The First Annual Meeting of the Vice Rectorate for Planning and Development

Under the patronage of KSU Rector Dr. Badran AlOmar, the Vice Rectorate for Planning and Development organized its first annual meeting on Tuesday the 6th of Muharram, 1439H in Deri’yah Auditorium, and it was live streamed in the Female Student Campus.  The meeting was headed by the Vice Rector Dr. Yusuf Asiri and attended by the male and female colleges’ vice rectors for planning and development and the heads of development and quality units in KSU.

The Country First

The event started with a recital from the Holy Quran. Then, the attendees celebrated the National Day and expressed pride in our country. The University Rector said that this meeting would not have been held if it was not for the security we enjoy in our country. May Allah grace it with more blessings and guide its leadership towards what is best for it, the Two Holy Mosques, and the Muslim world at large. The Rector, on behalf of KSU staff and students, asked Allah to bless the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud and his Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al-Saud. On the National Day, we renew our loyalty and love for our leader and his Cabinet. The Rector also congratulated the Vice Rector for Planning and Development, the Dean of Development and Quality, and all the attendees of the annual meeting.

The Kingdom’s 2030 Vision

KSU Rector confirmed that KSU is inspired by the 2030 vision and its strategic trends to follow the right path that will raise it and its outcomes. This would explain the increased interest in the Vice Rectorate for Planning and Development, as it is surly an essential player in reaching KSU goals. Therefore, this meeting should conclude with specific goals that need to be achieved during this university year, in addition to a clear road map for the following phases. It is without a doubt that updating KSU strategic plan, KSU2030, reviewing all its initiatives, and confirming they are well aligned with the country’s strategic and developmental plans are important pathways leading to numerous accomplishments.

Increased Efforts

KSU Rector pointed out that the current phase requires more efforts, having the sense of initiative, and team work so that both KSU and our country would reach their aspirations. Everyone should work hard, within their responsibilities, because we have the trust of our nation. And what we do is nothing compared to what our brave soldiers are doing to protect our borders and land, and all the speakers and attendees asked Allah to protect and guide our brave soldiers on the borders.

Distinguished Accomplishments

His excellency KSU Rector said that the university is very pleased with the recent accomplishments of the Vice Rectorate for Planning and Development, mainly renewing the institutional academic accreditation for 7 years, being the highest university with program accreditations, the success of Itqan platform, quality management processes, and initiating laboratories quality according to the most recent standards and measures. He explained that university is closely following the Vice Rectorate’s efforts in maintaining effective communication with all the institutions benefitting from its efforts whether within or outside the university.

Demands of the Phase

KSU Rector said that the university fully realizes the future aspirations and their wide horizons, especially that the society acknowledges KSU’s excellence and its outcomes, and always demands more. Thus, KSU must answer these demands. The university is working hard as a hub for education, scientific research, and social responsibility amid numerous social and international variables. As a result, these variables require additional and detailed planning, continuous work, and measurable performance indicators to make sure that the university is well within its set out plan and will reach its aspired goals.

Numerous Goals

Dr. Yusuf Asiri explained that the First Annual Meeting of the Vice Rectorate for Planning and Development aims to discuss the plans to be executed during the year 1438-1439H in the following fields: academic accreditation, quality management (ISO), laboratories quality, KSU strategic plans, and Itqan. The aim is to make sure that these fields are aligned with the Kingdom’s 2030 vision and its strategic trends. The meeting, therefore, presents an assessment of the current situation in those fields and the goals to be achieved throughout the current year.

The Deanship’s Plan

Dr. Saleh AlQasoumi, the Dean of Development and Quality, revealed that the Deanship is moving confidently to keep up with the rapid developments our country is witnessing, especially in the fields of planning, monitoring, performance measuring, and seeking quality to achieve excellence. In response to these continuous changes, the Deanship has updated its strategic plan to be a road map through which the KSU 2030 strategic plan is executed, and the Kingdom’s 2030 vision is supported. This will definitely be in the best interest of the university and the nation; since the expectations and responsibilities of the Deanship continue to increase.

Scientific Papers

Dr. Yusuf Asiri, the Vice Rector for Planning and Development, gave a presentation titled: “The Kingdom’s 2030 Vision and How to Achieve It”. The presentation discussed the 2030 vision, its execution plans, education as a part of it, and the role of KSU in supporting the vision. In addition, the presentation included a detailed monitoring of all the accomplishments in the different fields of the meeting: KSU strategic plan, academic accreditation, quality management, laboratories quality, Itqan, and communication between university units. The presentation also showed the targeted fields during the year 1438-1439H.

The Vice Rector for Development Affairs in the Deanship of Development and Quality, Dr. Musfer Alsalooli, gave a presentation titled: “KSU Strategic Plan: Achievements and Ambitions”. The presentation introduced the strategic plan, the achievements of its initiatives, the role of the executive office in those achievements, the projects supporting the strategic plan, and the plans to be executed this year particularly the workshop for updating the initiatives of KSU strategic plan.

Dr. Ahmed Akkawi, the supervisor of the Quality and Academic Accreditation Unit, gave a presentation titled: The Academic Accreditation. It presented an assessment of the current situation of academic accreditations, and a detailed monitoring of all university programs. The presentation also showcased a clear map of what had been accomplished during this year in the program accreditation and the increase of quality assessors in the university.

Dr. Hisham Abhari, a Consultant in the Standardization and Metrology Unit, gave a presentation titled: “ISO 9001: Quality Management System. In the presentation, he discussed the accomplishments of all university units in administrative accreditation (ISO), explaining the support and training provided for these units. The presentation also showed the intended outcomes of the current year.

Dr. Saleh Alonazi, supervisor of the Standardization and Metrology Unit, gave a presentation titled: “ISO 17025: Calibration of Laboratories Competence” He introduced the quality and calibration of laboratories, and pointed out that they are now being implemented in all university laboratories. He also explained the importance of this step in supporting quality throughout the university.

Dr. Te Shawyun, A consultant in the Deanship, concluded the presentations in the meeting with a presentation titled: Itqan, in which he explained the development phases of the Itqan platform and its role in supporting quality in the university. He also added the accomplishments made thus far, the goals of the following phase, particularly phase 2 of Itqan which is being developed, and the role of Itqan in following up with the university strategic plan and performance indicators.

Thank You for Your Efforts

KSU Rector, The Vice Rector for Planning and Development, and the Dean of Development and Quality thanked everyone for their efforts, especially those who attended the meeting in both campuses, asserting the important role of KSU staff in the continuous development of the university.

Discussions

The annual meeting concluded its events with general panel discussions headed by Dr. Abual Allah Alhaidri, Vice Rector of Quality in the Deanship of Development and Quality. Male and female participants expressed their opinions and gave several suggestions including holding this meeting annually to follow up on the executive plans of university units, and the inclusion of the Deanship of Development and Quality in this follow up. Some suggestions also discussed the possible role the Vice Rectorate can play in supporting quality and development in different social institutions.