Riyadh, February 12, 2024, The KAUST Future Forum 2024 kicked off today, organized by the prestigious King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and hosted at the innovative "the Garage" startup district in Riyadh by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). In collaboration with the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the event drew the participation of numerous officials, research and innovation experts, academics, and representatives from various research centers.
During the forum, KAUST President Professor Tony Chan underscored the university's commitment to achieving impactful milestones in line with the Kingdom's ambitious Vision 2030. He emphasized KAUST's unwavering dedication to becoming a world-class institution through relentless pursuits of excellence in research, innovation, and talent cultivation.
Chan outlined KAUST's new strategy, aimed at accelerating impact to align with national priorities and contribute to the commercialization process and community benefits. The forum served as an invaluable platform to showcase KAUST's past achievements and reaffirm its dedication to the university's updated strategy.
The event featured seven discussion panels with 47 speakers, delving into crucial topics such as energy, health, environment, academia investments, talent attraction, women's role in science, and strategic partnerships development.
Additionally, an exhibition showcased the top 20 projects epitomizing KAUST's efforts to expedite impact within the Kingdom. These projects were in harmony with the new research, development, and innovation priorities introduced by HRH the Crown Prince, Chairman of the KAUST Board of Trustees, in 2022. These priorities aim to boost research investments to 2.5% of GDP, generating high-value jobs in science and technology. Among the highlighted projects were initiatives focusing on coral-reef restoration, solar-cell technologies, and AI-based medical diagnostics.
Moreover, a working paper titled "Media and Scientific Research... a Partnership for a Promising Future" was presented during the forum's proceedings, shedding light on SPA's media initiative aimed at disseminating scientific research, innovation, and strategic partnerships.
