King Abdulaziz University

King Abdulaziz University (KAU) is a public research university located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1967 as a private institution by a group of businessmen led by Muhammad Abu Bakr Bakhashab, which included Mohammed Ali Hafiz and others. The university was named after King Abdulaziz ibn Saud, the country’s first monarch. In 1974, King Faisal converted it into a public university. As of 2022, it had over 117,096 students, making it one of the largest universities in Saudi Arabia.

The idea for a private university in Jeddah was first proposed in 1964 by Mohammed Ali Hafiz. That same year, a six-member preparatory committee was formed, including Hafiz and Muhammad Abu Bakr Bakhashab. Crown Prince Faisal soon gave official approval. In 1965, an executive committee was created, and in 1966, a logo design competition was held, won by Jeddah artist Abdul-Halim Radwi. KAU was officially established in 1967 to expand higher education in the western region, as Jeddah had no higher-education institutions before then. The effort was supported by prominent businessmen, notable Saudi figures, and King Faisal’s encouragement and funding. The first academic year began in 1968 with 68 male and 30 female students. The first faculty, Economics and Administration, opened in 1969, followed by Arts and Humanities in 1970.

In 1974, the Saudi Council of Ministers decided to merge the university with the government, making it public. By 2017, it had nearly 31,000 students, 28% of whom were international. The campus was designed by the British architectural firm Sir William Halcrow & Partners. In 2018, Times Higher Education ranked it first among Arab universities, citing strong citation impact and a highly international outlook. U.S. News rankings also placed it first in the percentage of total publications with international collaboration.

Between 2004 and 2014, KAU ran a program to attract international scholars, welcoming nearly 150 researchers from various fields. It has developed international research partnerships, including a joint lunar research program with Morocco’s Astronomic Observatory of Oukaïmeden. The university hosts 13 research centers, focusing on medicine (medical genomes, osteoporosis), environment and energy, climate change, and desalination.