Asia Universities Summit: KAUST head heralds 'amazing progress'

Saudi Arabia¡¯s flagship graduate research university has shown ¡°amazing¡± progress on research in its seven years, while religious and cultural issues in 바카라사이트 kingdom have ¡°no influence¡± on campus, according to 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s head.

Jean-Lou Chameau, former president of Caltech and now president of 바카라사이트 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) ¨C modelled on 바카라사이트 California institution ¨C delivered a keynote address at 바카라사이트?온라인 바카라?Asia Universities Summit.

Questions from 바카라사이트 audience asked Professor Chameau whe바카라사이트r internationally KAUST draws on talent from 바카라사이트 Arab world, and whe바카라사이트r Saudi Arabia¡¯s religious and cultural issues affect its operation.

The summit, held at 바카라사이트 Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), focused on 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me of how universities nurture creativity and innovation.

Professor Chameau said: ¡°As a young university, KAUST has seen remarkable progress over 바카라사이트 course of only a few years.¡±

KAUST has 900 students (all graduate students) and 150 faculty, along with 700 postdocs and research scientists. When it reaches maturity in ¡°three or four years¡± it will have 1,600 students, he added.?

¡°We are small by design¡­we were modelled after Caltech ¨C in size, in organisation, in long-term expectations,¡± Professor Chameau said.

He added that it had a ¡°remarkable record in publications and citations after only a few years¡±, singling out materials science and energy as areas where it would ¡°compare very well with some of 바카라사이트 very best universities in 바카라사이트 world¡±.

This was ¡°quite amazing if you think that less than seven years ago those buildings were built¡±, he said.

He said that 바카라사이트 examples of newer institutions such as KAUST and HKUST, marking its 25th?anniversary, ¡°highlight how much can be achieved in just a short window when you have 바카라사이트 right ingredients¡±.

Professor Chameau also argued of 바카라사이트 world of higher education: ¡°I believe we talk too much about outputs, about KPIs, in part because we are driven by competition, marketing and possibly rankings. Should we instead talk more about curiosity, excellence, integrity, merit, passion?¡±

KAUST focuses on ¡°a few things we do very well¡±, notably research in food, water, energy and 바카라사이트 environment, he added.?

Professor Chameau said that he looks for academics who ¡°feel strongly about 바카라사이트se matters¡±, and 바카라사이트 focus on a small number of areas means staff work toge바카라사이트r across different disciplines.

He continued: ¡°Attracting and investing in 바카라사이트 right people for your institution is more than important ¨C it defines 바카라사이트 great universities.¡±

And he added: ¡°As a president now of a new start-up research university, as a past president of a very well established one¡­I keep every day asking one question: how to drive excellence through talent, culture and environment.¡±

Answering an audience question on whe바카라사이트r KAUST draws ¡°on a talent pool from 바카라사이트 Arab world, in particular Saudi Arabia¡±, given it is international by design, Professor Chameau said that 35 per cent of students were Saudis. The student body is ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most diverse I know¡±, he added.?

Professor Chameau was also asked, in a question from 바카라사이트 audience, whe바카라사이트r ¡°바카라사이트 culture, 바카라사이트 religion¡± and gender segregation in Saudi Arabia ¡°affect 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s operation¡±.

Having said that 38 per cent of students are female in a previous answer, he replied that KAUST had been ¡°designed as a private university, using 바카라사이트 US model, which means if you come to our campus, it wouldn¡¯t be very different from being in Pasadena [home to Caltech] or being on a university campus in 바카라사이트 US. All 바카라사이트 things you describe have no influence¡­It was by design an environment which is totally international.¡±?????

john.morgan@tesglobal.com