King Saud University (KSU) delegation
June 2013
As the largest Higher Education Centre in Saudi Arabia, KSU, located in the capital city of Riyadh, goes back in history more than fifty years, displaying principal focus on the highest quality of education, research and entrepreneurship to better prepare its graduates for competitive future.
On the 21-22 March, the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training at Imperial College London had the pleasure of hosting His Excellency Dr. Badran Al-Omar, the King Saud University (KSU) Rector and his accompanying senior delegation: Prof. Dr. Ahmed Bin Salem AlAmeri - Rector for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research; Dr. Abdurrehman Al-Moammar - Vice Rector for Health Specializations; Prof. Dr. Moaddi M. Almethhib - Dean of College of Business Administration; Prof. Dr. Khalid Ibrahem Alhumaizi - Dean of College of Engineering; Prof. Dr. Suleiman Alshammari - Deputy Chairman of Scientific Council of Family Medicine, Examination Committee and Health Education Center as well as Consultant of Family and Community Medicine; and Dr. Mezyad M. Alterkawi - Director of International Relations and Twinning Program at KSU, CEO of Riyadh Technology Incubation Centre as well as Associate Professor, College of Architecture and Planning.
His Excellency, and the delegation, were welcomed to Imperial College -Charing Cross campus- by the Head of the Department of Primary Care & Public Health, Professor Azeem Majeed, and the WHO Collaborating Centre Director, Professor Salman Rawaf. Professor Rawaf lead discussions on curriculum strengthening and development of modern teaching and training materials, supporting academic capacity development, joint course development, academic short training courses , postgraduate training opportunities and possible future collaborations between the two Universities.
At the South Kensington Campus, the delegation met with previous and current Saudi postgraduate student in the friendly common-room atmosphere over lunch to discuss their future outlook and their experiences at Imperial College London. They also met with Professor Jeff Magee, Faculty of Engineering Principal, where they exchanged teaching practises and deliberated on modern educational approaches. The delegation also got a chance to visit the Grantham Institute, at Imperial College’s Business School and Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, opposite St. Mary’s campus, where they were guided across a plethora of Imperial College’s state-of-the-art facilities including; the graduate training labs, OR Camps, the virtual reality laboratory, the distributed simulation and robotic operating suite & anatomage table.
The delegation met with Key figures in the University including the President and Rector of Imperial College London, Sir Keith O’Nions, and the Director of the School of Public Health, Professor Elio Riboli. Jointly with Professor Riboli and Profssor Rawaf, Dr. Badran discussed the development of the relationship between Imperial College and KSU and signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Collaboration between the two universities linking them in bilateral collaboration in teaching, research, capacity building and service development in the field of expertise relevant to both Universities.
KSU aims to disseminate and promote knowledge in Saudi Arabia, widening its base of scientific and literary expertise, maintaining a competitive edge with other nations in the fields of Arts and Sciences, and contributing to discovery and invention. Imperial College London is pleased to be enabling KSU to provide support in the research and academic arenas, and looks forward to the exchange in learning and excellence between the two universities.