Doctoral students tour Arabia

Visitors look at a display in the Abdul Raouf Khaleel Museum in Jiddah during the 2010 European Academic Visit.

The group poses in front of the Prosperity Well, Well No. 7, in Dhahran.

DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia – “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a land we hear so much about yet very few have experienced, has carved a desire in me to one day go and explore it,” said Shiyi Zheng, a senior lecturer from Herriot-Watt University, Scotland, before embarking on the recent 2010 European Academic Visit to Saudi Arabia.

It was the second year that Aramco Overseas Co. (AOC) has organized such a trip, providing academics and students with an insight into the workings of Saudi Aramco and life in Saudi Arabia.

Six Ph.D. students and four professors from Freiberg University in Germany, Delft University in the Netherlands, Imperial College in the United Kingdom, Herriot- Watt University in Scotland and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) participated in this year’s visit. “I believe this was a great opportunity for us to meet with others in similar fields of study from across Europe, as we rarely get the chance to meet with universities from other countries,” said Robert Pardemann, a Ph.D. student from Freiberg University.

Two days at Saudi Aramco’s headquarters in Dhahran enabled the team to interact with scientists and representatives from the same fields of study. “Seeing the facilities available at the Exploration and Petroleum Engineering Center Advanced Research Center and the accomplishments of the department exceeded my expectations by far. I was pleasantly impressed by the quality of their work and level of professionalism,” said NTNU professor Martin Landro.

From Dhahran, the group traveled to al-Hassa, where they enjoyed the cultural aspects of the Kingdom. A visit to Riyadh amazed the visitors as they were in awe of the rapid architectural development they encountered, especially when viewing the city from the top of Al-Faisaliyah Tower.

The final destination was Jiddah, where they visited Dar Al-Hekma College and enjoyed the sights of the old town, traditional market and the cultural museum. “Spending one week in the Kingdom was not enough, although we did so much. I wish we were able to stay for at least another week!” said Charles Brand, a Ph.D. student from Imperial College London. Adding, “After what I have seen during our time in Saudi Arabia, I can now say with confidence that I would love to come back again in the future to experience more of what this fascinating country has to offer.”