King Saud University

Overview

King Saud University (KSU) is a public university situated in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The institution was founded in 1957 and it was the first university in the country created to disseminate knowledge and remedy the shortage of skilled workers in the country. The institution has contributed massively to the revival of scientific and academic excellence, enabling Saudi Arabia to maintain an edge over other nations in the Arts and Sciences, as well as invention and discovery.

The university started in 1957 following a royal decree by King Saud bin Abdulaziz. Prince Fahd, the minister for education at the time, announced the establishment of King Saud University to promote knowledge and support the widening base of literary and scientific study in the fast-growing nation. In 1967, the university name was changed to the University of Riyadh, a name they kept for 14 years. As the university celebrated the 25th anniversary of an illustrious history, however, it reverted to its original name of King Saud University.

In recent years, the university has initiated massive investment and development programs aimed at uplifting it into a truly world-class research institution. Some of the aspirations the university is undertaking include the establishment of centers of research excellence, the Nobel Laureates Program, and the Riyadh Knowledge Corridor initiative.

At present, the university is organized into 24 colleges, institutes, and departments, which are grouped into five divisions namely Sciences, Health, Humanities, Community, and Female colleges. The colleges help deliver education and training through various undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs of study. Among all universities in the Arab countries, King Saud University is renowned for its programs in medicine, natural sciences, and humanities.

In total, there are more than 40,000 students enrolled in various programs of study, 7% of which are international students. While their undergraduate programs are taught in Arabic and English, the university requires international students from non-Arabic speaking countries to pass an Arabic examination before being enrolled. One of the university’s top priorities in recent years has been to recruit distinguished international faculty and researchers. One of the most notable hires is Louis Ignarro, the 1996 Nobel Prize winner for Medicine.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about King Saud University is that there is a distinct disciplinary panel for female students. Moreover, there is a unique center that monitors and supervises the progress of female students.

King Saud University provides the facilities that students need to excel in their academics. There are 18 libraries and multiple research facilities of international standards. Some of the notable research programs include the Riyadh Techno Valley program and the King Abdullah Institute for Nanotechnology. In addition, the university has a museum and two hospitals aimed at boosting the training of students in the medical field.