UCL Signs Strategic Research and Innovation Pact with Saudi Arabia’s KAUST During Gulf Visit
University College London leader meets senior Saudi education officials and marks first institutional engagement in Kingdom
University College London (UCL) President and Provost Dr Michael Spence led a high-level delegation to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in October 2025, culminating in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Thuwal.
The agreement outlines shared ambitions in research, education, innovation and commercialisation, and positions both institutions to develop joint programmes in areas such as entrepreneurship, MBA delivery, and vaccine manufacturing.
Dr Spence stated that UCL is “committed to fostering a globally connected community driven by innovation” and that the MoU with KAUST reflects the “shared ambition to explore new models of collaboration” across borders.
KAUST President Sir Ed Byrne said that the UK, and London in particular, occupies a “vital node” in the university’s expanding global research network, and that UCL is a “natural partner” for KAUST’s transformational agenda in applied science and commercialisation.
The October trip covered stops in Riyadh, Jeddah, Thuwal, Dubai and Sharjah, and forms part of UCL’s preparations for its bicentennial celebrations in 2026. In Riyadh, Dr Spence held introductory meetings with Saudi education ministers and scholarship deputies to explore broader institutional collaboration.
Delegates also engaged with more than forty UCL alumni at a networking reception in Dubai, underscoring the university’s growing presence in the region.
The visit aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader focus on innovation-driven growth and reflects UCL’s strategy to deepen its global reach.
Observers note that this move reinforces the Kingdom’s ambition to position itself as a regional knowledge hub and supports UCL’s objective of integrating research, education and enterprise internationally.
The agreement outlines shared ambitions in research, education, innovation and commercialisation, and positions both institutions to develop joint programmes in areas such as entrepreneurship, MBA delivery, and vaccine manufacturing.
Dr Spence stated that UCL is “committed to fostering a globally connected community driven by innovation” and that the MoU with KAUST reflects the “shared ambition to explore new models of collaboration” across borders.
KAUST President Sir Ed Byrne said that the UK, and London in particular, occupies a “vital node” in the university’s expanding global research network, and that UCL is a “natural partner” for KAUST’s transformational agenda in applied science and commercialisation.
The October trip covered stops in Riyadh, Jeddah, Thuwal, Dubai and Sharjah, and forms part of UCL’s preparations for its bicentennial celebrations in 2026. In Riyadh, Dr Spence held introductory meetings with Saudi education ministers and scholarship deputies to explore broader institutional collaboration.
Delegates also engaged with more than forty UCL alumni at a networking reception in Dubai, underscoring the university’s growing presence in the region.
The visit aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader focus on innovation-driven growth and reflects UCL’s strategy to deepen its global reach.
Observers note that this move reinforces the Kingdom’s ambition to position itself as a regional knowledge hub and supports UCL’s objective of integrating research, education and enterprise internationally.