Umm Al-Qura University

What Umm Al-Qura University does

Umm Al-Qura University is a public government university headquartered in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia, established formally in 1980-1981 and tracing its origins to the Sharia College founded in 1949-1950. It is one of the largest universities in Saudi Arabia by enrollment, serving over 57,000 students — including 2,000+ international students — across 30 colleges and 150 academic departments. The university operates a multi-campus footprint spanning the Makkah Region, with branch campuses in Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Leith, Jamoum, and Adham, and functions as a strategic national asset under the Saudi Ministry of Education with explicit alignment to Saudi Vision 2030 priorities, particularly pilgrim services, crowd sciences, tourism workforce development, and public health. Its position in Islam's holiest city underpins specialized research through the King Abdulaziz Institute for Hajj Research, which is a defensible and non-replicable institutional asset.

The university operates a comprehensive digital education and administration platform built around an Academic Portal, E-Workflows automation, Blackboard-based e-learning, the Wafi administrative suite, Masar administrative communications, and the Maharati skills-development platform serving the full student body. Research output is channeled through the Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, multiple peer-reviewed scientific journals across Islamic studies, engineering, medicine, and social sciences, and dedicated research chairs. Notable recent applied-research output includes a patented Smart Road Barrier system that converts traffic-induced air currents into usable electricity, developed by the College of Engineering and Architecture. The university also operates a Teaching Hospital at the College of Dentistry, accredited through 2030, and publishes in international venues such as Geneva and ITEX, where it has secured gold and silver medals in 2026.

As a government-owned state entity, Umm Al-Qura University is funded primarily through Saudi government budget allocations, supplemented by minimal tuition, application and certification fees, and externally sourced research grants. Its go-to-market is structurally direct-to-consumer: prospective undergraduate and diploma students apply through the centralized National Unified Admission Portal (uap.sa), while international recruitment runs through the Study in Saudi Arabia platform. Strategic partnerships — most recently with the Public Health Authority (وقاية) and the Saudi Ministry of Tourism — are positioned to channel graduates into Vision 2030 priority sectors rather than to generate material external revenue. The university is led by President Moaddi Al-Madhhab, with oversight from the Ministry of Education and the University Affairs Council.

Name

Umm Al-Qura University

Legal name

Umm Al-Qura University

Website

https://uqu.edu.sa

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Umm Al-Qura University is a Saudi government public university in Makkah serving over 57,000 students across 30 colleges and 150 departments, with specialized Hajj/Umrah research, a Vision 2030-aligned digital education platform, and applied research in energy and public health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

akta.pro primary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Academic research programs
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate studies
• E-learning platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Makkah

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a Saudi government university, primary funding comes from government budget allocations for educational operations, research, and infrastructure development aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives.
2. Student Tuition and Fees: Minimal tuition fees charged to students for various academic programs, with government subsidies for Saudi nationals. Revenue from application fees, examination fees, and certification charges.
3. Research Grants and Contracts: Funding from government agencies and industry partners for applied research initiatives, particularly in areas aligned with national development priorities such as Hajj services, sustainable development, and healthcare.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Umm Al-Qura University is a public university providing higher education across 30 colleges and 150 academic departments, serving over 57,000 students with undergraduate, graduate, and diploma programs. The university also conducts applied research through dedicated research institutes (notably the King Abdulaziz Institute for Hajj Research) and operates digital learning platforms, scientific journals, and community services aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.

Product overview

Umm Al-Qura University operates as a comprehensive public university in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, offering a platform-plus-services architecture encompassing academic administration, digital learning, research, and community services. The core digital infrastructure is built around an Academic Portal, E-Workflows automation system, E-Learning platform via Blackboard, a Wafi administrative suite (including Wafy Services sub-platform), a Masar administrative communications system, the Academic System (SIS), and the Maharati skills platform serving over 57,000 students. Supporting infrastructure includes King Abdullah University Library, Research Institutes (notably the King Abdulaziz Institute for Hajj Research and Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship), and multiple peer-reviewed Scientific Journals. The university also provides a Teaching Hospital at the College of Dentistry and a National Unified Admission Portal for prospective students. Mobile applications for Android and iOS extend access to the university's digital ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate and Diploma Academic Programs Government-subsidized bachelor's and diploma degree programs offered across 30 colleges covering medicine, applied medical sciences, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, public health, engineering, architecture, computer science, sciences, Sharia and Islamic studies, Da'wah, administration, economics, judicial studies, Arabic language, education, social sciences, and design, available to Saudi nationals and international students.
• Graduate Studies Programs (Master's and Doctoral) Advanced master's and doctoral degree programs available across multiple disciplines, administered through the Deanship of Graduate Studies with specialized application processes for Saudi and international candidates.
• E-Learning Platform (Blackboard) University-wide e-learning management system powered by Blackboard providing online course delivery, assignments, discussion boards, and digital learning resources for students and faculty across all academic programs.
• Maharati Skills Development Platform Digital skills development platform offering vocational and professional skill-building resources aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 workforce development objectives, serving the university's student body.
• King Abdulaziz Institute for Hajj Research Specialized research institute conducting applied research on Hajj, Umrah, and pilgrimage services including crowd management, pilgrim safety, and health services for Muslim pilgrims, supporting Saudi Arabia's role as custodian of the holy sites.
• Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship University institute supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialization of research output, fostering startups and translating academic research into market-ready technologies.
• King Abdullah University Library Central university library providing research resources, academic journals, scientific publications, and digital databases supporting teaching, learning, and research activities across all academic programs.
• Scientific Journals Publication Service University-published peer-reviewed academic journals covering Islamic sciences, linguistics, education, engineering, social sciences, and medicine, supporting global research dissemination.
• Dental Teaching Hospital Advanced dental education and treatment complex at the College of Dentistry established for training bachelor's students, interns, postgraduate students, and Saudi Board residents while providing dental care services to patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Won 6 diverse awards in international commercial arbitration competitions
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Public Health Authority (وقاية)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026Memorandum of cooperation signed between the College of Public Health and Health Informatics and the Public Health Authority (وقاية) for enhancing collaboration in public health awareness, research, and community health initiatives. The partnership includes joint activities, research collaboration, and community health programs.
• Saudi Ministry of TourismcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Deputy Minister of Tourism Razan Al-Aayed for the Career and Innovation Forum focused on aligning higher education with Saudi Arabia's tourism labor market needs. The forum featured participation from more than 60 employers aimed at enhancing job readiness of students and graduates for the tourism sector.
• Saudi National Center for E-LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity researchers, particularly from the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture, have previously won innovation awards in e-learning and digital training from the Saudi National Center for E-Learning, indicating ongoing collaboration in digital education innovation.
• Saudi Ministry of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs a government university, Umm Al-Qura University operates under the oversight of the Saudi Ministry of Education and the University Affairs Council, aligning academic programs with national education strategy and Vision 2030 objectives.
• King Abdullah University LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerComprehensive university library named after King Abdullah providing research resources, digital databases, and academic support services to students and faculty.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uqu_edu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Umm Al-Qura University