The Authority and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) support R&D

In the presence of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of KFUPM, and H.E. GAMI Governor Ahmad Al Ohali, KFUPM and GAMI signed an MoU aimed at supporting the military-industrial R&D and aligning the outputs of education and scientific research with the strategic needs of the Sector in the Kingdom.

The MoU, which was signed by the Acting President of KFUPM, Dr. Muhammad Al-Saqqaf, and the Military Industry Sector Deputy Governor Gasem Al-Maimani, aims to develop frameworks for mutual understanding and cooperation to facilitate guiding academic programs, university research, graduation projects, and university studies for the needs of the Sector. GAMI is an advocate for cooperation between the University and the military factories in the field of R&D.

The Agreement aims to achieve the goals of Vision2030 by localizing more than 50% of expenditure on defense, which will contribute to strengthening the Kingdom's strategic autonomy and raising its military and security readiness as well as enhancing the joint operation between all security and military entities and developing a sustainable domestic military industries Sector.

For his part, Al-Maimani clarified that the Agreement opens new doors for cooperation between the University and the military factories in the Kingdom and links R&D efforts in the field of military industries, including student exchange programs and scholarships, and benefiting from the University's outputs through training program tracks in several specializations that meet the needs of the Sector. Additionally, it provides summer and cooperative training opportunities for University students in the field, provides postgraduate students with scholarships to complete doctoral and master's degrees in R&D related to military industries, and establishes career development centers that facilitate the employment of military program outcomes in the Defense ecosystem.

In the same vein, Dr. Al-Saqqaf pointed out that the Agreement reflects the determination of the two sides to harmonize education and research outputs with the needs of the military industry. Moreover, it aims to guide the academic programs and University research to serve the military R&D Sector, which is considered one of the essential pillars of Vision2030. By pointing out that the Agreement is a manifestation of the University's interest in developing distinct relations with the social Sectors and participation with them in producing, renewing, and advancing knowledge, the university enhances cooperation with the Authority and realizes its positive role in developing both parties. H.E. the President of the University, concluded his statement by stating that the multiplicity of areas of cooperation confirms the two sides' keenness to achieve distinguished achievements, expressing he is confident that the collaboration between the two sides will grow to broader and deeper horizons and that it will be a model to be followed in the partnership between the academic and industrial Sectors.

This cooperation endeavors to develop and enable scientific and technical research, and set up industrial development, research, technologies and national competencies, and to provide incentives and facilities to support Universities and accelerate the development of national competencies, to contribute to creating national economic diversification by increasing non-oil, and the direct contribution of the local sector to 2030.