Jeddah, KSA – Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX), a leader in hybrid multicloud computing, today announced the successful deployment of its Nutanix Cloud Platform (NCP) at Jeddah University, enhancing the educational institution’s classroom, lab, and remote learning experiences while surpassing cost-saving expectations.

Jeddah University, one of Saudi Arabia’s newest academic institutions, offers innovative programmes designed to prepare students for leadership roles in the Kingdom’s evolving job market. Its focus on digital learning underscores the university’s alignment with Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to establish a digitally driven, knowledge-based economy.

As one of the most modern Saudi public universities, Jeddah University is pioneering the ‘New Saudi University Mission’. Collaboration, innovation, and community impact underpin this initiative, which seeks to deliver a differentiated education through the integration of research and study. This makes virtual desktops indispensable to students, who rely on them to attend classes, participate in labs, collaborate with batchmates, and access learning resources in a secure and seamless manner. 

When VDI-related operational costs, inconsistent performance, and IT management complexity began to affect students’ remote learning and research lab experiences, the University seized the opportunity to standardise on Nutanix. “We decided to get ahead of these issues by deploying a platform for secure, scalable, and high-performance virtual desktops. While Nutanix’s recognition as a leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for seven consecutive years was impressive, it was the overwhelmingly positive feedback from our industry peers in Saudi Arabia that ultimately influenced our decision to move forward,” said Mr. Hosam G. Mutir, Systems Engineer at Jeddah University.

From the outset, Nutanix’s solution proved effortless, integrating seamlessly with key applications used by the University — including its Learning Management System, Student Information System, and productivity tools such as Microsoft Office. Driven by the enhanced stability and performance of the new environment, both student and staff productivity — and critically, their satisfaction — have seen a significant boost. New VDI machines can be provisioned in under 3 minutes, ensuring fast, seamless access to academic resources as the student body grows. The implementation has cut management overhead and operational time by over 45%, enabling IT to refocus efforts on innovation.

“We’ve seen significant improvements across every key metric — performance, scalability, security, and ease of management. Our students have greatly benefitted, and operating costs have been reduced by an incredible 40%. It’s truly remarkable,” said Mr. Mutir.

As an institution that prides itself on being one of the most modern in the Kingdom, it’s no surprise that Jeddah University has its gaze firmly set on the next technological horizon. Mutir emphasised that Nutanix will continue to be a trusted partner in realising the University’s forward-looking vision.

“We remain committed to strengthening this partnership, particularly in the adoption of emerging technologies. Currently, we are developing a strategic plan for GenAI and other innovative solutions. Nutanix gives us the confidence to boldly explore new frontiers and help shape the future of higher education in the Kingdom,” he concluded.