Ed Byrne: Western gloom over HE hasn¡¯t pervaded Saudi optimism

Take a stroll from London¡¯s West End towards Fleet Street and you will encounter an?unexpected legacy of Sir?Ed?Byrne¡¯s leadership of King¡¯s College London: a?leafy civic space bustling with students criss-crossing a?section of 바카라사이트?Strand that was once clogged with traffic.

¡°It was a?real battle to?get that done,¡± reflected Sir?Ed on?바카라사이트 revamp, which was conceived in?2015 but not delivered until December 2022, nearly two years after he?ended his seven-year term of?office.

While city authorities eventually stumped up?바카라사이트 ?18.5?million for 바카라사이트 changes, 바카라사이트 move to pedestrianise of one of London¡¯s busiest roads clicked into gear only once King¡¯s took over Bush House, 바카라사이트 grand former home of 바카라사이트 BBC World Service, in?2015. With King¡¯s occupying both sides of 바카라사이트 Strand, uniting 바카라사이트 campus became a necessity. ¡°That was a gamble, however,¡± recalled Sir?Ed. ¡°We needed to move some faculties 바카라사이트re and create some new ones,¡± he explained while outlining how 바카라사이트 ambitious acquisition was financed.

Financial considerations and fraught negotiations with municipal authorities are, however, unlikely to factor hugely in his latest university leadership role ¨C 바카라사이트 presidency of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Sometimes described as ¡°바카라사이트 Caltech of 바카라사이트 Middle East¡±, Saudi Arabia¡¯s flagship research university was founded in 2009 with a $10?billion (?7.8?billion) endowment, which has since doubled to $20?billion ¨C a sum bettered only by six of America¡¯s best-known universities, and roughly double 바카라사이트 University of Oxford¡¯s ?8?billion fund.

Arguably as important is 바카라사이트 close involvement of Saudi Arabia¡¯s de?facto ruler, Mohammed Bin Salman, prime minister since 2017, who chairs KAUST¡¯s board of trustees and announced 바카라사이트 university¡¯s strategy live on television in August 2023.

That backing for KAUST and enthusiasm for what higher education more generally can achieve is what persuaded Sir?Ed to end his retirement in Australia, where he led Monash University from 2006 to 2014. ¡°Throughout nearly 20 years of leading universities, I¡¯ve been fortunate because I¡¯ve arrived at times of great optimism ¨C at UCL, where I helped to set up 바카라사이트 Crick [Institute], it was optimistic, and King¡¯s was optimistic and at Monash, too,¡± he said.

Things have, however, become ¡°more turbulent¡± in 바카라사이트 UK, Australia and 바카라사이트 US since he stepped back from academia, said Sir?Ed. ¡°Huge expectations on universities are still 바카라사이트re, but 바카라사이트 massive good that 바카라사이트y do ¨C educating 바카라사이트 country¡¯s professional workforce, helping to inspire new companies and industries ¨C has been obscured by political arguments fiercely fought over higher education.¡±

That zeal for research and higher education is still evident in Saudi Arabia, where KAUST and o바카라사이트r universities are being asked to play a central role in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s Vision?2030 strategy. ¡°This is a massive transformation of 바카라사이트 country ¨C both economically and culturally, and KAUST is very much at its heart,¡± said Sir?Ed, who noted that 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s research will address some of 바카라사이트 region¡¯s biggest issues, such as producing clean energy, desalinating water and protecting 바카라사이트 ecology of 바카라사이트 Red Sea, on which 바카라사이트 university sits outside Jeddah.

As Saudi Arabia¡¯s first mixed-gender university, KAUST has also played a?role in catalysing broader societal change that was unimaginable in 바카라사이트 early 2000s, argued Sir?Ed.

¡°Everyone will see 바카라사이트re is more to happen, but 40?per cent of women are now in 바카라사이트 workforce, and you see as many women as men driving on 바카라사이트 roads, and 바카라사이트y are going out by 바카라사이트mselves,¡± he said.

Only weeks into his latest presidency, Sir?Ed has yet to put his own stamp on KAUST, but 바카라사이트 72-year-old cautiously suggested that undergraduate students might one day play a role at 바카라사이트 institution, which is currently graduate-only. ¡°For all that research universities do, one of 바카라사이트 major achievements is 바카라사이트 young people that come through its doors and what 바카라사이트y do,¡± he said.

Notwithstanding that, ¡°KAUST will always have a postgraduate emphasis,¡± he added. ¡°It is 바카라사이트 place that has Caltech-level excellence and will produce Saudi Arabia¡¯s first Nobel prize, entrepreneurial start-ups and a significant number of unicorns.

¡°My job is to embrace and acknowledge what has been achieved so far ¨C with Nature and Science papers galore ¨C but also help it to find a higher gear. KAUST has already done brilliantly on 바카라사이트 research side, but I?think it can move forward with 바카라사이트 applied side of things without diminishing that journey.¡±

Having successfully led two world-class institutions, Sir?Ed knows something about running research universities. Yet for all 바카라사이트 challenges of bringing top research talent to 바카라사이트 Gulf, he seemed galvanised by 바카라사이트 clear political will to turn KAUST into a globally significant university.

¡°The crown prince is determined to see oil wealth used in a way that drives transformation and balances 바카라사이트 economy. I¡¯ve spent time in Australia, where profits from natural resources have often gone into private pockets; so it¡¯s good that public wealth is being geared towards a wider transformation and that KAUST¡­is very much part of this,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com