Introduction & History


King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) is one of the leading universities in Saudi Arabia. KFUPM has an excellent reputation in teaching and research and was ranked as one of the top ten universities in the Middle East by the QS Arab Region University Rankings (2020). The university consistently ranks in the top 200 universities worldwide by the QS World University Rankings. According to the National Academy of Inventors and Intellectual Property of America, KFUPM ranked fourth in the world for the number of US patents registered by universities in 2018.


The History of the Chemistry Department and its Program

The Department of Chemistry at KFUPM is one of the premier chemistry programs in the Middle East. Our department is recognized for its innovative research and for producing highly trained graduates. The Chemistry program was established in 1965 to graduate qualified individuals capable of meeting the economic, industrial and social needs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at that point in time. These needs included the development of the various chemical industries and highlighting the importance of chemical sciences to the population at large in various industries and society in general in KSA.


The program is enriched with highly qualified and experienced faculty members of diverse research and teaching backgrounds, that possess an excellent record of scientific achievements. As a result, the students are well prepared for their future professional careers. These include Quality Control (QC) laboratories in pharmaceutical, food, mining, detergents, fertilizers, and other chemical industries, Research & Development (R&D) laboratories (governmental and private), Petroleum and petrochemical industry, Water treatment/water desalination stations, Environmental protection agencies, High-school education. In addition, students are also well prepared to pursue graduate studies