In less than 50 years, King Abdulaziz University has grown to being the 5th top ranked university in the Arab region, and the top 300 globally, according to the THE World University Rankings 2025, with a growing reputation for innovative research. It is reaping dividends from focused strategic investments to bolster KAU's research and innovation; an entrepreneurial culture backed by global industry partnerships; and a push connect with international research networks.
Since the very inception of the SDGs, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia took an active part in related consultations and has pledged its commitment to meet the goals once they were endorsed in September 2015. Since then, Saudi Arabia has always reaffirmed its commitment during its participation in various regional and international conferences and forums. The Ministry of Education and Planning promotes the role of the private sector and charitable societies and associations towards realization of the SDGs, through development of methodologies and proposals designed to improve productivity and efficiency of the public, private and third sectors.
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their associated 169 targets were agreed by all countries at the United Nations in September 2015 and constitute a shared global framework of development priorities to 2030. They aim to bring an end to extreme poverty, promote prosperity and well-being for all, protect the environment and address climate change, and encourage good governance and peace and security.
The contribution of universities to the SDGs is much broader, as they can support the implementation of every one of the SDGs as well as the implementation of the SDG framework itself.
The SDGs have a strong relevance to universities and the tertiary and academic sectors more broadly. So education, research, innovation and leadership will be essential in helping societies address these challenges.
Universities will have a vital role to play in addressing the critical global challenges and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Universities have a responsibility through their teaching to equip the next generation of leaders, innovators and thinkers to understand the global challenges facing the world and the role they can play in rising to meet these challenges. Through their research and training of research leaders, universities are at the forefront of finding sustainable social, economic, environmental and technical solutions to global problems. Finally through their own operations universities can pioneer innovation and can set an example to other sectors and businesses.
It is important for the future of the world that all universities play their part in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.