Academic leaders from 10 of the world’s top science and research universities gathered in London last week to review plans for the new King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), which is currently under development near Rabigh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Chaired by HE Eng. Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Naimi, Saudi 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 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz," His Excellency Ibrahim Ali I. Al-Naimi said in his remarks to the IAC members who comprise current and former presidents and chancellors of major international research institutions and research 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."
Members of the KAUST International Advisory Board include HE Dr. Khalid Sultan, Rector, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Professor Ahmad Zweil, Nobel Prize winner, Director, Laboratory for Molecular Science and Physical Biology, California Institute of Technology, USA; Professor Frank Rhodes, President Emeritus, Cornell University, USA; Sir Richard Sykes, Rector, Imperial College, United Kingdom; Dr. Olivier Appert, President, Institut Francais de Petrole, France; Professor Hiroshi Komiyama, President, Tokyo University, Japan; Professor Shih Choon Fong, President, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Dr. Karen Holbrok, President, Ohio State University, USA;Dr. Faquir Kohli, formerly of the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and currently with Tata Consultancies, Mumbai, India; Dr. Frank Press, President Emeritus, National Academy of Science, USA.
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 benchmark activities 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, HE the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral visited the KAUST location to review site preparations of KAUST. 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 the city of Rabigh and approximately 60 km 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 the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, 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 research postgraduate university.
