Vice-Rector for Developing Technology and industrial relations

I welcome you to the Dhahran Techno-Valley at King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals.

This Valley is envisioned to be the Middle East's most prestigious research and technology development nucleus with comprehensive business support. The Valley is being set to provide infrastructure for R&D to flourish in the Kingdom.

Flourishing landscaped surroundings of Dhahran Techno-Valley will create the ideal ambience and environment where innovations transform into successful business ventures. It is expected that outstanding services plus recreational activities will add to the vibrancy and networking amongst tenants in the Valley Community. Academia support from KFUPM is a commitment that can be counted upon. Other leading technological and scientific institutions in the area will also be fully utilized. Dhahran Techno-Valley is destined to gather national and international research centers in one location.

Interaction between world-class researchers in an easily accessible facility will be promoted. Infrastructure for the state-of-the-art specialized and sophisticated equipment and test facilities will be provided. It will also house a business incubator that serves to nurture promising new technical and IT companies. These companies would create new jobs and serve the existing business and industries. The Techno-Valley will be a vehicle for promoting inter-disciplinary interaction among researchers and businesses to tackle the emerging challenges of our societal and technical issues.

The Schlumberger research center is the first fully operational center at the valley. Additionally, the DTV is also enjoying very strong collaborative relationships with giant national companies such as Saudi Aramco, SABIC and SEC; and international companies such as Nippon, Intel, Ciba and JCCP. We are also looking forward to see these relationships develop to a strong alliance and true partnership in the near future resulting in more centers being built in the Valley.

As part of its strategic plan, KFUPM views the commercialization of its developed technologies as crucial in today's economic climate. It has one of the most robust commercialization strategies of any university and is pro-active in licensing. One of the examples is the joint KFUPM, Saudi Aramco and Nippon endeavor in developing a refining technology that is licensable and targeted for commercialization.

We welcome you to explore the far reaching possibilities in working together with us. Let us venture into this endeavor together which we call “a local mission with a global vision”.

Thank you.

Dr. Faleh Al-Sulaiman
Vice-Rector for Developing Technology and industrial relations