The University of Waterloo today renewed and expanded its cooperation with King Saud University.
WATERLOO, Ont. (Wednesday, Apr. 18, 2012) – The University of Waterloo today renewed and expanded its cooperation with King Saud University.
Feridun Hamdullahpur, president & vice-chancellor of Waterloo, and Abdullah A. Al-Othman, university rector at King Saud University, signed the agreement, which expands on the existing collaboration between the two institutions. It involves joint research and commercialization opportunities, and an international exchange for faculty members and non-degree graduate students.
“The University of Waterloo values the strong relationship that we have enjoyed with King Saud University since 1999,” said Hamdullahpur. “We look forward to building on our mutually beneficial collaboration with this respected international institution.”
Hamdullahpur represented Canadian universities when he addressed delegates at the prestigious International Exhibition & Conference on Higher Education in Riyadh. He spoke of ways in which institutions can prepare graduates to be productive in an ever-changing world.
“We need to help them develop the skill of critical enquiry; the instinct to question and understand that there can be more than one solution to a problem,” he said. “We need to help them develop the entrepreneurial skills that will turn ideas into commercially viable businesses or implementable solutions to health care or social issues.”
Hamdullahpur also outlined Waterloo’s demonstrated ability and unique position to address some of the world’s greatest challenges through innovation and technology, world-class research, and progressive learning models.
“A commitment to being at the forefront of innovation has naturally led us to be on the ground floor of leading-edge research fields such as bioinformatics and nanotechnology,” he said. “Our students are eminently employable. The world of technology and innovation is studded with University of Waterloo alumni.”
Consistently ranked Canada’s most innovative university, Waterloo is home to advanced research and knowledge transfer in science and technology, health, environment, arts and social sciences. From quantum computing and nanotechnology to clinical psychology and health sciences research, the University of Waterloo brings ideas and brilliant minds together.
About the University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada's technology hub, has become one of Canada's leading comprehensive universities with 34,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. Waterloo, as home to the world's largest post-secondary co-operative education program, embraces its connections to the world and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. For more information about Waterloo, please visit www.uwaterloo.ca.
Media Contact:
Pamela Smyth
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Communications & Public Affairs
University of Waterloo
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Waterloo news release no. 29
