His Excellency Professor Dr Saud bin Nasser Al Riyami is one of Swansea University’s most distinguished alumni, and highly-esteemed President of Sultan Qaboos University in the State of Oman.
Dr Riyami obtained his first degree in Geography from Ain Shams University, Egypt, and was, on graduation, appointed Head of the Department of Teaching Aids and Scientific Labs, and then as the Director of Examination in the Interior Region of the Sultanate.
He joined what was then the University College of Swansea and in 1989, gained his MA in Methods of Teaching Geography with first class honours. He then joined Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) as an instructor in the College of Education. He studied for his PhD, in Methods of Teaching Social Studies, at the University of Pittsburgh, returning to SQU afterwards. In 2000, he was appointed as Deputy President at Sultan Qaboos University and in less than two years, in May 2001, he became President.
In 2008, by Royal Decree, he was appointed as an Academic Consultant for the Higher Education Council of Oman.
As President of SQU, Dr Riyami has approved many new undergraduate and postgraduate study schemes across the university’s colleges; he has approved the establishment of research centres at the university and initiated the construction of a new cultural centre at the university. He has shown far-reaching ambition and vision, having facilitated a great number of strategic, applied and academic research projects, including joint research projects with a number of universities; and the signing of memorandums of understanding between SQU and its counterpart international universities and research institutes - indeed, on his appointment as President of SQU, Swansea was the first international university with which an MoU was signed. He has facilitated the construction of university colleges and centres, including the College of Nursing, a College of Engineering annex, and construction projects for the university hospital including the Family Medicine and Dental and Oral Clinic building, and he has ensured the rehabilitation and renovation of many wings and clinics in the hospital.
Part of his ambition was to develop and maintain better channels of communication within the student body and he personally headed a committee focused on student communication which contributed greatly to the stability of students at SQU.
Dr Riyami was appointed as State Council Member by his Majesty Sultan of Oman with the Royal Decree in October 2014 for his outstanding contribution to Sultan Qaboos University and the Higher Education Sector in the Gulf Region.
The key to the success of SQU under Dr Riyami is due in no small part to his personal involvement and concern in how the university functions at every level, and his absolute commitment to enhancing and improving scholastic practice. He has devoted his career to teaching and academic excellence and it is entirely fitting and deserved that he is presented with this honorary award as an alumnus of this university. Ladies and gentlemen, His Excellency Professor Dr Saud bin Nasser Al Riyami.