I came across this slide show of pictures from King Saud university, taken by an American visitor. You might find them interesting.
November:28:2008 - 10:28 | Comments & Trackbacks (20) | Permalink
20 Responses to “Pictures of King Saud University in Riyadh”
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June:09:2010 - 09:40
i want to be part of this great university. I did master in structure from AIT, Bangkok.
regards,
June:09:2010 - 11:32
I’d suggest contacting the Saudi embassy in Bangkok to see how to apply to KAUST.
June:09:2010 - 11:58
Frankly Iftikhar, there is no scarcity of prestigious institutions in your discipline in the developed world, where you can get a higher degree with a scholarship and good prospects of income in a job or as a consultant.
If I were you, I wouldn’t think of going to Saudi Arabia for higher education, but it’s your choice.
John,
The colour aesthetics of that building gives the impression of a building in a desert – not quite attractive from academic point of view.
June:09:2010 - 12:16
Beautiful campus. And as it IS a building in the desert, very appropriate as well as attractive.
June:09:2010 - 15:25
Great slideshow. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I think it is a stunning beautiful university, and the architecture highly aesthetic as well as appropriate. It reminds me of the contemporary architectural movement to use local materials and designs; and, of course, generally in architecture to always have a building in harmony with/ echo its surroundings.
KAUST would be great for the appropriate engineering degree, or perhaps another Saudi university since prestige is often not just university based but more importantly based on a department or faculty within a university. Usually at that level people in the field know the prestige of a given department or faculty in their specialty, independently of the prestige of the university as a whole.
June:09:2010 - 16:05
I have been reading about Saudi Arabia all by myself these days and it is getting painfully boring!
Maybe the uni. is a mirage in the desert.
Did you guys actually see the pictures. I got a message, “Sorry the slideshow is empty”.
I don’t know what kind of mint tea I drank tonight but my gums are numb….
June:09:2010 - 17:07
Sparky be careful when brewing green leaves. That’s all I’m gonna say….
Yes, I saw the pretty, pretty pictures!
June:09:2010 - 17:10
I saw them!
June:09:2010 - 17:29
Sandy pls say more. I didn’t brew the leaves. I had them as a guest!
I didn’t see them!
Can you guys double check.
June:09:2010 - 17:40
I saw them again. I bet you were also served snacks….hmmm….
June:09:2010 - 20:38
Sparky,
The slideshow runs perfectly well here. Though I don’t see any merit in it honestly.
The very idea of desert turns me off.
Perhaps because I myself live in hot climate and I know how difficult life in heat and dust – let alone desert and sand can be.
Those who live in a comfortable environment can’t understand it.
June:09:2010 - 21:05
Iftikhar,
Anyone who advises you that Saudi Arabia is a better choice than the developed world for higher education is not your well-wisher. Of course it’s your choice in the end, but I have told you about it.
June:09:2010 - 23:29
Sandy & Daisy thank you guys for double checking. I can’t view it on my p.c. I guess it is not meant to be.
Daisy: The desert does tend to make one’s mood less tolerable! LOL.
Gov’t educational systems tend to be run by idiots who are thieves and private educational systems tend to be run by greedy cattle milkers.
I know the noble King has good intentions and I saw his face on T.V. and it lights up regarding education. You just know his heart is there, but I still feel like the ppl he has entrusted or the ppl that he has entrusted to entrust to run the projects are generally speaking filthy animals who care nothing more than pocketing money. The sad part is when students know no better and that they actually think what they are receiving as an education is actually good and fair. I figure someone along the line figures “damned to hell are those who complain those who are receiving goodies (education) for free/ if everyone just keeps their mouths shut all will be fine”. Or will it not?
I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June:09:2010 - 23:46
I hereby declare all idiotic thieving and lying Deans/ Supervisors/ Management/ Supervisors etc. of schools and universities to be hit by my F-bomb.
They (i say they not “you” because they would never read this blog or any other written material hahahah) shall be replaced with people who care about education and who are willing to do what is right for the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Thank you Engr. Iftikhar Mahmood!
June:10:2010 - 01:22
Well, I don’t live in a comfortable environment, but because I was raised to appreciate other cultures and ways of living I can appreciate a variety of architecture suited to a variety of natural settings. Not everyone is capable of that, I understand.
June:11:2010 - 08:17
Well, this is not being appreciative of other people’s cultures. This is being downright insensitive to the hardships that the desert people face in their traditional lifestyle which doesn’t give them access to modern amenities.
You don’t really live the traditional life bereft of basic needs of a modern life of the desert tribes, no matter how modest your lifestyle may be. Try to live their life then we’ll see.
Saudi Arabia would do better to do something for those people than show a hypocritical pride in imitating the desert in a modern university environment – especially when Saudis have shown absolutely no regard for their historical monuments.
If this was a historical monument, I would have appreciated it. But it is a hypocritical way to hide the hardships of the desert people and the fact that Saudis have been absolutely abusive of their historical monuments.
June:11:2010 - 08:50
@Daisy
You don’t live a bereft lifestyle either- yet you think “living in a hot climate” you understand how hard the life is? (post 11). Well if you understand it so do I.
Your latest post is nothing more than Saudi-bashing. They are hypocritical because they built a university in an architectural style that suits the environment? They are not “imitating the desert” – they are IN the desert. The university is IN THE DESERT. And somehow that is a way to “hide the hardships of the desert people”??
Really- are you high??? Sometimes I wonder what you’re smoking.
June:11:2010 - 12:53
FINALLY! I remembered the name of the architect whose work the slides remind me of: Egyptian Hassan Fathy. He was an award winning architect specialized in using ancient materials and techniques to create contemporary buildings that would avoid the problems of Western buildings in the Middle East.
Sandy–agreed, and LOL
For engineering schools in KSA KFUPM has a high international ranking.
June:14:2010 - 15:24
I’ve been to one of Hassan Fathi’s mosques in the US. Abiquiu New Mexico. Very beautiful. Also in a hot desert climate- so some people probably wouldn’t like it
June:14:2010 - 15:44
Sandy–you are so lucky! Both visiting Fathi’s mosque and visiting New Mexico! I would love to go to New Mexico, starting with a conference, and then spending extra time there!
All–BTW my newest post is on the treatment of Indian Muslims in India and in Saudi. An interesting Doha Debate and readers are adding interesting comments. Feel free to read, enjoy and comment.
Indian Muslims Whether in India or Saudi: Treated Fairly?–The Doha Debates Chez Chiara