Sulaiman Alrajhi University held a reception to mark the start of the 1448 AH academic year under the patronage of the University President, Dr. Muhammad A. Al-Mohaimeed. The ceremony included a review of the main achievements and indicators recorded over the past year, together with the launch of a number of developmental initiatives and programmes. In his address, the University President welcomed the University's staff members, commending their collective efforts and the achievements attained, and affirming that the University began from a charitable endowment and a vision founded on the belief that investment in people is the investment with the most lasting impact. He announced the launch of the Academic Excellence Awards and the scientific research strategy, in order to strengthen excellence, research presence and community service. Marking the designation of this year as the Year of Artificial Intelligence, he referred to the establishment of a Digital Transformation Directorate to digitise policies and procedures, and to the launch of the University's new website in the near future. He affirmed that the University's doors are open to anyone wishing to make a proposal or express an opinion, noting that the beginning of the academic year is an opportunity to renew intentions, correct courses and draw on the experience of the past to look ahead to the future. For his part, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Adnan O. Al Obaid, reviewed the University's strategic performance indicators and the progress made on its objectives and initiatives, noting improvements in the quality of outcomes, employment rates, student satisfaction and student results in standardised examinations. He explained that the Academic Excellence Awards launched during the ceremony form an integrated system covering programmes, faculty members and students, and include academic excellence in teaching, quality and preparation for programmatic accreditation, excellence in scientific research, supervision of student output, and academic distinction among students. The Assistant Vice President for Student Experience, Mr. Mohammed Nasser Al Brady, stated that the number of applicants to the new programmes reached 451% of the total seats allocated to them, while programmes and events in 2026 doubled compared with the previous year, and student housing occupancy reached 100%. The Assistant Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research, Prof. Sulaiman Abdullah Al Sagaby, noted the rise in published research output to 157 papers, compared with 137 papers in the previous year, pointing out that during the period 2026–2030 the University is working on five commitments: raising its standing, embedding a research culture, building sustainable infrastructure, developing researchers' capabilities, and diversifying research funding. The Director of the Social Responsibility Administration, Dr. AbdulAziz Ali Al Sakaker, stated that the University delivered 63 programmes and initiatives totalling 19,699 volunteer hours, while participation among University staff reached 95%, compared with 20% in the previous year. At the close of the ceremony, the University President honoured the entities taking part in the accompanying exhibition in recognition of their role and their contribution to enriching the occasion and to its success.
