King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Partner to Deepen and Expand Saudi Arabia’s Research Capacity

Research Focus Includes Energy, Marine Research, Environmental Science & Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Earth Science, and Nanotechnology

Dhahran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (March 4, 2008) — King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to establish a collaborative research and academic development relationship that will support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world. The signing of this MOU marks the second collaboration that KAUST has created with a leading scientific research organization within the Kingdom.

KAUST, a new world-class, graduate-level research institution currently under development in Saudi Arabia, is pursuing global collaborations with institutions such as KFUPM as part of its efforts to build its intellectual capacity. The MOU with KFUPM marks KAUST’s tenth research agreement with a major international university or private sector organization in the past nine months.

“KFUPM was one of the Kingdom’s first universities to address the complex scientific issues directly related to petroleum and minerals, and their reputation as an esteemed educational institution is well known throughout Saudi Arabia,” said KAUST Interim President Nadhmi Al-Nasr. “The growth and progress of Saudi Arabia and the regional economy depend upon the creation of ideas and innovation in scientific and technological fields. Working with KFUPM and others, KAUST intends to build a diverse community of scholars to promote the highest academic standards and student achievement, leading to the creation of a rich heritage of excellence in scientific and technological research.”

His Excellency Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sultan, Rector and CEO of KFUPM and a member of the KAUST International Advisory Council, said, “We are honored to partner with KAUST and to contribute to its mission in creating a knowledge society in Saudi Arabia and being a catalyst of important discoveries that will benefit the Kingdom and the world.”

The MOU calls for principal areas of research collaboration to be developed and supported in areas including:

• Energy
  
• Petroleum Engineering
• Marine Research
  
• Environmental Science and Engineering
  
• Materials Science and Engineering
  
• Petrochemicals and Catalysis
  
• Earth Science
  
• Nanotechnology

The organizations will also share research of common interest and participate in collaborations with other partner institutions from around the world. In addition, faculty from KFUPM will have the opportunity to take sabbatical assignments at KAUST and work with KAUST faculty on mutual research topics. Graduating students from KFUPM will also be encouraged to join KAUST for postgraduate studies and research.

The KAUST/KFUPM collaboration will enable:

• collaborative undertakings and mutual cooperation in fundamental and applied science and engineering, including research planning and implementation, resource sharing, and information exchange;
  
• contribution to research work with other KAUST partners;
  
• sharing of research facilities by both parties;
  
• meetings on topics of mutual interest;
  
• exchange of information on scientific research in related disciplines; and
  
• other cooperative activities that will be established by mutual consent.

In addition to the KFUPM agreement, KAUST has signed agreements to create similar partnerships with: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (United States); Institut Français du Pétrole (France); National University of Singapore (Singapore); the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (India); American University in Cairo (Egypt); Technische Universität München (Germany); Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (China) and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (Saudi Arabia). KAUST also recently concluded its first industrial collaboration agreement with an industry partner, GE Global Research Center, based in the United States.

About KAUST

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is being built in Saudi Arabia as an international, graduate-level research university dedicated to inspiring a new age of scientific achievement in the Kingdom, the region and around the globe. As an independent, merit-based institution, KAUST will employ many of the best practices from leading research universities and enable top researchers from around the globe and across all cultures to work together to solve challenging scientific and technological issues. The KAUST global research and education network will support diverse talents, both on its campus and at other premier universities and research institutions, through collaborative research agreements, grants, and student scholarship programs. The core campus, located on more than 36 million square meters on the Red Sea at Thuwal, is set to open in September 2009.For more information about KAUST, visit http://www.kaust.edu.sa.

About KFUPM

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) was officially established by Royal Decree on 5 Jumada I, 1383 H. (September 23, 1963). The first students were admitted a year later, on September 23, 1964, when 67 young men enrolled in what was then the College of Petroleum and Minerals (CPM). Since that time, the University enrollment has grown to more than 10,000 students.

Several significant events have marked the University's growth. In 1971, at the first graduation ceremony, four men received their baccalaureate degrees in engineering. In 1975, the College of Petroleum and Minerals became the University of Petroleum and Minerals, a change both in name and academic status. In 1986, the University was renamed King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

The successful management of Saudi Arabia's vast petroleum and mineral resources poses a complex and exciting challenge for scientific, technical, and management education in the Kingdom. To meet this challenge, the University has adopted advanced training in the fields of science, engineering, and management as one of its goals in order to promote leadership and service in the Kingdom's petroleum and mineral industries. The University also furthers knowledge through research in these fields.

For more information, please visit www.kfupm.edu.sa