INDIANS CAN OPT FOR EDUCATION IN SAUDI

By Javid Hassan

In a major development that should also be of interest to NRIs, Saudi students at the internationally renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have launched a Saudi chapter as part of their long-term objective to facilitate transfer of technology to the Kingdom, which is already in the process of setting up world-class universities to promote the same goal.

The prime mover behind this new initiative is Abdulrahman Tarabzouni, a brilliant young Saudi, who had already made a name for himself as a gifted student before he went to the US on scholarship. “We have succeeded in launching the MIT Saudi Students Organization (MIT-SSO) at MIT. This move will further strengthen our Saudi ties with MIT and guarantee a sustainable channel of continuation for such efforts,” said Tarabzouni in an exclusive statement to Yahind.com.

The launch of this association should be seen against the backdrop of ongoing changes in the Saudi academic scene, thanks to the vision and far-sightedness of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. As a result of his initiative, a world-class university, known as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), is coming up at Thuwal, 100 km. from Jeddah. Being constructed at a cost of SR 10 billion, it will be modeled on the lines of MIT to promote higher education in science and technology as well as scientific research.

This will also be the primary focus of MIT-SSO, says Tarabzouni who, as founder- president, hopes “to leverage our resources… and expand the potential pool of joint research partnerships, and apply some of the best MIT models in Saudi Arabia, and maintain a strong MIT-Saudi alliance program.”

He points out that the number of Saudi students on the MIT campus has been constantly growing over the past few years. There are currently 15+ Saudi students there, besides those who are on temporary research assignments at MIT. The launch of MIT-SSO addresses the need for an entity that embodies the values, aspirations and dynamics of this group.

Spelling out the significance of the move, Tarabzouni refers to the growing stature of Saudi Arabia “as an upcoming player in the international economic development and on the global energy scene (that) has sparked much interest in Saudi Arabia on the part of the MIT community.”

Another contributory factor is the increasing number of partnerships and centers involving Saudi Arabia and MIT (such as the Abdullatif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, MIT Energy Initiative and King Abdullah University GRP research program).

The SSO, he points out, can be a centralized hub where these opportunities are exploited in the interest of social and professional needs through a strong Saudi presence on the MIT campus. “The drive to launch MIT-SSO was inspired by a belief that slowly shaped itself when I was back in Saudi for almost seven months this year. There, I worked on the building blocks for an initiative called "Mubadiroon" (Initiative) to be presented for patronage of His Majesty the King.”

According to Tarabzouni, Mubadiroon's mission is to empower Saudi Arabia in three strategic fields: educational infrastructure, technology adoption and entrepreneurship. Ultimately, the goal is to promote sustainable development “that accelerates our transformation into a knowledge-based society to enable us to compete in this globalized world economy. I see the MIT SSO as a strategic partner of Mubadiroon (Initiative) to push forward that universal mission.”

Their plan of action will include “launching the SSO lecture series to showcase the unique Saudi perspective on global economic and developmental challenges, and an annual event that will be the ‘flagship-product’ of MIT-SSO. MIT-SSO will also work on recruiting more talented students from Saudi Arabia into MIT and will establish a support network to aid in the admission process, among many other ideas to promote more research-oriented partnerships and joint initiatives.

Research and development will also be the main thrust of the academic program to be followed at KAUST, says Nadhmi A. Al-Nasr, interim president of the upcoming university. As he told Arab News in a recent interview, “KAUST will act as a catalyst for creating a knowledge economy in Saudi Arabia — which is a long-standing dream of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah himself.”

Al-Nasr noted that KAUST will be a graduate-level research institution instead of an undergraduate one. “It is the vision of King Abdullah to have this university as a turning point in higher education. Hopefully, it will act as a catalyst in transforming Saudi Arabia into a knowledge economy, by directly integrating research produced at the university into our economy.”

“Unlike many primarily undergraduate universities, KAUST will not have a two-tier faculty,” said Al-Nasr. “All faculties will be of the highest caliber and able to formulate value-added research projects or will have unique background experience — as teachers or in private industry.” English will be the medium of instruction at the university, which will be modeled on such institutions as the MIT and Stanford University. Classrooms will open in September 2009, Al-Nasr said, adding: “The doors and the gates will open then.”

For sure, Saudi students, especially those from elite academic institutions in the Kingdom, will be given preference for admission to KAUST or Riyadh-based Alfaisal University, which opened in September this year. Even King Saud University is also being upgraded to international standard by revamping its syllabus and signing Memorandums of Understanding ( MoUs) with Nobel laureates from around the world.

When these initiatives mature in due course, they will also open up avenues for bright students from abroad. King Saud University has already announced a scholarship program for overseas students named after Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier and Minister of Defense and Aviation. Other universities will follow suit. It is an historic opportunity that bright Indian students should not miss.