UniVerse: A Social Platform For University Communities

This paper addresses the social isolation experienced by university students, especially in the context of online learning and reduced physical interaction. To address this challenge, we propose UniVerse, a conceptual student engagement platform designed to facilitate academic collaboration, social engagement, and resource sharing. The development of UniVerse is currently in the needs analysis and design phase. To inform its design, a survey was conducted with 100 students from various academic disciplines in the United Arab Emirates University, exploring student interest, feature preferences, and communication habits. This work follows a structured research methodology involving three key stages: needs analysis, design, and evaluation. The survey findings revealed a strong demand for such a platform, with 90% of respondents recognizing its potential to enhance student engagement. Key platform features such as real-time messaging, collaborative forums, and AI-driven monitoring were informed by these results.