UCL strengthens links with Middle East during with to UAE and Saudi Arabia
UCL’s President and Provost Dr Michael Spence led a senior delegation visit to Riyah, Jeddah, Dubai and Sharjah in October 2025.
The trip marked UCL’s first visit to Saudi Arabia, where it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The two institutions set out a shared commitment to collaboration across research, education, innovation, and commercialization.
“UCL is committed to fostering a globally connected community driven by innovation, and we recognise the importance of equipping future leaders with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving global economy,” Dr Spence explains. “This MoU with KAUST reflects our shared ambition to explore new models of collaboration, bringing together complementary strengths to advance entrepreneurial education and support innovation ecosystems across borders.”
Future areas for collaboration include student entrepreneurship, academic program development, including collaborative MBAs, and joint activity in fields such as vaccine manufacturing.
KAUST President Sir Ed Byrne adds: “KAUST is in the midst of a transformational phase, expanding its reach through international hubs designed to amplify research, enable translational innovation, and accelerate commercialization. The UK, and London in particular, represents a vital node in that network, and UCL, with its outstanding capabilities in bioprocessing, health innovation, entrepreneurship, and global policy, is a natural partner in this endeavour.”
More than 40 UCL alumni joined the delegation for a special reception at ME Dubai for networking and a celebration of UCL’s global community.
Dr Spence also attended an introductory meeting with the Minister of Education, Vice Minister of Education, and Deputy of Scholarships for Saudi Arabia in Riyadh to discuss potential collaboration.
