Dear KAUST community tenants,

You are valued members of the KAUST community, and we want to keep you informed in light of raised tensions in the region.    

On 22 October, KAUST shared an operational update with its employees and students. You can read it on the emergency management website. The travel policy, remote work arrangements, and support services in that update apply to KAUST employees and students. For guidance on business travel and staff arrangements, please follow your own organization’s policies.

I want to reassure you that KAUST campus is safe and is operating as usual. Schools, daycare, and community services are all open and running as usual. KAUST has contingency plans for a range of scenarios, along with several redundancies across our services and systems, to ensure business continuity. Our leadership team is monitoring the regional situation closely, and our security team works with national authorities. If anything changes, we will advise you promptly through official channels.

If you are planning to travel, please be aware that airports in the region are experiencing some disruption. Check your flight status with your airline before leaving for the airport, and stay in contact with your airline and your organization while you travel. In the event of extended airport disruptions that prevent you from traveling, we have multiple plans in place to ensure your safe departure.

Let me reiterate that the safety and well-being of every member of our community is our highest priority, and that will not change. We ask that you remain vigilant, follow official guidance, and check emergency.kaust.edu.sa for the latest updates and FAQs. Please be reminded that the KAUSTCentral app also holds the Emergency Action Guide for specific incidents, a linked "Useful Contact List" with tap-to-call numbers, and an Emergency Kit checklist.

Samer Samman
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer