The King blesses the march of King Saud University towards Global Leadership
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques patronizes a ceremony for inauguration and laying the foundation stone of a number of construction and strategic projects for King Saud University
The King honours strategic partners and donors and receives the World Ranking Shield

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud patronized Sunday afternoon, 13 Safar 1430 a ceremony held for inauguration and laying the foundation stone of a number of construction and strategic projects for King Saud University. The most important of these projects are the female students campus and the completion of the Medical City, the teaching staff housing and the buildings of male students' colleges in addition to the first phase of the university's endowments and Riyadh Techno Valley at a total cost of SR14 billion and 39 million rials.
Upon arrival at the ceremony held at the University premises, the King was greeted by His Highness Prince Ahmad bin Abdullah bin Abdul-Rahman, the Governor of Al Direiyah, the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Khalid bin Mohamed Al-Anqari and the Director of King Saud University Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al Othman.
After the Royal anthem was played, the deputies of the University director and the deans of colleges greeted the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Following this, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud toured the exhibition held in coincidence with the ceremony, during which he got acquainted with the university's construction and strategic projects and listened to a briefing on these projects by the Director and officials of the University. He viewed the model of the female students' campus, the teaching staff housing project, the KSU endowments project and the Riyadh Techno Valley project. The King was greeted by Engineer Khalid Al-Saeed Al-Zahrani who briefed him on the first product of the Riyadh Techno Valley which was innovated by him. He then presented the product to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
The King also viewed during his tour photographs and illustration boards of the various University projects, including the King Abdullah Nanotechnology Institute.
During the tour, a group of deaf patients who underwent cochlear implants at King Abdul Aziz University Hospital and who are now enjoying good health also greeted the King. The King exchanged cordial talks with them and felt assured of their health in a kind parental gesture. Then Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud took his place in the rhetoric ceremony podium which was prepared on this occasion. The ceremony started with recitation from the Holy Quran. Then the Minister of Higher Education, Dr. Khalid Bin Mohammad Al-Anqari delivered a speech in which he welcomed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and the audience. He noted the support received by the Saudi universities from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a matter which enabled them to discharge their development mission of ideal qualification of the sons and daughters of the Kingdom. He said "and now, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, in King Saud University which enjoys the privilege of your care as is the case with the other sister universities, we meet at the ceremony of inauguration and laying the foundation stone of a number of construction projects .. There is no doubt that such continuous establishing of these projects in the territory of this beloved homeland shows not only your belief in the importance of higher education, but also proves in a practical way your keenness on development and advancement of higher education in our beloved country.

He outlined that the construction and strategic projects of King Saud University, inaugurated and launched today by Custodian of the Two Holy, include the female students’ campus and the completion of the Medical City, the teaching staff housing and a number of college buildings for male students in addition to the first phase of the university endowments and Riyadh Techno Valley at a total cost of 14.039 billion riyals.
He extended his thanks and gratitude to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques for inaugurating and laying the foundation stone of these construction projects in the university.
Then the Director of King Saud University Dr. Abdullah Al-Othman delivered a speech. In the beginning, he welcomed and thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz for his encouragement and support to education which entail the pride and happiness of all staff of the university. He noted that the King is always a source of pride for all citizens as well as for the every Arab and Muslim.
He said to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques "we, here at King Saud University, have rejoiced in your wise initiative for Arab reunion when the interests of the nation became at risk and there is no doubt that this is a source of pride in the chest of every Arab and Muslim. Speaking on the university's efforts in realizing the vision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques in the development of higher education, Dr. Al-Othman said: “this is a historic day for the King Saud University, considering that strategic projects are being established to serve the citizens, the educational process and research and the society as a whole. The projects include the Riyadh Techno Valley which comes in response from the University to the Eighth Development Plan to establish scientific parks for transition to the knowledge–based economy. Besides this valley there are university endowments which preach a new concept of charity work in our country as endowments have multiple benefits notably scientific ones.
The Director of King Saud University affirmed, on behalf of the university students, to shoulder the responsibility and achieve creativeness, excellence and leadership in the knowledge-based economy and said: "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, you will see from this University and its staff achievements recorded internationally in the name of the homeland that make you feel proud of ". He outlined that the support of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince enabled the University to implement its development programs and strategic projects and praised the follow-up and guidance of the Minister of Higher Education and the support of the Minister of Finance. He prayed to God to preserve our rulers and perpetuate our security and prosperity under the leadership of our wise government.
The Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SABIC, Mohamed Al-Mady delivered an address in which he affirmed that SABIC, since its inception, has been paying its utmost attention to scientific and technological research topics, as it signed research agreements with most of the Saudi universities, in accordance with the directives of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. He pointed out that SABIC adopted a long term strategic plan since 1976 by attracting and licensing technologies to build factories and implement the biggest plan to train and qualify the Saudi youth to work in the fields of modern technology. He noted that SABIC developed and innovated many technologies and products that have been applied commercially and that SABIC now has over a thousand and five hundred researchers and scientists, a matter which led to the possession of about six thousand patents. He said what is being done by SABIC is an extension to the scientific development, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Then King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the princes and the attendants watched a documentary film about the University.
Afterwards, the Monarch placed his hand at an electronic screen to mark the laying of the foundation stone of the female student dorms, male student faculties building complex, housing of the teaching staff, phase one of university endowments, Riyadh Techno Valley, National Centre for e-learning and Distance Education, National Hyperglycemia Center, and SABIC Center for Developing Plastics Applications.
Then the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud honoured Prof. Abdul Aziz Bin Nasser Al-Manie, the winner of King Faisal International Prize for Arabic Language and Literature for this year, by presenting him an award from the University consisting of amount of money, establishment of a research chair in his name and the University model.
The King also honoured the strategic partners of Riyadh Techno Valley by presenting to them the gold medals of the University. These include a model in the communications and information sector awarded to the National e-Learning Centre of the Ministry of Higher Education. It was received by the Advisor and the General Supervisor of the Administrative and Financial Affairs at the Ministry of Higher Education, Dr. Ali bin Suleiman Al Attiyah. In the Petrochemical sector, the gold medal was awarded to the strategic partner SABIC and was received by SABIC Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Al-Mady. In the biotechnology sector, the strategic partner was Al Zamil Group and Oxford International. Their gold medal was received by Al Zamil Group Chairman, Dr. Abdel Rahman Bin Abdullah Al-Zamil. Gold medals were also received from the hands of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques by Nasser Yousef Bin Rashid, from the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Engineer Azzam Yasser Shalabi, the head of the Industrial Clusters of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Dr. Tawfiq bin Fauzan Rabi'ah from the Saudi Industrial Property Authority.
Then, the King honoured the donors of the first phase of the University Towers project who donated complete endowment towers. Their donations amounted to a total of five hundred and fifty million rials. They are Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi for his donation of Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi Tower, Abdullah Suleiman Al-Rajhi, for Al Rajhi Medical Tower, Engineer Bakr bin Laden for Mohammed bin Laden Tower and Abdullah Saleh Kamel Abdullah Saleh Kamel Tower.
The King also honored the donors of endowment units whose donations amounted to a total of 110 million riyals. They are Abdullah Saad Al-Rashed, Dr. Ibrahim bin Nasser Al-Rashid, Abdullah Ahmad Buqshan and Dr. Walid Amin Kayali.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques also honoured the first staff member of King Saud University who donated his monthly salary to the university endowments. He is employee Mohammed bin Dakhil-Maliki, who received the tribute from the hands of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
the King then honoured the Saudi inventor Engineer Khalid bin Saeed Al-Zahrani who was awarded the University Gold Medal for inventing a safe electronic system for male and female students of educational institutions to facilitate their entry and exit in a civilized innovative technical way.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud received the University gift and the International Ranking Shield awarded to the university by the famous world universities’ rankings (Wibometrics). The university was ranked the first at the Arab and Islamic level and twenty-first in Asia and 292 globally. The gift and shield were presented to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques by the Minister of Higher Education Dr. Khalid Al-Anqari and the Director of King Saud University Dr. Abdullah Al-Othman.
After the Royal anthem was played, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques left the university premises. He was bid farewell with similar hospitality and respect he received on arrival. The ceremony was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, the Deputy Minister of Defence and Aviation and Inspector General, His Royal Highness Prince Miteb bin Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Saad bin Abdul Aziz, the Advisor to HRH the Interior Minister and His Royal Highness Prince Miqren bin Abdul Aziz, President of the General Intelligence and a number of princes, ministers and senior civilian and military officials.