Professor Choon Fong Shih
President
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
KAUST Inauguration Ceremony
September 23, 2009
A Living Gift
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz al Saud,
Your Majesties, Excellencies, and Highnesses,
Distinguished Guests.
This is a historic moment.
We are gathered by the Red Sea, here at the confluence of East and West, of the
new and old, of challenges and opportunities, to witness the birth of the
world’s youngest university. We have come from all corners of the world, from
academia and industry, from government and business, from the corridors of power
and the laboratories of science – from different walks of life, yet united by
our shared aspirations.
This is also a moment of deep personal meaning for many of us here today. My
colleagues, their families, and many others, have worked long and hard, pouring
their hearts and energy into the creation, in so short a time, of so
extraordinary a university. I am most privileged to have taken this journey with
so many dedicated people to this momentous day.
The birth of a university is about the future, and how lives will be
transformed. Many of our lives have been touched by universities, and their
communities of students and scholars. Supporting these universities are
visionary philanthropists and benefactors, who hail from different cultures,
different continents and across the centuries. Their gifts have supported and
enabled many to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world.
I myself benefited from such generosity. Born in Singapore to immigrant parents
of modest means, going abroad for university would have caused my family untold
hardship – if not for John Harvard’s gift made more than three centuries
earlier. His gift enabled me to begin my life’s work. His gift lives on at the
university which bears his name. And through the work and lives of graduates,
educators and scholars spread throughout the world, his gift endures.
In centuries past, Bayt al-Hikma, the House of Wisdom, was a great center of
learning and repository of knowledge. It attracted scholars from around the
known world. They then spread out across the Arabian Peninsula and the
Mediterranean, sharing knowledge and establishing new centers of learning. These
early scholars advanced knowledge in fields such as mathematics, medicine and
astronomy. They applied their discoveries to improve the lives of peoples near
and far. King Abdullah has spoken of KAUST as a new House of Wisdom. KAUST is
King Abdullah’s gift to Saudi Arabia and to the world.
As a new House of Wisdom, KAUST aims to discover and create, to share and apply
knowledge. We are bringing together leading and promising scholars from around
the world to pursue science at the forefront. They will work in an
interdisciplinary and collaborative community distinguished by a commitment to
inquiry, openness and excellence. Their scientific achievements will help uplift
lives, and address the great challenges facing humanity. Through the work and
people of KAUST, King Abdullah’s gift and generosity will live on – a living
gift for our children, and our children’s children.
Imagine with me the future, as KAUST celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2029.
What do we see?
Researchers and academics are drawn to the vibrancy of this part of the Red Sea,
a bustling hub for collaborative science, education, and industry. The
international community of scholars regards this region as a port of call for
science and innovation, and Jeddah Airport welcomes ever-increasing numbers of
scientists, inventors, entrepreneurs – and scuba divers.
Anchoring this bustling hub is KAUST, whose catalytic role in Saudi Arabia’s
economic growth is widely acknowledged in the Kingdom and beyond. Top graduates
of the world’s leading universities choose to pursue their scientific interests
at KAUST, a world-renowned center of science and technology, innovation and
enterprise. KAUST stands shoulder to shoulder with university and industry
partners worldwide, developing cutting-edge solutions for key scientific
challenges.
I see a special issue of The Economist in September 2029 devoted to KAUST’s
breakthroughs, and their economic impact. Its cover reads: “Seawater and solar
power green the deserts: KAUST scientists and entrepreneurs tell their story”.
One generation from now, KAUST is well on its way to realizing the dream of King
Abdullah as a forum for science and research, and a beacon of knowledge for
future generations.
Two generations from now, I see King Abdullah’s generosity continuing to bear
fruit as a living gift for people everywhere, from Thuwal to the far corners of
the world.
This aspiration is audacious. It calls for action now. The decisions we make,
the opportunities we create, and the environment we foster today – these will
shape KAUST for generations to come.
It is my personal mission to help shape this new university as a living gift. I
am committed to helping KAUST attract and grow the next generation of scholars,
scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, spurring them to pursue the big
questions in science, and take on the global challenges facing humanity.
But my efforts alone will not be enough. As a living gift, KAUST is a trust that
belongs to us all, a trust that we must keep. To keep this trust, we must hold
true to our commitment to inquiry, openness and excellence. Always in front of
us is hope: that through individuals working together to create, to share and to
apply knowledge, KAUST will bridge peoples and cultures; and through science and
technology, create a better future for everyone.
I invite you to join KAUST in this adventure of adventures. On this bold and
noble endeavor, our KAUST community extends a hand of friendship to all.
May KAUST prosper and grow, and be a living gift to the world for generations to
come.