JEDDAH: Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Schlumberger have become founding members of the KAUST Industrial Collaboration Program (KICP). This was announced here on Saturday by KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology).
Charles Kingdon, director of Research Park and Industrial Collaboration at KAUST, said KICP membership provides resource to ensure breadth of access and awareness of all KAUST research, seminars, events, networking and events.
He said that the membership also provides collaborators with recruiting and outreach support, offers both employment and funding prospects to students and promises challenging and meaningful research collaborations for the faculty.
Kingdon noted that KICP enriches the research experience while also promoting economic development in the Kingdom by providing opportunities for the university and its associated academic partners to collaborate with outside industry and institutions.
"We have always believed in the need to harness our own technological creativity to that of academia and of our clients. I am sure that the new KAUST Industrial Collaboration Program will nurture significant multidimensional technical collaboration that will benefit us all as we respond to some of the world's most difficult energy challenges," said Andrew Gould, chairman and CEO of Schlumberger.
Drawing on global best practices, the university is establishing a Technology Transfer Office, an Industrial Collaboration Program and a Research Park to support the creation of new businesses, he noted.
KAUST aims to provide a home for existing companies that are seeking access to its academic strengths, an incubator, an entrepreneurship program and the benefit of a regional seed and venture fund network, said Raed Bkayrat, manager of KICP.
By Hasan Hatrash
© Arab News 2009
