RIYADH: The Deanship of the Common First Year at King Saud University took part in the 45th Annual Conference on the First-Year Experience, held in Seattle, US.

This year’s edition focused on students’ academic and social transitions, guided advising, retention strategies and enhancing student engagement, in addition to showcasing successful institutional models for building sustainable transitional pathways.

The university’s participation aligns with a strategic direction that positions the first-year experience as a cornerstone of the quality of university outcomes.

During the scientific sessions and workshops, the dean delivered remarks highlighting the importance of intentionally designing the first-year student experience, emphasizing that academic support and advising programs should not be viewed as parallel services, but rather as an integral part of the educational experience’s structure.

He also reviewed models of the deanship’s initiatives to support new students, including early follow-up mechanisms and academic and skills development programs aimed at fostering university readiness from the first weeks of study.

The deanship said that its participation in the international conference aligns with a strategic direction to strengthen King Saud University’s institutional presence on specialized academic platforms and to leverage global expertise to develop policies and practices that support new students.