The King Abdulaziz University (KAU) vice presidents and the deans of the faculties have joined HE Prof. Osama Tayyeb, the KAU President, to launch a new KAU center of excellence in climate change research with a budget of SR14 million. A speech ceremony was held on the occasion which took place yesterday. Dr Adnan Zahid, the KAU Vice President for Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research, pointed out that the establishment of the center is attributable to its significance at national, regional and international levels and is in line with the strenuous efforts made by the KAU towards transforming the KAU into a leading research university. He also confirmed that the KAU has fully sponsored the center to implement the vision of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques; namely the initiative of supporting the international climate change research. Dr Mansour Almazroui, director of the new center, gave a vivid presentation to highlight the missions of the center. He mentioned that the center is aimed as an international climate change research center, fully capable of keeping pace with the latest climate change science developments. He pointed out that through the short-term and the long-term plans and the strategic programs, the center will provide a congenial atmosphere for the climate scientists to help conduct climate science studies and to assess the climate change impacts for the environment and the water resources. He further pointed out that the center will provide guidance and support for the public and the private sector stakeholders to tackle the evolving climate change issues. According to him, the center will strive to raise the public awareness for the climate change issues and to nurture new generations of researchers, appropriately equipped to conduct future climate change studies.
