tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post7861605128846015269..comments2023-09-26T02:31:13.244-07:00Comments on Sabria's Out of the Box: KAUST may test Saudi higher education systemSabria Jawharhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18201180678460647389noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-50602971799665598882010-02-17T19:32:58.221-08:002010-02-17T19:32:58.221-08:00You have really great taste on catch article title...You have really great taste on catch article titles, even when you are not interested in this topic you push to read itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-86020583344188183042009-12-12T17:32:31.884-08:002009-12-12T17:32:31.884-08:00well.. it's like I thought!well.. it's like I thought!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-17330543284577402202009-10-19T09:49:51.003-07:002009-10-19T09:49:51.003-07:00Being a graduate of the King Fahd University of Pe...Being a graduate of the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, I can almost guarantee that this will be a failure. Why? One word. Co-ED. <br /><br />When you force a system that conflicts with the Islamic requirements of separation of the sexes then you are asking for trouble. The political system there is such that this will create big time problem for the Saud dynasty. <br /><br />Other problems such as very high humidity and salt levels is troublesome too. The $$$$ are not the only thing. Researchers who are enticed by $$$$ only are not the true researchers in my opinion. <br /><br />Moreover, the research that is being showcased to happen in the future should help "local" industry and solve "local" problems such as water treatment, power, irrigation, farming, etc. Looking at the several disciplines, it merely is research for the sake of research. Even if there is some benefit, it is likely to go back to the founding companies who are not Saudi-based.<br /><br />A sanity check is needed here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-53946820773789208132009-10-10T13:23:56.672-07:002009-10-10T13:23:56.672-07:00Having visited KAUST recently I can only admire th...Having visited KAUST recently I can only admire the fact that this huge campus and the associated residential areas have been built in only two years. The amount of equipment on campus is equally impressive, from the Shaheen supercomputer, an extensive (electron) microscope facility and an extensive visualization lab. The Saudi's decided to purchase "best in class" for everything, up to the office furniture.<br /><br />Will KAUST succeed in its mission of opening up Saudi Arabia to modern science and to get young Saudi people interested in it? It is difficult to predict and far too early to tell but it will be extremely difficult. The society surrounding it is governed by the strict Islamic (shari'a) law and recently a conflict on KAUST teaching (the fact that classes at KAUST are mixed-sex) has been going up to the level of HM the King, forcing him to fire one of the religious leaders. That could result in big setbacks for KAUST once HM passes away (he is 85, after all). Will the KAUST endowment continue after his death?<br /><br />The current challenges KAUST faces is that the recruiters for the faculty and staff have done extensive over-promising "your house will be ready and waiting for you" "the lab is completely equipped" and, unfortunately the reality on housing (bad construction, long repair times) has already proven to be a nightmare for some. KAUST is 90 km north of Jeddah so anything not available in the small campus shops means a long drive in Saudi traffic (passing on the hard shoulder with 160 km/h is perfectly OK). Power outages are very common (no power on the complete campus for more than one hour, like last week).<br /><br />The (potential) faculty has to face the question if living in the golden cage of the KAUST campus with all that nice equipment but otherwise being literally in the desert (even worse, Red Sea shores, meaning 40 C and 90 % salt humidity) is something that advances their scientfic careers. Due to the attractive salaries (~ 100 K$ and up, tax free, moving expenses paid) many "gold-seekers" have joined.<br /><br />I really hope and wish for the Saudi people and the surrounding countries that KAUST will make a change but I must say that in my view the chance of success is very, very low.Arjen Rienksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-34145183118161950872009-09-28T00:09:19.234-07:002009-09-28T00:09:19.234-07:00My 13 year old son, an Australian, loves science -...My 13 year old son, an Australian, loves science - specially biology - and thinks that's what he wants to do with his life. <br /><br />He read all about KAUST and it inspired him so much he now says he wants to go there to do research when he's older - not MIT, not Harvard, not Cambridge but KAUST in Saudi Arabia.<br /><br />Sure KAUST is in its infancy and my boy is many many years away from postgrad scientific research but your reader will have to explain to me how something that can inspire such feelings in a kid about a country that usually only attracts negative comment in the West is a bad thing, because I just don't get it...Billnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-70818210516377725672009-09-27T03:40:31.673-07:002009-09-27T03:40:31.673-07:00Optimism is not a bad thing, I admit. But this has...Optimism is not a bad thing, I admit. But this has to be combined with a perspective on reality and a judgement on the past experiences. You do - to be fair - express a concern whether KAUST will actually turn out to be a bubble, like so many other things in Saudi (and I speak from first hand experience, having lived in the country for several years). <br /><br />What I would say is this: any attempt at modernising/reforming/helping (call it what you may) the education system in Saudi (and surrounding countries) is very welcome. What I hope from the KAUST initiative is not that we will end up with a world-class institution overnight (or even for several years to come), but that the region gets some exposure to the (1) scientific methods that emphasise objectivity, rationality and methodology, (2) modern educational system specially from a curriculum and administrative purposes and (3) an appreciation of the benefits that a free, mixed/multicultural thinking brings to the human thought process. Such things, I hope, could be experienced and replicated elsewhere in the region and hope to be benefited from (even at a superficial level at first).<br /><br />I like in the UK and we have some of the oldest educational institutions in the world. There is a point to be made here: modern, big buildings, new economic cities, wider roads and any other material attempt does not bring any benefit to the educational system. What matters are are two things: first, a free (and I mean free!) and a constructive attitude to approaching science (be it physical/natural or social), and secondly, means to be aware of the immediate problems surrounding us so that they can be tackled. The university should not be insulated (in a compound!) from the rest of the society. <br /><br />Saudi Arabia, admittedly, faces some unique challenges. The need to address the concerns of the youth amongst a society set deep in cultural and conservative traditions is not easy. <br /><br />But I repeat myself: optimism is not a bad thing. Not a bad thing at all. Because if hope and optimism die, we are left with nothing. <br /><br />While intellect and rationality are critical to success (in this context), a real passion for change and progress is really the time of the need. We need to do more. This world deserves better.Sirajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03538016803726715768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-23620843530005730162009-09-25T00:15:36.330-07:002009-09-25T00:15:36.330-07:00Actually, Dr Moran is Irish, born and bred, althou...Actually, Dr Moran is Irish, born and bred, although his PhD is from Brown University in the USirisheyesksahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07101924107199639833noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6197893319710396244.post-78665056395479710572009-09-24T17:52:04.379-07:002009-09-24T17:52:04.379-07:00sorry to disappoint you but that reader is absolut...sorry to disappoint you but that reader is absolutely rightAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com