-By KAUST news

KAUST and King Faisal Prize (KFP) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote the exchange of information and expertise between the two organizations, and to facilitate communication between local and international scientists and researchers.

Sulaiman Al-Thunayan, KAUST Vice President for Government Affairs, and Dr. Abdul Aziz Alsebail, secretary-general of KFP, signed the MoU during a ceremony at the University campus in Thuwal on Thursday, October 10, 2019. 

The areas of collaboration between KAUST and KFP also include hosting and organizing joint conferences, lectures, symposiums or any event of interest to both parties. 

Knowledge-economy

Al-Thunayan, said that KAUST aspires to enhance its collaborations via promoting research and innovation, which is in line with KAUST's priorities and objectives in realizing Vision 2030. He explained that this agreement supports three key elements in achieving this "innovation, knowledge-economy, and scientific research."

KAUST and King Faisal Prize (KFP) signed the MoU during a ceremony at the University campus in Thuwal on Thursday, October 10, 2019.

Al-Thunayan pointed out that KAUST held many agreements in the past with government and private sectors resulted in more than 40 startups, and there are more than 50 agreements with national and international research centers and universities, which also contributed in the diversification of Saudi economy. 

The nomination of scientists and academics

Alsebail explained that KFP relies on scientific institutions, research centers, and universities in the nomination process and it will greatly benefit from the great pool of scientists and academics at KAUST to assist in various stages of its strict selection procedure. 

Alsebail announced that this is the first agreement for KFP signed with a Saudi university. He talked about KFP collaborations in the past with major international organizations inside and outside Saudi Arabia such as UNESCO, In addition to universities in Europe and the US in the Prize five categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language and Literature, Medicine, and Science.