King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; ) is a Private university research university located in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2009, the university provides research and graduate training programs in English as the official language of instruction. It is named after King Abdullah bin Abdulalziz, the ruler of Saudi Arabia from 2005 until 2015. KAUST is the first mixed-gender university campus in Saudi Arabia. In 2013, the university was among the 500 fastest growing research and citation records in the world. In the 2016 Nature Index Rising Stars, the university ranked 19th in the world of the fastest rising universities for high quality research output. In 2019 KAUST is ranked 8th fastest rising young universities (aged 50 and under) for their research output since 2015, as measured by fractional count (FC). KAUST is the highest ranking university in the Times Higher Education Arab University Rankings 2023. Since September 2024, neuroscientist Sir Edward Byrne has served as KAUST’s fourth president.

History

In 2006, Ali Al-Naimi chaired a Saudi Aramco team to undertake the building and planning of the academics. Nadhmi Al-Nasr was chosen to lead the project. They employed the Washington Advisory Group's Frank H. T. Rhodes and Frank Press to design the academic structure, SRI International to develop the four research institutes, and the architectural firm of HOK for the campus master plan, which included wind towers and solar panels. The location of the campus at Thuwal included 16.4 sq km on land and 19.6 sq km of marine sanctuary offshore. Ground breaking took place in October 2007, and 178 scholarships were awarded in January 2008. KAUST officially opened on September 23, 2009, at an inauguration ceremony, where King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud gave a speech where he stated that places like the university that "embrace all people are the first line of defence against extremists". The university initially received a $10 billion endowment. Upon opening, the university admitted 400 students from over 60 countries and 70 faculty. The campus is home to Shaheen, Asia's fastest supercomputer at the time of its commissioning. In 2013, Mai Majed Al-Qurashi became the first woman to receive a PhD in Saudi Arabia, from KAUST. In September 2018, KAUST signed a 5-year R&D partnership agreement with McLaren.

Campus

Description

The university's core campus, located on the Red Sea at Thuwal, is sited on more than 36 km2, encompassing a marine sanctuary, museum, and research facility. KAUST is the first mixed-gender university campus in Saudi Arabia. Saudi authorities hope the mixed-gender center will help modernize the Kingdom's deeply conservative society. The religious police do not operate on-site. Women are allowed to mix freely with men and they are not required to wear veils in the coeducational classes. KAUST was Saudi Arabia's first LEED certified project and is the world's largest LEED Platinum campus. Designed by international architecture firm Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, it was also chosen by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Committee on the Environment (COTE) as one of the 2010 Top Ten Green Projects. The university library received the 2011 AIA/ALA Library Building Award for accomplishments in library architecture.

Research

KAUST organizes its research teams across three academic disciplines, 12 research centers and individual faculty labs. KAUST focuses its research around the areas of food and health, water, energy, environment and the digital domain.

Academic divisions

Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division

Research in the Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE) is organized around six focal areas: environmental systems; epigenetics; functional biology; genomics; imaging/structural biology; and marine science.

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division

Research in the Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE) is clustered into four main areas:

Physical Sciences and Engineering Division

Research in the Physical Sciences and Engineering Division (PSE) includes areas such as theoretical physics and physical chemistry; catalysis and bioengineering; polymers and composites; energy production, storage and conversion; water purification and environmental protection; novel materials, nanodevices and systems; sensors and smart devices for the detection of pollutants and the purification of air, water, and food; earth sciences, mechanics and geomechanics; oil exploration and recovery; and sequestration.

KAUST Centres of Excellence

In July 2024, KAUST implemented four new Centers of Excellence (CoEs) aimed at driving research, development and innovation (RDI) to address Saudi Arabia’s four RDI priorities: Health and Wellness, Sustainable Environment, Energy and Industrial Leadership, and Economies of the Future. The KAUST centers include the following:

The CoE for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies

This center develops and deploys renewable energy and storage technologies, supporting Saudi Arabia’s sustainable energy transition by prototyping and commercializing innovations that enhance industrial competitiveness. KAUST Professor Husam Alshareef, Materials Science and Engineering, is CoE chair, and Professor Zhiping Lai, Chemistry, is co-chair.

The CoE for Smart Health

This center develops and deploys digital and AI-driven technologies aimed at transforming healthcare delivery in Saudi Arabia through precision medicine, promoting innovation, education and entrepreneurship. KAUST Professor Imed Gallouzi, Bioscience, is CoE chair, and Professor Xin Gao, Computer Science, is co-chair.

The CoE for Generative AI

This center develops innovative general-purpose AI models tailored to meet the unique demands of Saudi Arabia’s RDI priorities, pursuing Generative AI research and driving advancements across multiple sectors. KAUST Professor Bernard Ghanem, Electrical and Computer Engineering, is CoE chair, and Professor Jürgen Schmidhuber, Computer Science, is co-chair.

The CoE for Sustainable Food Security

This center develops agricultural technologies to enhance resource efficiency, crop improvement and sustainable biosystems, aimed at strengthening both Saudi and global food security. KAUST Professor Mark Tester, Plant Science, is CoE chair. Professor Peiying Hong, Environmental Science and Engineering, and Associate Professor Brande Wulff, Plant Science, are co-chairs.

Clarivates Highly Cited Researchers

Postgraduate programs

Master's

The Master of Science (M.S.) program at KAUST can be taken in one of the 16 available disciplines. It is expected that students complete the degree in 18 months and may be completed with or without a thesis component. Admission to the M.S. program requires the satisfactory completion of an undergraduate science degree in a relevant or related area, such as engineering, mathematics or the physical, chemical and biological sciences.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program at KAUST can be taken in one of the 16 available disciplines. It typically takes three to four years to complete. Admission to the Ph.D. program requires the satisfactory completion of a master's degree in science in a relevant or related area, such as engineering, mathematics or the physical, chemical and biological sciences.

M.S. / Ph.D. Program

The M.S./Ph.D. program allows students to apply for the Ph.D. program after completing a bachelor's degree. The program typically takes four to five years to complete.

Postgraduate Diploma

KAUST offers a one-year Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Industrial Design, Physical Science and Engineering, and Bioscience. Each program is made up of soft skill, experimental, theoretical and entrepreneurship courses as well as a capstone experience.

Internship programs

Visiting Student Research Program

The VSRP is a three to six-month internship program available for 3rd/4th year undergraduate or master's students. During the program, students will work under the guidance of KAUST faculty mentors on a current research project. Students accepted into the program receive a monthly stipend as well as having their accommodation, health insurance and travel costs covered.

Visiting Student Program

The Visiting Student Program (VS) is a flexible program allowing 3rd/4th year undergraduate or master's students to work directly with KAUST faculty members. Its length can range from a few days to several months. Students accepted into the program normally receive a monthly stipend as well as having their accommodation, health insurance and travel costs covered.

Program disciplines

Admissions

While there is no minimum academic entry requirement, those admitted typically have strong grade profiles and clear research interests. Applicants are also required to meet English language requirements for entry unless they qualify for an exemption.

Fellowship

Every student who is admitted receives the KAUST Fellowship. This fellowship covers the cost of a student's tuition fees, accommodation, health insurance, and relocation costs as well as giving the student a monthly stipend.