Oasis in the desert - Comments

Dear Ms.Corbyn, A well written article and deserves an 'excellent" grade ! To be fairer to the other higher education institutions in KSA,like KSU, I would have preferred seeing a mention of the latter's recent climb in the quality charts ! But,I know,the star of the piece was KAUST. Also, a cursory mention was made of the other GCC countries experience of "importing" world class institutions to set up shop locally; it would have been instructive to flush out the pros and cons of that model versus KAUST. I salute your fair and sound undertaking. Cheers,

This is a very interesting article indeed. Thanks Ms Corbyn. My suggestion for another article is to interview both male and female liberals and conservatives to examine their perceptions on such changes in Saudi society. These interviews should also include people from different levels of the hierarchy, that is, students, academics, managers and parents. In this case, you can come up with a holistic framework that can help those academics going to SA, those intellectuals interested in Saudi academia and those organisations entering into partnerships with KAUST or any other Saudi organisations.

I congragulate the authorities to establish KAUST as a former Aramco academic staff.I hope it will fulfill the dreams of Saudi people,especally young generation whom were obliged to get degrees from abroad.A high caliber institution like KAUST will also enhance scientific and technological researches in the Middle East.

The fundamental topic addressed in this article can be stated as follows: What characterises universities in which real learning and real research take place? A moment of reflection soon shows that, in order to obtain a substantial answer to that question, one must broaden its scope and ask instead: What relevant features do societies possess that have such universities? It then soon becomes apparent that this is not primarily a matter of money or resources, but a matter of culture; and of course, I use the word ‘culture' as would a social anthropologist. The question then becomes: What is it about the culture of certain societies that produces universities in which real learning and research take place? A little further reflection then soon shows that features like the educational attainment of the local population, the place of women, or bureaucratic procedures are merely surface manifestations of that culture. In short, one must go deeper and consider details. One might, for example, ask: What is it that prompts certain people in certain societies to work 14 hours a day in a research laboratory when the outcome of such work is unclear and the financial rewards meagre? Or one might ask: What is it that prompts certain people in certain societies to spend many years trying to understand an obscure phenomenon? So again, instead of beginning by writing about a new university, outside countries that already have significant ones, it might be best to begin by asking: What is it about the culture of certain societies that contributes to their having universities in which real learning and research take place? Once that question has been at least tentatively answered, one might be in a better position to outline what is required for such universities to develop in other countries.

I trust that KAUST will add the all too important subject of ethics in every area of scientific research and field of studies, such as Ethics in Engineering, Bio-Ethics, Environmental Ethics, Business Ethics, Legal Ethics, Ethics in Information Technology, etc. Every field of scientific research raises ethical questions; these questions are intriguing and compelling. A serious university based on rigourous science cannot omit or deny the need of addressing these ethical issues.

Your detailed and sympathetic cover story on higher education in Saudi Arabia was most welcome. However, without wishing to diminish the aspirations of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in any way, may I suggest that there was too much emphasis on a single institution. Also, I wonder whether KAUST is really the Flagship University of Saudi Arabia. King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh has also embarked on a program of modernisation that includes undergraduate education and service to the wider society as well as producing world class research. KSU has been acknowledged by several international rankings, culminating in its inclusion in Shanghai Jiao Tong University's Academic Ranking of World Universities, the first time that any Arab or Saudi university has achieved such a distinction. Distinguished Scientists Fellowship Program King Saud University

I love the way you describe this place as "liberal" - accompanied by pictures of women with black bin liners over their heads/dressed up for Halloween. Couldn't make it up!