Dear community,

It is now almost a year since COVID-19 came to KAUST and we began the challenge of keeping KAUST safe through this global pandemic.At this important milestone, we wish to update you on progress and developments related to COVID-19, specifically regarding the rollout of vaccines, increased KAUST testing, and the ongoing Keeping KAUST Safe measures.

Therefore, I have asked my colleagues from Health, Safety & Environment, Community Life, HR and KAUST Health to participate in a town hall meeting to be held virtually at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 4, so that the administration can share its thoughts and plans with you, and answer questions that you may have. We will share the information that we have about vaccines and testing, and also how we can expect an even higher level of return to some kind of normal workplace over the coming months can be shared. I feel it is important that we have a two-way update at this moment and that we listen to the community. Therefore, please submit your questions in relation to the pandemic, we will make sure that they are addressed at the town hall meeting.

I also want to briefly share with you my view of where we stand with regard to the pandemic and its impact on the university. 

First, we have kept KAUST safe through recent months and even as many of the community travelled through the winter break and returned to the campus thereafter. This is no small achievement and it speaks to the ongoing benefit of remaining vigilant as a community. We have a plan and by working together to implement that plan, we are collectively ensuring KAUST is one of the safest places to be. This is a remarkable achievement born out of a truly collective effort.

Second, I want to talk about the hope for mass vaccination in Saudi Arabia over the coming months. I know that a growing number of us are already vaccinated and that this number will continue to grow quite quickly over the coming months. I was vaccinated in January and I am so very grateful to the Saudi Ministry of Health for this.

If you have not done so already, I urge you to register for the vaccine on the Sehatty app (iOS / Android). Through registration, everyone will have a chance to receive the vaccine as it becomes available on a greater scale over the months ahead.

Third, I want to acknowledge the body of work we have sustained throughout the pandemic as well as the many achievements and new developments the organization can point to over this exceptional academic year.Despite COVID-19 and the immense disruption it has caused, KAUST has successfully adapted its work processes across the board, which has meant that teaching, research and innovation continue apace and the wide range of crucial administrative supports and services that make this university work have adapted also.

While we continue to make changes where needed to meet the needs of KAUST, I think we can now see a point later in the year where we might start a more significant relaxation of the restrictions that have kept us safe at KAUST, but before we arrive at that point, I hope we all stay committed to keeping KAUST safe by following the Keeping KAUST Safe guidelines.

So, please do engage with the upcoming town hall meeting where my KC3 colleagues will answer your questions while also updating us on the status of virus globally, in the Kingdom and at KAUST and update us all on the next steps in relation to the much anticipated vaccine program.

Thank you.

Tony Chan
KAUST President