17.1: Research into Partnerships for the Goals

Definition:

• This focuses on the number of publications that relate to the 17 SDGs as well as the academic publications that are co-authored by someone from another country that is considered as low income or lower middle income country, by the World Bank.  

a presentation of the most prominent achievements of King Abdulaziz University in the field of scientific research in support of the Sustainable Development Goals during 2024.

1. A Center of Excellence for Research in Environment and Sustainable Development

§  The university has a Center of Excellence in Environmental Studies that focuses on pollution research (air, water), and waste management

2. Climate Change Policy and Clean Energy

§  The university has a major solar energy project: installing solar systems on the rooftops of campus buildings to generate clean energy. According to the Climate Action Policy of the University

§  This project contributes to reducing carbon emissions and reflects the university's commitment to SDGs 7 Clean Energy.

3.  Sustainability and Corporate Documentation Report

§  The University issues a "Consolidated Sustainable Development Goals Report" that includes information on its contribution to the various goals.

§  Through this report, the university tracks its research and institutional performance towards the SDGs.

4. Sustainability Conference 2024

§  In December 2024, the university organized a conference on sustainability focusing on the relationship between Islamic finance and sustainable development.

§  This conference promotes research into sustainable financing models that take into account the social and economic environment.

5. Promoting Educational and Ethical Research

§  From the research published in 2024: "Sustainable Development and its Goals from an Islamic Educational Perspective" — An Analytical Study Linking the Principles of Sustainable Development with an Islamic Perspective

6. Supporting Researchers and Funding Programs

§  The university has launched the "My Research Portal" portal that allows researchers to submit research proposals, and submit research excellence awards starting from 2024  .

7. Sustainable Research Theses

§  From the Master's/Ph.D. theses: a thesis entitled "Cultural Sustainability in the Design of the Traditional House in the Historic District of Jeddah", linking the architectural/heritage dimension with sustainable development. This research contributes to SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by preserving cultural heritage in an environmental and social way.

King Abdulaziz University demonstrates outstanding global performance in SDG 17 through high-impact research output and strong international collaboration. Between 2019 and 2023, the University produced a total of 11,256 publications related to SDG 17, consistently outperforming the global median each year and ranking in the 98th percentile worldwide. This exceptional scholarly output reflects the University’s solid commitment to advancing research that supports global partnerships and sustainable development.

In addition, KAU excels in international knowledge exchange through its high rate of co-authorship with low- and lower-middle-income countries. With a co-authorship score of 0.509—significantly higher than the global median—the University again ranks in the 98th percentile globally. This strong collaboration highlights KAU’s active contribution to capacity-building, equitable research partnerships, and inclusive global development.

Both indicators—Scholarly Output and Co-authorship—carry equal weight (13.55% each) within THE’s SDG 17 methodology, and KAU’s exceptional performance across both demonstrates a balanced, robust contribution to global sustainability efforts. The University’s achievements reinforce its position as a leading institution in fostering impactful partnerships, accelerating knowledge transfer, and supporting the global sustainable development agenda.