King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) officially launched its four Centers of Excellence (CoEs) on Sunday, marking an important step in fast-tracking the transformation of academic research into real-world solutions aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom’s research, development and innovation (RDI) priorities.
“So much work has been done of a meticulous and complex nature to get us to this point,” Professor Sir Edward Byrne, KAUST President, told an enthusiastic auditorium of students, faculty, postdocs and staff. He added that the university sector holds much of the creative energy required to solve global challenges, and the launch of the new centers is vital for KAUST in fulfilling its “absolute responsibility” for the Kingdom in this regard.
Integrated with the KAUST National Transformation Institute (NTI), the CoEs — active since July 1 — focus on smart health, generative AI, renewable energy and storage technologies, and sustainable food security. The centers will drive innovation in the RDI pillars of health and wellness, sustainable environment, energy and industrial leadership, and economies of the future, reinforcing KAUST’s position at the forefront of discovery.
Dr. Pierre Magistretti, Vice President for Research, highlighted the interdisciplinary, collaborative nature of these CoEs, which aim to deliver practical solutions that can be utilized and commercialized within Saudi Arabia and abroad. “The projects are ambitious, but that is the [purpose] of KAUST.”
Basic research matters
Professor Mark Tester, chair of the CoE for Sustainable Food Security, stressed during the launch the importance of balancing fundamental research with commercialization, ensuring KAUST has solutions to deliver in the first place. Fortunately, he said, KAUST and the CoEs are finding this balance, with much of his CoE’s research maturing toward practical application. “Our center is here to deliver impactful research for the Kingdom.”
During his remarks, Professor Imed Gallouzi, chair of the CoE for Smart Health, emphasized KAUST’s reputation for high-level basic research, noting that the CoEs are “the engine” moving that promising research forward. “We need to have that strong arm of basic research. That absolutely needs to continue.”
Quite frankly, Professor Husam Alshareef, chair of the CoE for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies, noted that none of KAUST’s fundamental research would be “blue sky” in nature, but rather it all targets Kingdom-specific challenges. “When we solve the basics, this is scalable and addresses the Kingdom’s needs.”
Professor Bernard Ghanem, chair of the CoE for Generative AI, hopes KAUST’s programs and outreach will help cultivate GenAI unicorns in the Kingdom. “There are so many people in this country, and so many great ideas, but they need help to get there,” he said.