Student Research Day opened at the University under the patronage of the University President, Dr. Muhammad A. Al-Mohaimeed, with broad participation exceeding 100 research papers and student works across a range of scientific disciplines, held in the University's conference hall with an academic audience and participation from several universities.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Adnan O. Al Obaid, affirmed that research is a fundamental pillar in developing students' capabilities, strengthening innovation and creating knowledge, noting that contemporary universities are measured by their ability to empower their students and produce knowledge. He added that the University continues to support young people from the classroom through to preparing them for the labour market, expressing his hope that these research projects will turn into practical applications that serve the community and advance knowledge.
For his part, the Assistant Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Prof. Sulaiman Abdullah Al Sagaby, explained that the support of the University's leadership is a key factor in developing the research system, which is a pillar of knowledge production and sustainable development, as it helps move the student from a recipient of information to a producer of it.
The Assistant Vice President for Student Experience, Mr. Mohammed Nasser Al Brady, affirmed that the University does not regard Student Research Day as a seasonal event, but as an academic milestone that contributes to building the student's well-rounded character and refining their skills, noting the adoption of the concept of “the student skills experience” as a strategic foundation that the Campus Life Directorate works to translate through the development of leadership skills. He added that the University has adopted the “skills record” model to document students' leadership and volunteer achievements in a way that strengthens their competitiveness.
A faculty member at the College of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Abdulrahman Al Mazrou, gave a scientific presentation in which he reviewed examples of scientific discoveries to which students contributed during their studies, most notably insulin, heparin and the sinoatrial node. He explained that research is not limited to professors, but is a broad field in which students can take part in producing knowledge and contributing to scientific progress.
The programme featured a number of specialised scientific presentations. Dr. Iman Ibrahim gave a presentation entitled “Computational Research & Quality Improvement Projects”, addressing computational research and quality improvement projects in health care, and highlighting the role of data, molecular models and the digital twin in developing health practices and preparing students for this growing field.
The first day of the event concluded after a full day of scientific presentations and research projects presented by students, in which participants displayed a number of research papers and scientific posters that reflected a distinguished level of innovation and scientific effort in an environment that fosters a culture of research and knowledge.
On the second day, a faculty member at the School of Business, Dr. Yazan Al-Aroud, gave a presentation entitled “Health care between the humanitarian mission and administrative efficiency”, in which he addressed the importance of achieving a balance between administrative efficiency and the human dimension in health institutions.
A faculty member and head of the research unit at the College of Medicine, Prof. Dr. Al-Najm Al-Thaqib, gave an educational presentation on “research methodology”, in which he reviewed the fundamentals of formulating a research question and the different study designs, and explained the main methodological challenges such as research bias, confounding variables and the problem of sample size, and their effect on the quality of results and the accuracy of conclusions.
In another scientific session, a faculty member at the College of Nursing, Dr. Mona Mohammed, delivered a lecture on research ethics, in which she affirmed that participants in research studies are people and not merely data, stressing the importance of informed consent and scientific integrity at all stages of research: before, during and after it is carried out.
The event also included the second scientific poster session, in which researchers presented and discussed their research in an interactive scientific environment that contributes to the exchange of knowledge and strengthens students' presentation and scientific discussion skills.
Student Research Day concluded with the honouring of the winners and participants in recognition of their efforts and research contributions, after two days filled with scientific presentations and rich discussions that reflected the spirit of creativity and research excellence among the University's students.
