A new international water research center has been launched at KAUST, in partnership with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture (MEWA), to address some of the most pressing global water challenges. The center was formally announced during the high-level session “Sustainable Water Management in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions for Drought and Land Resilience,” held as part of Sustainability Innovation Week at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16).
The International Water Research Center will serve as a global platform for applied research in water-related fields, including water security, water economics and related policies, pollution treatment, advanced technologies, and digital monitoring. Headquartered at KAUST, the center reflects a growing emphasis on cooperation on water security, bringing together researchers and experts from around the world to develop sustainable solutions to critical environmental issues.
Supported by the academic infrastructure and advanced research capabilities of KAUST, the center was created in close collaboration with local entities and authorities, particularly MEWA, under the patronage of Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture. This collaboration with governments not only reinforces KAUST’s longstanding role in national sustainability efforts but also signals a commitment to long-term partnerships for water security that extend across institutional and sectoral boundaries.
At its core, the center is positioned to support off-campus water conservation, offering solutions that benefit communities across Saudi Arabia and beyond. Its work includes partnerships and outreach programmes aimed at developing solutions to problems related to water scarcity, pollution, and sustainable use of water resources, while engaging with stakeholders from the public, private, and academic sectors. Through these efforts, KAUST is actively supporting water security and water conservation off campus, demonstrating the university’s impact far beyond its shoreline on the Red Sea.
The launch event also highlighted other KAUST-MEWA partnership strategic alignments with several national research and development initiatives. These include joint projects with Estidamah and the National Livestock and Fisheries Development Program to enhance soil quality through algae-based biostimulants, as well as a SR100 million partnership with the National Center for Palm and Dates to drive innovation in the palm industry. Additional programs, such as the Environment Fund’s Sustainability Innovation Fellowships, will support postdoctoral research in advanced water treatment, further reinforcing the center’s commitment to building knowledge and capacity in this critical area.
The center’s mission reflects broader national ambitions, including Saudi Arabia’s goal to recycle up to 95% of its waste and contribute significantly to GDP growth through sustainable environmental practices. By combining technical expertise, government partnerships, and community engagement, the International Water Research Center aims to play an important role in national and global water stewardship.
Learn more about the center’s launch here.
