Central Laboratories Directorate

History

The Central Laboratories Directorate (CLD) was established in 1997, coinciding with the inauguration of the University of Sharjah. Since then, it has expanded to its current size, boasting more than 117 teaching labs, 49 research labs, and 16 labs serving both teaching and research purposes. These labs are conveniently located across the UoS campus in various buildings, including M12, W12, M2, W8, M23, M27, M28, M31, M32, and the Sharjah Academy for Astronomy Space Sciences & Technology (SAASST). Each semester, over 450 lab sessions take place on the main campus.

The responsibilities of the CLD encompass managing and facilitating efficient lab space usage, providing technical support with laboratory equipment and consumables in collaboration with the different colleges, research institutes, and the Procurement Department, maintaining lab equipment and central lab service systems, conducting lab inventories, implementing safety measures, managing central lab stores, and contributing to continuous improvement activities. The CLD oversees teaching labs in various colleges, including Sciences, Engineering, Computing and Informatics, Health Sciences, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Medicine. Additionally, it manages all research labs within the Research Institute for Science and Engineering (RISE), the Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences (RIMHS), and the College of Graduate Studies.

The laboratories house over 13,100 pieces of equipment meeting contemporary international standards and specifications to support program outcomes and advance the University of Sharjah's research goals. The University allocates an annual budget to the CLD to maintain its technological assets and meet faculty and students' educational and research needs.

The CLD has undergone significant development in its operations to serve students, staff, and faculty better. It has implemented various systems, such as an online safety inspection system to track all inspections and corrective actions, developed a store module for lab materials management, and implemented a CAFM system to manage equipment maintenance operations, asset control, and lab purchase requests. Recent advancements include activating and utilizing an online lab safety training portal, an online chemical inventory management system, and a live dashboard for tracking lab purchase requests.

The expansion and enhancement of the CLD align with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and President of the University of Sharjah, to establish the University as a leading institution of higher education with modern research and educational facilities, regionally and globally.

The Central Laboratories Areas of Expertise:

Lab Technical Support Section

• The Lab Technical Support Section supports technical purchases of laboratory equipment and consumables (spare parts, chemicals, safety tools, etc.) in coordination with the University’s Procurement Department.

Recent Key Achievements:

• The CLD Technical Support team assisted undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers in securing all the requirements to complete their projects and research. It streamlined the financial processes, increased accountability, and reduced the risks associated with handling cash.
• The CLD recently launched the Interactive Platform for Lab Purchase Statistics in the UoS. This is an interactive platform for procurement statistics in the laboratories of the University of Sharjah that gives detailed statistics on procurement for the relevant colleges and research institutes and includes information on all their lab related purchases over three years.

Planning and Laboratory Equipment Management Section (PLEMS)

• Laboratory equipment maintenance is handled by the Planning and Laboratory Equipment Management Section (PLEMS) and external maintenance contracts with specialized companies.  All laboratory supervisors are provided with the necessary training on new equipment once it is received and installed.

Key Achievements:

• Laboratory Equipment Inventory - With the updated Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM) software, managing laboratory equipment inventory, from monitoring to accessibility, has become significantly easier. Adding new lab assets along with their necessary details has been simplified due to proper labeling of fields. CLD maintains complete control over data access to the updated database and can effortlessly generate customized reports as needed.
• The CLD-PLEMS completed installing and setting the Temperature Monitoring with Alarm Notification System for all refrigerated cabinets housing highly critical samples. This system enables real-time monitoring, allowing immediate action in the event of temperature deviations, particularly during weekends and holidays.
• Facilitated and executed improvements across all areas of the Central Laboratories, encompassing tasks such as building maintenance, poster updates, housekeeping, and the completion of new laboratory projects and setups in collaboration with the Facilities Maintenance and Planning Department.

Lab Safety Section

• The Lab Safety Section prioritizes creating a safe research and learning environment. This section is responsible for managing health and safety in the labs, developing lab safety procedures, and providing health and safety training to the concerned lab staff, faculty, and students

Recent Key Achievements:

The Central Labs Online Safety Training System (SafetySkills®): Empowering a Safe Learning and Research Culture

The Central Labs at the University of Sharjah takes immense pride in its implementation of the Central Labs Online Safety Training System (SafetySkills®). This innovative platform represents a key achievement, revolutionizing the way lab safety training is delivered. This system was introduced to enhance the training process by providing safety training covering all the different hazards present in the labs, including chemical, biological, radiation, and electrical hazards. This user-friendly system ensures convenient and consistent training for all staff, faculty, and students, fostering a culture of safety awareness and preparedness within the University's labs.

The Central Labs Online Chemical Inventory System:

This system was developed to manage the inventory of chemicals used in the labs. The system has significantly improved the management of chemical inventories, making it easier for staff and faculty members to track and manage their chemical stocks. It has also helped to reduce waste and unnecessary purchases by providing a clear overview of the chemicals available in the labs. Moreover, the system is user-friendly and accessible. This has made it easier for users to update their chemical inventories regularly, ensuring that the system's information is always up-to-date.

Leveraging Technology for Safety: The Implementation of LabCliq at the Central Labs

The Central Labs has made significant strides in lab safety by implementing LabCliq, a specialized lab safety inspection software. This innovative tool streamlines inspections with automated scheduling and data collection, fostering a proactive safety culture. LabCliq also enhances communication through reports and corrective actions, while valuable data insights enable data-driven decision-making for continuous improvement. Ultimately, this software empowers the Central Labs to create a safer environment for researchers and promote a culture of safety through technology.

Developing Lab Safety Policies and Procedures:

The development and implementation of comprehensive Lab Safety Policies and Procedures (LSPP) is a significant achievement for the Central Labs. This initiative fosters a safe and responsible research and learning environment, demonstrating the Central Labs’ commitment to the well-being of the faculty, staff, and students. The Lab Safety Policies and Procedures cover various topics, including the roles and responsibilities of OHS, general laboratory safety, emergency preparedness procedures, hazardous waste management, safety training, and lab incident management. Each topic is detailed, with specific guidelines and protocols to ensure the safety of all laboratory users.

Lab Stores & Logistics Section

• The Lab Stores & Logistics Section provides logistical support to colleges and research institutes by working as a channel between vendors, end-users, maintenance personnel, fixed asset management, and the Finance Department. It is also responsible for overseeing the reception and delivery of all purchase orders, direct orders, and contractual agreements processed through the CL Directorate.

Recent Key Achievements:

The Central Labs Directorate launched the Central Labs Store Request Portal (Store Module), developed entirely in house. This portal will serve as a bridge between lab staff and the Central Labs Directorate to facilitate laboratory general, spare parts, and safety items transactions from requests to acquisitions. The new application promotes sustainability through paperless Central Labs, helps serve our customers better, and provides data analytics that will help the department with future planning.

Administrative Services to colleges:

• Preparing shared lab schedules to avoid time conflicts between departments and ensure the regularity of daily laboratory work without obstacles.
• Preparing detailed statistics on the utilization of laboratory facilities across the University campus. This data serves as a guideline for allocating labs among different programs. The statistics include information on the labs that are in use and the ones that are underutilized.
• Facilitating the use of laboratories outside official working hours through an approved policy in coordination with the University security unit to ensure laboratory users' safety and preserve University property.
• CLD is responsible for efficiently managing the available lab spaces on the University campus. This includes distributing lab spaces among different departments and programs.
• CLD is also responsible for accommodating new programs by allocating lab spaces. It assesses the needs of these new programs and finds suitable lab space for them.