The apology was published after KAU Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Adnan Zahid wrote to the magazine refuting the accusations leveled by the article’s writer Yudhiji Battacharjee, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.
Saudi academics reacted sharply to the unjustified stand taken by the magazine toward Saudi Arabian universities striving to improve their academic standards.
In its apology, Science commended the university’s efforts to benefit from highly qualified scientists, as well as admitting the headline of the article gave a wrong impression about KAU programs launched with the aim of promoting scientific research with the cooperation of visiting professors.
The magazine also pointed out the university adopted a transparent policy of investing in the future of the nation, adding it was a healthy and morally right investment.
Responding to the magazine’s original article, the university issued a statement saying it established a specialized unit with a legitimate goal to attract highly cited scientists.
No contract was signed with any scholar before he or she visited the campus and was vetted by KAU senior officials and researchers, the statement said.
It added the number of highly cited researchers in the world numbered about 10,000, and the competition to attract them was very high. “This competition stems from the desire to build scientific and research capabilities, not from a desire for material gain. Consequently, KAU has made a serious effort to attract such researchers on a part-time basis, allowing them to visit the university periodically,” the statement said.
The statement also pointed to the practice of many prestigious universities and even countries to obtain famous scientists. “The United States brought Albert Einstein to America on a hefty salary. In the 60s and 70s, the country brought many of the highest caliber scientists to its shores, and even today top scientists from around the globe are likely to receive offers from elite schools there. Whether it is Harvard, Princeton, Chicago, Stanford, or other schools, all follow the same practice of bringing people from around the globe on a full-time or part-time basis,” the statement said.
