The Department of Architecture and Building Science at King Saud University was first established in 1387H (1967/68G) as a department within the College of Engineering. The department represents the first school of architecture in the Arabian Peninsula and in the Arabian Gulf region. The department has produced generations of architects and planners who have played a pivotal role in establishing schools and faculties of architecture throughout Saudi Arabia.  Its graduates now hold prominent positions in both the public and private sectors. The department has continued to grow and expand, both in terms of student enrollment and faculty, as well as in the development of its academic programs and foundational courses. With the kingdom's economic and urban growth, and the increasing demand for architects and planners, the department was elevated to an independent College of Architecture and Planning in 1404/1405 AH (1984/1985 AD). 

The Department of Architecture and Building Sciences awards its graduates the degree of Bachelor of Architecture upon successful completion of 170 credit hours and sixty days of field training. The Department’s program is dedicated to the design studio education process that employs project-based learning to represent professional behavior and motivate students through meaningful application of the knowledge that they acquire. The design studio courses are complemented by courses in theory, history, technology, environment, and practice taught by distinguished scholars in those topics to assure that students may design from a base of extensive and comprehensive knowledge of the built environment. 

The Department also offers a Master of Architecture degree (M.Sc.) which was introduced in the year 1406 AH (1986/87 AD). The introduction of the doctoral program, (Doctor of Philosophy in Architecture Ph.D.), in the academic year 1425/26 AH (2003/04 AD) was a natural outgrowth of the post-graduate program. Since then, it has been the first architecture department offering such a degree in the entire Arabian Gulf region.

As a pioneer of architectural education in the Kingdom and the region, the Department of Architecture and Building Sciences adopts a teaching strategy based on the following principles: 

-Preserving Islamic values and Saudi societal traditions, and upholding the ethics of architectural profession. This is achieved through upholding Islamic values, respecting the needs of Saudi society, and adhering to professional ethics.

-Preserving the natural environment and the architectural heritage of the country. This is accomplished by adopting the principles of environmental sustainability and conserving Saudi architectural heritage. 

-Keeping abreast of advances in the field of building technology. This is achieved by maintaining a strong connection between academic qualifications of graduates and the advancements in the building industry and the utilization of computer technology. 

This strategy has been supported by a faculty of over 50 members, all holding PhD degrees in architecture from prestigious universities. They have collectively contributed to a superior learning environment, secured numerous research projects and grants for the department, and been deployed to government and private institutions to assist in national and community development. Furthermore, the strategy is supported by several laboratories and two research chairs: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Foundation for Developmental and Housing Research chair and Prince Sultan bin Salman Chair for Architectural Heritage. Additionally, in term of community service, the Department of Architecture and Building Sciences has actively participated in national and international competitions, aligning with the Kingdom’s development goals. The department has also initiated the process of obtaining Substantial Equivalency (SE) from the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB).

The Architectural program in the college of Architecture and Planning at King Saud University was granted the Substantial Equivalency (SE) by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, NAAB, in the United States for a six-year period starting from January, 2013. The program is now preparing to welcome the next NAAB visit to renew the SE in the spring, 2019.

Given the NAAB Substantial Equivalency in January 2013, the Architecture program at King Saud University was the first in the Kingdom and the second in the Arabian Gulf Region after Kuwait University, to achieve the NAAB Substantial Equivalency. 

To obtain SE, the program underwent three successful visits from NAAB evulation teams. The first visit was led by Mr. kin DouBeus, in December, 2010, and the second occured in December, 2011 by Mr. Moris Brown and Prof. Fatih Rifki. The final visit, headed by Mr. William Davis, was in December 2012. Prior to the first and second visits, the program submitted an institutional overview and an architectural program report, respectively, to NAAB. Based on the positive reports from these three visits, NAAB awarded the Substantial Equivalency to the Architecture Program at King Saud University in January 2013.

Obtaining the NAAB Substantial Equivalency is a source of great pride for all students, faculty, and administrators.

Attached Files

APR  KSU, visit 3

King Saud VTR_cof-3

2013 NAAB PROCEDURES FOR SUBSTANTIAL EQUIVALENCY

SE Conditions 2019

King Saud VTR for Visit 2

PSER Program Self - Evaluation Report

Final decision letter from NAAB, January 2013.

• Providing the Department’s students with the necessary scientific principles, analytical capacity and technical skills so as to address the issues of national, local and regional planning with the view to raising the level of performance and efficiency of the urban environment.

• Training the Department’s students in order to enable them to carry out planning and urban design with high efficiency in various government and private agencies.
• Training students to develop planning programs to ensure the production of physical environment appropriate to the specificities of the region, taking into account the values of Arab and Muslim society.
• Acquiring various vocational skills and employing them in planning and urban design such as the use of computer and information systems technologies and keeping pace with advances in the field of planning and urban design at the practical and theoretical levels.

The Urban Planning Department at the college of architecture and planning-King Saud University is the oldest urban planning department in Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1983 (1404AH). Since that time, tens of distinguished faculty members who received their education in prestigious universities around the world taught in the department.

This has bestowed our department with a long-standing reputation for the delivery of excellent higher education, a high level of diversified experiences, and a distinct academic environment. The positive effect of the department in the community can be clearly seen as many of its members held senior positions in government agencies, and many of its graduates took on important positions in public and private sectors and played leading roles in the development and management of the Saudi built environment.

The department went through different stages to develop its undergraduate program, the last of which was the adoption of the new academic plan most recently. The department program is linked with the architecture department in the first two years. This is followed by two years specialization in one of two tracks; Urban Planning or Urban Design. Lately, our department has expanded in its postgraduate programs. It now provides three programs. They are; Urban Planning, Urban Design, and Real Estate Development.

This has kept pace with the university aspiration to expand further in postgraduate Studies in order to meet the needs of the labour market with specialists in the built environment fields at all levels. The department is also proud regarding the contribution of its staff to serve the community through the provision of consulting services to many governmental and private bodies in the areas of town planning and urban studies, not to mention the active involvement in the scientific societies such as; Saudi Umran and Saudi Association of Real Estate Sciences. Being chosen by the university as an academic specialization for excellence was a key motive for the department to continue its distinction and to achieve leadership in the areas of urban planning/design education at the national level. In addition to determined endeavours to accomplish the objective of academic accreditation as well as achieving the desired quality in higher education.

Chairman, Urban Planning Department

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The office of the VDDQ was set-up in 2009 under the directive of the University leadership. It functions in coherence with the University’s Deanship of Development and Quality. The aim is to improve academic standards and management quality and to carry out the core work of the Deanship of Development and Quality in the University, at the College level. The University is on a fast track to become world class and a leader in building a knowledge society in the region. It will strive to produce outstanding graduates to advance international scholarship and to lead in the development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab Region in general. The office of the Vice Dean of Development and Quality is navigating new strategies along this track and with the leadership of the Dean of the College of Architecture and Planning, will ensure arrival at the destined objectives. The courage to make changes only demonstrate the unyielding efforts to strive for development at all levels within the College of Architecture and Planning. A major change in the College administrative structure was the setting up of the office for the Vice Dean of Research & Post Graduate Studies. The principal concern of the VDDQ is therefore to maintain a sound internal quality assurance system, to achieve the highest levels of quality academic environment in all its efforts. The concerns will provide the impetus for maintaining and improving the University position in the World Ranking. According to the Times Higher Education – QS World University ranking, King Saud University was recognized as the top university in the Arab world, and one of the best 300 universities in the world. The Institute of Higher Education of Shanghai Jiao Tong University unveiled the 2010 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), which lists King Saud University (KSU) at No. 261, a standing never achieved by any Arab university. Also, according to the Webometric research completed by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones (CSIC), King Saud University ranks first in the Arab world and 18th among all Asian universities and 186th worldwide with regard to visibility and impact. Being part of the strong infrastructure in the University Strategic Plan as characterised by its emphasis on knowledge economy, as accounted by the University Rector, it is hoped that the office of VDDQ will provide the impetus for maintaining and improving the University position in the World Ranking, and at the same time confide in placing the College of Architecture & Planning in a leading position globally in the near future.

It has been a hectic but a prolific year for the office of the VDDQ in 2011. There were numerous tasks and there were obstacles along the way but we managed forward in the direction of our vision and mission, and the College of Architecture and Planning is on the track towards being the ultimate college in education excellence. We have a diverse assembly of professors, associate professors, assistants, engineers, architects and management staff, all in the ranks, who participated directly or indirectly, in achieving the mission of the college, without whom the accomplishments would be frail glory. The office of the VDDQ has managed to advance the core academic functions of teaching and learning, research, professional and creative activity, or public service, and community outreach programs, by the implementation of careful strategic planning with quality agenda. The College carried out strategic analysis in six core issues to define its strength and weaknesses: 1)education and scientific research, 2)students, 3)labs, facilities and infrastructure, 4)human resources, 5)administrative and financial development, and, 6)community service. However, the following narrations intends to highlight some of the major innitiatives which the office of the VDDQ has plausibly accomplished. We have made possible an excellent learning experience by providing the resources and assessments, which culminate in courses that contribute to the achievement of program outcomes in support of students’ overall educational and professional goals. This is evidenced in the report made by the NAAB Substantial Equivalency Accreditation Team, after their 2nd visit to the College recently. In the Visiting Team Report (VTR), they indicated the very high level of compliancy and are amazed at the preparations and accomplishments made by the College to maintain the substantial equivalency accreditation on its track. The auditors for the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management, gave an affirmative report regarding the compliance to the ISO 9001: 2008 standards. There was not a single negative non-compliance criteria detected in all items reviewed as stated in the Gap Analysis Report. The College has proven its excellence in management quality by getting the ISO 9001:2008. God willing, we will ceaselessly put in all efforts to maintain the quality standards. From the students’ perspective, quality learning environment is evident in the availability of quality resources for the advancement of learning. We have built the largest available 3D Virtual Lab, a ‘state-of- the-art’ 3D modeling Lab, Photography lab, Computer labs with softwares and applications, an up-to-date library and materials resource centre, as well as recreational facilities to indulge, in between academic hours, in the college. Furthermore the learning experience is not limited to the classroom or on campus only, but is accessible ‘online’ as well. Also our students are getting professional exposure from different regions of the world, through their summer training in architects’ offices in countries like Germany, France, Malaysia, Turkey and Italy. The College is made up of faculty members from diverse nationalities, background and culture, is a ‘melting pot’ for diversity in academia. The faculty attachments and/or input from industry experts with support programs, provide a platform for advancing and sharing knowledge between the College and its professional counterpart. Some others are attached to specialist organizations to perform in community outreach programs. There are also scheduled lecture programs held for visitors who are experts in their various fields of study, to share their experiences with the College community. All these active strategies boost the teaching and learning development in the college and subsequently enrich our student experiences for work or life. After all, the aim and the primary activities for the office of the VDDQ in the College of Architecture and Planning, is eternally overseeing programs that create beneficial improvements in the core academic functions of teaching and learning, research, professional and creative activity, or public service, and outreach programs, through an ongoing system of quality agenda. We dedicate our gratitude to the Rector of King Saud University, Professor Abdullah Al-Othman, the architect of King Saud University’s ‘Fast Track Development Plan’, for his unequivocal support to see the College thrive through its strategic planning implementation stages, and complete the objectives. I would like to thank the Deputy Rector for Development and Quality, who provided material support to help the College in its Development and Quality agenda. Last but not least, my sincere gratitude, to the Dean of the College of Architecture and Planning for his unrelenting support and encouragement in all accomplishments. I hope, the publication of this second issue of “A.P.E.X KSU”, from the office of the Vice-Dean of Development and Quality, will open more avenues for creative thoughts, and press forward our core academic goals and hence, the status of the College in the Kingdom. God willing, we will steer the College of Architecture and Planning, King Saud University, to the position of the ultimate College in the Arab world and beyond. Dr Yousef M O Fadan Vice-Dean of Development and Quality College of Architecture and Planning King Saud University

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Innovation:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> the College undertakes to encourage innovation and to spread the competitiveness spirit among its employees.</span></div>

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Quality:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> the College undertakes to modernize its systems and mechanisms as to meet the highest standards of quality in its programs and services.</span></div>

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Excellence:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> to execute the tasks of the College according to the highest standards of quality.</span></div>

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Professional Trustworthiness:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> the College undertakes to make professional trustworthiness the main drive for all its operations and work.</span></div>

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Leadership:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> the College undertakes to reinforce individual and institutional leadership roles that would contribute to push the wheel of work and progress, coupled with our profound conviction in professionalism and responsibility.</span></div>

<div><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Collective Work:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> we believe that the spirit of teamwork is our means to achieve our objectives.</span><br />
<span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;font-weight:bold;language:en-us">Career Ethics:</span><span lang="en-US" style="font-family:arial;language:en-us"> to be committed to the moral and ethical values of the profession.</span></div>

International excellence in building knowledge in Built Environment Sciences.

Offering excellent education and innovative scientific research that can contribute to the leadership role the university plays, and to meet the expectations of the community in the fields of Built Environment through creating a stimulating educational environment, creative and innovative workforce, supportive administrative system, and effective societal partnership.