King Saud University

King Saud University
جامعة الملك سعود
Former names
Riyadh University (1964–1982)
Motto
ريادة وتميز
Motto in English
Leadership and Excellence
TypePublic university
Established6 November 1957; 67 years ago (6 November 1957)
FounderSaud bin Abdulaziz
EndowmentUS$2.7 billion (2013)[1]
PresidentDr. Abdullah S. Al-Salman
Administrative staff
4,952
Students61,412 (2022)[2]
Location,
24°43′19″N 46°37′37″E / 24.722°N 46.627°E / 24.722; 46.627
CampusUrban, 2,224 acres (900 ha)
LanguageEnglish, Arabic
Websiteksu.edu.sa/en/

King Saud University (KSU, Arabic: جامعة الملك سعود, romanizedJāmiʿa al-Malik Saʿūd) is a public university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1957 by King Saud bin Abdulalziz to address the country's skilled worker shortage, it is the first university in Saudi Arabia.[3] It was known as Riyadh University from 1964 until it was reverted to its inceptive name in 1982.[4] It was converted into an independent non-profit academic institution in 2023.[5]

The student body of KSU today consists of 40,000 male and female students, 7% of which are international.[6] The female students have their own disciplinary panel,[7] and there is a center supervising the progress of female students, either personally by female faculty members or by male faculty members via a closed television network.[8] The university offers courses in the natural sciences, the humanities, and professional studies, and many courses are tuition-free.[9] The medium of instruction in undergraduate programs is English and Arabic depending on the chosen major. Among Arab universities, its medical programs are highly regarded.

  1. ^ "50 Richest Universities in the World: University Endowment Rankings". Nonprofit Colleges Online. 21 April 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  2. ^ "King Saud University [Acceptance Rate + Statistics]". 21 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Top Universities". Top Universities. 12 November 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  4. ^ "Saudi Arabia - EDUCATION". Countrystudies.us. Retrieved 16 November 2010.
  5. ^ Staff Writer; Gazette, Saudi. "King Saud University transforms into independent non-profit academic institution". www.zawya.com. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  6. ^ "King Saud University". Timeshighereducation.com. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  7. ^ "King Saud University >Committees > About center KSU -". Archived from the original on 7 September 2013.
  8. ^ "King Saud University > Home > About center KSU -". Archived from the original on 30 December 2011.
  9. ^ "King Saud University". Topuniversities.com. Retrieved 28 September 2017.