ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY BEYOND THE CURRICULUM

KAUST’s Winter Enrichment Program inspires students and the community

Sustainability: Principles and Practice took place across five days in May 2023 on KAPSARC’s campus. KAUST faculty members representing a range of academic specialties, and experts from KAPSARC, the Saudi sustainable development advisory firm Aeon Strategy and the Center for Systems Solutions (CSS) led the sessions. Among the 40 selected participants were delegates from several Saudi ministries and government bodies.

The course helped expand participants’ understanding of what it means to practice sustainability and how the UN Sustainable Development Goals can be applied to their own lines of work, giving them insight into the environmental, social and economic aspects. The key learning outcomes included an understanding of sustainable development models and principles; the ability to critically evaluate the global challenges facing the implementation of sustainable solutions, and identify relevant assessment tools and methodologies for such projects and policies; and the application of a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable project management.

A highlight of the program was CSS’s The World’s Future Social Simulations, during which participants acted as decision-makers addressing real-world challenges, increasing their knowledge, as well as improving their problem-solving skills. The collaboration between KAPSARC and KAUST to deliver the course highlights their commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s sustainability goals.

Every year, KAUST hosts its Winter Enrichment Program (WEP), driven by the motto, “enrichment for all” and aimed at providing students with knowledge and skills beyond their regular curriculum. Held January 7-18, 2023, the theme this year was “Edge: Transform the world you know.”

KAUST has had great success with the WEP, which has run since 2010. Students, faculty members, and the university’s academic and industrial partners are all encouraged to participate in the many events offered. The WEP 2023 included 1,639 presenters, 4,090 students, 124,150 visitors and 2,090 events. The program not only encourages alternative ways of learning through hands-on activities, ranging from exhibits to workshops, but also helps to foster community.

The event brings together an array of speakers and attendees, including Nobel laureates, entrepreneurs, academics, and distinguished local and regional leaders. Among the 2023 keynote speakers were well-known personalities such as retired professional soccer player Didier Drogba and Raha Muharraq, who was the first Saudi woman and youngest Arab to summit Mount Everest.

Throughout the year, the university asks for proposals from its community for speeches, panels, courses, seminars, field trips, events, films and performances. This allows students, faculty members and other KAUST stakeholders to play an active role in shaping the event.

The WEP has been designed to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which dovetail with many of Vision 2030’s targets. Some of the subjects covered in 2023 included the future of sustainable mobility, renewable energy and food security. KAUST Provost Lawrence Carin talked about the importance of translating the ideas explored in the WEP into action to define the future of the world and transform lives.

In 2024, the theme of Digital Adventure will explore the topic of artificial intelligence in health and wellness; environment; energy; and the economics of the future. Discussions will address how artificial intelligence can be leveraged to develop a modernized world through smart cities, smart health, quantum computing, virtual reality and the metaverse.

DIDIER DROGBA

“I’m excited to be here. As soon as I arrived, I felt the energy of the place, which is extremely immense – it’s big. To have this quality of study, teachers and establishments is inspiring.”

Didier Drogba, Retired Professional Soccer Player

Saudi National Institute Of Health

“I am honored to have been invited to speak at the WISE workshop. I believe that establishing a network will help us address gaps in our systems. It is very important for women to take advantage of all the opportunities for empowerment ongoing in the Kingdom.”

Sufana AlMashadi, Director of Innovation, Saudi National Institute of Health

The 2023 workshop highlighted the call to action “Everyone has a role to play in empowering women!”. KAUST’s Women to Impact initiative further underpins this drive by offering women a support framework for pursuing their education, advancing their careers, entering high-tech industries and building STEM startups, through the creation of inclusive programs and partnerships. While previous events have focused on promoting equality by encouraging companies to hire more women and offer fair pay, this year’s workshop highlighted the need for a greater balance between women’s personal and professional lives by promoting strategies for achieving mental wellness.