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INTRODUCTION
King Saud University (KSU) has been a leading and distinguished institution of higher education in the Kingdom for over half of a century, continually contributing to the wealth and well-being of the nation. KSU has a fine tradition of exemplary learning and teaching, excellent research, and influential graduates. As KSU moves forward it must continue to strengthen its reputation and the impact it makes nationally and internationally. To achieve its long-term goal to become a world-class institution, KSU must demonstrate leadership and quality in all its activities, build on its past, and pursue even higher aspirations.
Recognizing that world-class universities have quality programs that educate the next generation of researchers, teachers, leaders, and professionals from all walks of life KSU will increase its emphasis on postgraduate research and coursework. New methods of teaching, including enhanced academic and non-academic programs that meet higher standards and are better managed will be developed to ensure quality assurance, academic coordination, and curriculum management. These new pedagogical methods will be supported by effective and extensive marketing and promotion as well as by state-of-the-art facilities. Moreover, KSU aims to design and develop coursework programs that are multi-disciplinary in focus and innovative in approach to respond to dynamic and challenging industry demands. Ultimately, the goal is to graduate well-qualified professionals who will lead and benefit contemporary society.
The university's aspiration to become a research-intensive university requires immediate attention to the capacity of KSU's existing support infrastructure. KSU will re-engineer and streamline support activities across the university to align with its strategic goals.
It is increasingly clear that a university's worth is judged by its value to society and its engagement with the community: as a stimulus to economic growth, as a provider of skilled graduates, as a generator of multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research addressing real social and economic needs, and as a source of expert advice. KSU acknowledges the multifaceted impact that a university can make on individuals and on the society as a whole. The potential benefits of dynamic engagement are great, and if KSU is to be recognized in the future as a research-intensive university, engagement with the broader community - locally, nationally and internationally - will be essential.
Over the past two years, the university has been...