Commencement 2022: It’s nearly time

We are very much looking forward to celebrating our graduates’ achievements and welcoming their friends and family to KAUST this week.

Here are the key points for the two days of celebration:

Commencement Dinner

The Commencement Dinner is Thursday, December 15, 2022 – 7:00 p.m. at the Al Marsa Amphitheatre.  Only registered, invited students and their guests may attend the dinner. 

Commencement Ceremony

The ceremony takes place on Discovery Walk (the Spine), Friday, December 16, 2022.  Seating opens at 6:30 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m. 

Dress code is formal or national dress.

Members of the KAUST community are welcome to join the ceremony in Discovery Walk or watch live online.

After the Ceremony, attendees are invited to join a Reception on Discovery Walk from the Campus Library down to the Building 18 Student Center Plaza.  Enjoy a light buffet and drinks, capture your memories at the photo booths, and choose mementoes from the Matjar Gift Shop popup.  Explore the Cultural Gift Store and Art Gallery, curated by the Office of the Arts. Finally, in honor of the Ministry of Culture designating 2022 the Year of Saudi Coffee, we are pleased to welcome a Saudi Coffee booth with regional varieties of Saudi Coffee in a tent in the Building 18 Plaza, brought to you by KAUST Archaeology, Community Life, the Office of Culture, Enrichment and Engagement, and Strategic National Advancement.

For full Commencement ceremony details regarding seating and timing, access to the Commencement ceremony area, translation services, parking, shuttle service, lost and found, and changes to food operating hours, please scroll down.

Please note: Preparatory work for the Commencement ceremony is ongoing in the Discovery Walk area this week, between the Campus Library and Building 1.  Please use caution when passing through this area.

We look forward to welcoming our graduating students and their families, faculty, guests, the KAUST community and volunteers for Commencement 2022.

Commencement Team
commencement@kaust.edu.sa

Commencement 2022 Important Information

Seating for the Ceremony

• Commencement seating opens at 6:30 p.m.  Prayer time is at 7:12 p.m., and everyone is expected to be seated by 7:20 p.m.
• People participating in the academic processional and ceremony will be seated in clearly designated areas. For all other attendees, including family members and guests, seating will be on a first come, first serve basis.
• The seating is outdoors, so please be sure to wear appropriate attire.

Access to Commencement Ceremony

• All guests will be required to present their KAUST ID or Commencement ID if requested by members of Security Services.
• The main pedestrian entrance to the ceremony area will be the north end of Discovery Walk (the Spine) near the Student Center (Bldg.18). The entrance on Level 0 of Building 14 will be open to ease access for guests with reduced mobility.
• Bicycles, e-scooters, skateboards etc. are not permitted anywhere on Discovery Walk on Friday, December 16.
• Vehicle access is restricted at Gate 6 (facing the Administration Building, Bldg.16) on Friday, December 16.

Translation Services

• Translation devices will be available, with two collection points: by the Campus Mosque for guests using the Building 18 arrival route, and by Building 1 Landside for guests using Building 14 arrival route.

Special operating hours

• The Cultural Gift Store and Art Gallery, curated by the Office of the Arts, will be open from 2pm until 10pm on December 16.
• The Campus Diner will be open for normal operations on December 15 and 16. 
• Al Marsa Restaurant will be closed December 15 and 16  for regular business unrelated to Commencement activities.  
• Discovery Square and Harbor Walk outlets will operate extended hours on Friday, December 16 as follows:

• Burger King  12:00 a.m.                              
• KFC 12:00 a.m.
• Tamimi (Discovery Square)12:00 a.m.        
• Vera 12:00 a.m.
• Tawabil 1:00 a.m.                                        
• Dominos 1:00 a.m.
• Baskin-Robbins 1:30 a.m.

Shuttle Service to the Commencement Dinner, December 15:

Parking is very limited at Al Marsa, so please use the shuttle buses.  Shuttles will run between the Visitor Centre and Al Marsa from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., every 5 minutes from the following stops:

• Stop 1: Visitor Center – Main Gate (Guests will be required to provide valid KAUST or Commencement ID.)
• Stop 2: The Palms: Junction of Prosperity Road and Cedar Avenue
• Stop 3: The Palms: Cedar Avenue
• Stop 4: The Palms: Starling Avenue, between Liba Lane and Samman Lane
• Stop 5: The KAUST Hotel (Al Khozama)
• Stop 6: Tamimi Bus Station
• Stop 7: KAUST Inn 2
• Stop 8: Commencement Dinner Ceremony, the Yacht Club

Shuttles will run in reverse order, via all the stops from Al Marsa to the Visitor Center, every five minutes from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.

Shuttle Service to the Commencement Ceremony, December 16:

Shuttles will run from the Visitor Centre to Building 14 between 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., every 5 minutes from the following stops:

• Stop 1: Visitor Center – Main Gate (Guests will be required to provide valid KAUST or Commencement ID.)
• Stop 2: The Palms: Junction of Prosperity Road and Cedar Avenue
• Stop 3: The Palms: Cedar Avenue
• Stop 4: The Palms: Starling Avenue, between Liba Lane and Samman Lane
• Stop 5: The KAUST Hotel (Al Khozama)
• Stop 6: Tamimi Bus Station
• Stop 7: KAUST Inn 2
• Stop 8: IT Building (Bldg. 14)*

*(Contingency: In case of inclement weather, Stop 8 will be outside Building 19 and 20.)

Shuttles will run in reverse order, via all the stops from Building 14* to the Visitor Centre, every five minutes from 8:00 p.m. to midnight.

Note: Travel on off-campus buses to Jeddah/Makkah/Medina is not open to Commencement guests.

Parking

Parking is available for staff, students, and Commencement visitors in the following locations:

• North Garage (adjacent to Bldg. 20), Level 0 and 1 – access via Gate 10, at the junction of Hope Avenue and Unity Boulevard, pedestrian bridge access between Bldgs. 4 and 5)
• South Garage (under Bldgs. 9 and 16), Level 0 only  – access via Gate 7, near the Greenhouse, Unity Boulevard.
• South Garage – (under Bldgs. 9 and 16), Level 1 – access for leadership, operational team and VIPs only
• Additional parking is available at Tamimi Supermarket and opposite the KAUST Inn, with shuttle buses at five minute intervals to the Commencement ceremony area as detailed above

Additional information:

• Lost and found stations will be situated adjacent to the translation device collection points, by the Campus Mosque and by Building 1 Landside.  Any items found and not claimed on the night will be taken to Housing Services Reception in Discovery Square.
• Water stations will be located at 8 points around the Commencement ceremony and Reception areas.

Please contact commencement@kaust.edu.sa for any further information.