DHAHRAN: One of the Kingdom’s leading universities has signed 15 new agreements with government entities and major corporations to advance research in areas including defense, artificial intelligence, and nuclear energy.
The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals signed the agreements at a recent ceremony in Dhahran attended by Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, minister of energy and chairman of KFUPM’s Board of Trustees.
Among the highlights is a memorandum of understanding with the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy to advance technology in nuclear and renewable energy, hydrogen, and AI.
The partnership also seeks to develop skills through scholarships, educational programs and entrepreneurial training.
KFUPM also signed two agreements with the Ministry of Defense.
The first introduces an academic program for military college students, while the second focuses on training and educational enrichment for “war veterans and martyrs’ children.”
Additionally, an agreement with the General Authority for Defense Development was signed to develop national capabilities in defense research and advanced technologies.
This agreement focuses on building research infrastructure and creating frameworks to enhance collaboration in defense systems.
The university also signed a new partnership with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, which outlines graduate scholarships, faculty exchanges and joint research projects.
Beyond defense, AI, and energy, KFUPM partnered with Aramco to establish two research centers.
One will focus on carbon materials to develop sustainable chemicals and materials, while the other will advance petroleum conversion technologies, emphasizing low-carbon fuels and plastics recycling.
The university also signed an agreement with the Ministry of Transport and Logistics Services to explore drone systems, autonomous vehicles and clean-energy transportation technologies, contributing to future regulatory and technological advancements in logistics.
Other collaborations include a memorandum of understanding with the National Center for Environmental Compliance to create a research center for environmental studies, a partnership with NEOM to co-develop academic programs and research initiatives, and an agreement with the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre to support biomedical engineering and medical device innovation.
Economic and educational development was also addressed through agreements with the Ministry of Economy and Planning to launch postgraduate programs in economics, and a partnership was created with Bank Albilad to provide financial support for students.
