection and smooth communication, lack of encouragement and restricted rules. Faculty members are invited to develop their technological skills and the experience in using ICT especially in producing electronic materials such as: recording lectures via Echo application, upload videos on YouTube channel, slide share,..etc.

Keywords: Higher Education, University Of Sharjah, Blackboard, E-learning, Educational Technology, Distance Learning and Instruction.

Title: "Using Interactive Maps to Market UAE Heritage

PI: Dr. MOHAMED A. ABOUSHOUK - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

CO-PI: Saleh Mohamed Zaki- Mohammed Syed Ahmed Bayoumi

Abstract: It is remarkably obvious that many countries have recently started to document, maintain, and market their inherited cultural heritage, not only to preserve their identity, but also to employ it in building their marketing brand and promote destination authenticity. One success story is the UAE accelerated progress in documenting and preserving the cultural heritage to maintain the UAE's authentic identity. However, one aspect of the cultural heritage that needs crucial attention is the UAE traditional handicrafts. These handicrafts face the challenge of extinction due to importing or producing the machinery-based products with high quality and low prices. To this end, and in order to preserve the UAE's cultural heritage, these handicrafts need to be revived; protected, documented, and conserved to be sustainably preserved. In this vein, heritage handicrafts need to be effectively marketed to enrich and diversify the UAE's tourism products and generate income to help preserving such invaluable heritage aspect.

One modern technique of marketing is using interactive maps (smart maps) to document and promote heritage. This technique is globally used by organizations to market cultural heritage. Interactive maps help categorize products (i.e. handicrafts) in layers and link it to their spatial sites in addition to their attributional data (texts, photos, and videos..etc). The present proposal aims at employing interactive maps to document and market handicrafts in Sharjah Emirate as a first step. This smart map can be used to market the authentic identity of Sharjah and UAE and promote handicrafts to be added to the tourism map of Sharjah and UAE.

Title: Covid-19: the impact and consequence on tourism industry for UAE

PI: Asad Hammad Mousa Aburumman - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

CO-PI: saleh muhammad zeki

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in over 7.2 million confirmed cases and over 411,346 deaths globally. It has also generated fears of a future economic crisis and recession. Social distancing, self isolation and travel restrictions have led to reduced workforce across all economic sectors and caused many jobs to be lost. Schools have closed down, and the need for commodities and manufactured products has decreased. The long-term consequences for individuals are as yet unknown, while the longterm effects on the international community will be dramatic. COVID-19 has changed the world forever in every imaginable respect and has impacted heavily on the international travel, tourism demand, and hospitality industry, which is one of the world's largest employers and is highly sensitive to significant shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic. The current study will focus on the impact of COVID-19 on tourism, hotel and restaurant, small businesses and economic growth of UAE. This study will further add to the knowledge and literature related to different areas in respect to UAE. It will further to investigate that how the industry will recover after COVID-19 and how the industry can be made sustainable in a dramatically changed world. This project presents a charter for tourism, travel, and hospitality after COVID-19 as a contribution to the industry. Hence, the outcomes of this study will be more beneficial for future researcher and policy makers to conduct such kind of studies in unforeseen situations.

Keywords: Covid-19, Gdp, Tourism, hotel and restaurants, small businesses, UAE

Title: Pandemic risk and corporate technical efficiency during COVID-19 Crisis

PI: Walaa Wahid Elkelish - College of Business

CO-PI: Panagiotis Zervopoulos

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between optimal levels of pandemic risk and corporate technical efficiency during the outbreak of COVIT-19 virus across countries. Data on health security risk is collected from the World Health Organization (WHO). Other explanatory and control variables on corporate control and performance are collected from DataStream database and the Institutional Shareholder Services Europe (S.A.). The paper uses the new Generalized Directional Distance Function data envelopment analysis (GDDF) model with a Multi-Parametric Method for Bias Correction (MPBC) of efficiency estimators. Research findings are expected to identify the most important determinants of pandemic risk which impact corporate performance, and to measure optimal levels of corporate efficiency to fit external pandemic risk variables and other external institutional factors. Thus, this paper will provide insights into appropriate national and corporate health security strategies to mitigate pandemic risk and ensure economic sustainability in the future.

Title: Forms of mental disorders for women during pregnancy and postpartum and its legal consequences in UAE legislation: Qualitative study

PI: Faker Al-Gharaibeh - College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

CO-PI: Ahmad Moussa

Abstract