About Us
King Abdulaziz City
for Science & Technology (KACST) is an independent scientific organization
of the Saudi Arabian Government, established in 1977 under the name of Saudi
Arabian National Center for Science & Technology (SANCST) and later in 1985
renamed as 'King Abdulaziz City for Science & Technology (KACST)'.
KACST is governed by a Supreme Committee, which is chaired by the Prime
Minister (the King) and is composed of the ministers of the major ministries
to which science and technology are of greatest relevance as follows:
Prime Minister
(Chairman)
Deputy Prime
Minister (Vice Chairman)
Minister of Defense
& Aviation & Inspector General (Member)
Minister of
Interior (Member)
Minister of Higher
Education (Member)
Minister of
Agriculture & Water (Member)
Minister of
Industry & Electricity (Member)
Minister of
Petroleum & Mineral Resources (Member)
Minister of
Planning (Member)
Minister of Finance
& National Economy (Member)
Head of General
Intelligence (Member)
President of KACST
(Member)
In addition, the Prime Minister nominates three other members.
VISION:
To be a world-class research organization vital to Saudi Arabia's future
and a vital source of S&T for national societal mission which combines
technology with human touch.
From its inception in 1977, KACST had been carrying out its mission in the
promotion of science & technology in the Kingdom by coordinating and
cooperating with various universities, agencies and institutions concerned
with research and technology, and encouraging Saudi experts to undertake
research that will help promote the development and evolution of the
society. Besides this, KACST, through cooperative agreements with
international science and technology institutions/organizations, encourages
closer ties with friendly countries. The cooperative research programs have
successfully completed several solar energy research projects, the
establishment of a Saudi Center for Remote Sensing, the establishment of
national observatory and an aquaculture research station and other projects.
KACST has established several national research institutes. Among the
institutes are the Institute for Petroleum and Petrochemicals Research, the
Institute of Energy Research, the Institute of Natural Resources and
Environmental Research, the Institute of Arid Lands Research, the Institute
of Astronomy and the Institute of Atomic Energy Research, etc.