On behalf of King Saud University, it is my privilege to welcome you to Riyadh for the QS Arab Forum 2026.

We are proud to host a gathering that brings together university presidents, academic leaders, policymakers, researchers and higher-education professionals from across the Arab region and beyond. The Forum provides an important platform to exchange perspectives, address shared challenges, and build meaningful partnerships that advance higher education and strengthen its impact on society while fulfilling this year’s theme of building human capability for global competitiveness.

As one of the region’s long-established universities, King Saud University has a distinguished academic legacy and a longstanding commitment to education, research and human capability development. Today, we continue to advance academic excellence, impactful research and innovation, sustainability, and international collaboration.

These efforts reflect the Kingdom’s wider national ambition under its leadership with a great support of HRH the Crown Prince and in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 to foster education, research, innovation and human capability in support of the Kingdom’s development priorities.

It is our particular pleasure to welcome our distinguished guests to the Kingdom and to Riyadh, a city at the heart of the Kingdom’s transformation and global ambitions, while remaining deeply rooted in its tradition of hospitality.

We are delighted to host you at King Saud University and look forward to productive discussions, new partnerships and lasting connections at the QS Arab Forum 2026, bringing together knowledge, innovation and global impact from Riyadh to the world.

Prof. Ali M. Masmali

Acting President, King Saud University