JEDDAH, 11 March 2007 — Academic leaders from 10 of the world’s top science and research universities gathered in London to review plans for the new King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), which is currently under development near Rabigh, according to an official report released here yesterday.
Chaired by Ali Al-Naimi, minister of petroleum and mineral resources, the KAUST International Advisory Board (IAB) reviewed progress on the university’s master plan, academic and research model, external research funding, facilities master plan, recruitment and staffing, and the overall communications strategy, which includes branding and media relations programs.
“This project represents the vision of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah,” Al-Naimi said in his remarks to the IAC members who comprise current and former presidents and chancellors of major international research institutions and learning centers from around the world.
“We would like you to be critical and challenge all of our development strategies presented to you so that you will be tomorrow its strong advocates when it comes to open its doors in September 2009,” the minister said.
Drawing on the expert views of IAC members, the KAUST development plan — including its physical environment, lab facilities, and academic and research structures — will reflect best practices and standards from leading research institutions from around the world.
The IAC ensures that international benchmarks are used in all aspects of the planning, execution, and performance of the university.
The IAC also aims to enrich all types of academic, research and professional partnerships and will ensure that the university will rank continuously among an international network of top-tier research universities.
Two weeks ago, Al-Naimi visited the KAUST location to review site preparations. The geotechnical survey, environmental assessment of the site, overall supervision and soil examination as supervised by Saudi Aramco have progressed on schedule.
KAUST is located in Thuwal near Rabigh and approximately 60 kilometers north of Jeddah along the Red Sea coast between the King Abdullah Economic City to the north and Thuwal village to the south.
The project was initiated in July 2006 when King Abdullah directed that Saudi Aramco not only build the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, but also put in place all the required governance and management in addition to the academic systems to make the university fully operational.
This initiative comes in light of Saudi Aramco’s experience with mega oil projects and in light of the critical mass of intellectual capital and management expertise in social development that it has become famous for in Saudi Arabia, and has become an integral part of its corporate social responsibility.
Saudi Aramco has retained leading consultancies both domestic and international to drive the construction process and govern the academic systems that will build KAUST into an international world-class postgraduate research center, according to Mohammad Mulla, director of external relations, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Development Project.
