Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM

Higher Education in Materials Science and Engineeringmse.kfupm.edu.sa

The Materials Science and Engineering Department at KFUPM is the first dedicated undergraduate MSE program in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, offering BS, MS, MX, PhD, and CX credentials with research in polymers, composites, nanomaterials, batteries, and water treatment. It serves domestic and international students, industrial partners including Saudi Aramco, ArcelorMittal, and Maaden, and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 priorities.

Company typePrivate
Founded2021
HeadquartersDhahran, Saudi Arabia
Headcount1–10
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM does

The Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) Department at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) is an academic unit founded in April 2021 under the leadership of Founding Chairman Dr. Turki Nabieh Baroud, currently chaired by Dr. Nayef Alsaifi. It is the first and only department in Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf region to offer a dedicated undergraduate program in materials science and engineering, and operates under KFUPM's College of Chemicals and Materials. The department offers a full academic stack: a BS degree, a CX professional certificate in Corrosion and Materials Degradation, MS and MX (project-based one-year) master's degrees, and a PhD program, supported by financial assistance and an online learning platform.

Its research portfolio spans polymer science, composites, nanomaterials, computational materials science, corrosion, water treatment, membrane design, solid-state batteries, and battery metal recovery. Notable technical outputs include nanostructured Janus PVDF membranes for high-salinity water treatment, organic-based redox flow batteries using hydrocarbon-derived building blocks, recovery of battery-grade metals from black mass, and integration of direct air capture with electrochemical CO2 conversion. Research is delivered through KFUPM's Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) for Advanced Materials and via international summer research placements at MIT, Imperial College London, Polytechnique Montreal, Cornell University, and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf.

The department does not operate as a commercial entity; revenue is not publicly disclosed and the unit is funded through KFUPM's government budget and Saudi Aramco-linked research partnerships. Its go-to-market is community-led: student recruitment through KFUPM admissions, industry partnerships via MoUs (ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Al-Jubail, JESCO, MEA, Maaden), and brand-building events including Materials Day (1,900+ attendees in 2026) and seminars featuring Nobel laureates and world-leading scientists. Strategic positioning aligns explicitly with Saudi Vision 2030 and the Kingdom's mining, energy, and industrial diversification priorities.

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM
Legal name: King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals
Website: https://mse.kfupm.edu.sa
Company type: Private
Founded year: 2021
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 1–10 employees
Short description: The Materials Science and Engineering Department at KFUPM is the first dedicated undergraduate MSE program in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, offering BS, MS, MX, PhD, and CX credentials with research in polymers, composites, nanomaterials, batteries, and water treatment. It serves domestic and international students, industrial partners including Saudi Aramco, ArcelorMittal, and Maaden, and aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 priorities.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM industry classification

Industry

Product category: Higher Education in Materials Science and Engineering
NAICS: Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)
SIC: Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
akta.pro industry: PRIMARYEDAHAEAJ
Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering
Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Technical & Polytechnic Universities

Keywords

Materials science education
Graduate engineering programs
Industrial research collaboration
Corrosion engineering studies
Nanomaterials research

Where Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Dhahran
HQ country: Saudi Arabia
HQ region: Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

Government Funding: As a department of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, the MSE department is funded through government预算 and Saudi Aramco partnerships

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Materials Science and Engineering Department at KFUPM delivers higher education academic programs in materials science and engineering at the undergraduate (BSc), professional certificate (CX in Corrosion and Materials Degradation), and graduate (MS, MX, and PhD) levels. It also conducts industry-funded research in polymer science, composites, nanomaterials, computational materials science, corrosion, water treatment, and solid-state batteries, with a dedicated learning platform, lab facilities, and financial assistance programs supporting students.

Product overview

The Materials Science and Engineering Department at KFUPM is an academic department offering a comprehensive suite of educational programs. It operates as a platform of programs spanning undergraduate (BS), professional certificates (CX), and graduate levels (MS, MX, Ph.D.). The department is the first and only in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region to offer a dedicated undergraduate MSE program. Programs cover interdisciplinary materials science including polymer science, composites, nanomaterials, computational materials science, corrosion, and failure analysis. The portfolio includes academic degree programs, financial assistance, and a learning platform for educational delivery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

Materials Day 2026 attracted over 1,900 participants
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM

Customer profile

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

Prof. Yang-Kook SunflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025World's leading battery scientist visited to deliver seminar on High-Capacity Ni-rich Cathode Materials for Electric Vehicles. Renowned for pioneering concentration-gradient and core-shell cathode materials adopted by battery industry globally.
Materials Engineering Association (MEA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Strategic MoU to advance collaboration in academic activities, research, professional training, and knowledge sharing within materials engineering and corrosion fields. Strengthens industry-academia engagement in alignment with national priorities. Signed by Dr. Hassan Baaqeel (Dean) and Dr. Tariq A. Alghamdi (MEA Chairman).
Maaden (Saudi Arabian Mining Company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024High-profile delegation including CEO Bob Wilt and Vice Minister for Mining Affairs Eng. Khalid Al-Mudaifer visited KFUPM to discuss MSE's role in Kingdom's industrial landscape. Focus on collaborative opportunities in mining sector research and development.
ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Al-Jubail (AMTPJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2024MoU signed for joint research initiatives aimed at advancing materials science and addressing industrial challenges, with focus on improving materials performance and developing new materials technologies. Includes student engagement through workshops, seminars, internships, career fairs, and employment opportunities for MSE graduates. Also covers development of short courses for AMTPJ engineers and material samples for educational purposes.
Jubail Energy Services Company (JESCO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 March 2024MoU for joint research initiatives and student engagement including workshops, seminars, internships, career fairs, and employment opportunities for MSE graduates. Partnership bridges academic research with real-world industrial applications.
Prof. Sir Konstantin NovoselovflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2022Nobel Laureate visit to KFUPM MSE Department. Prof. Novoselov delivered seminar on Materials for the Future attended by over a thousand faculty, researchers, and students. Visited Dhahran Techno Valley including research centers.
Saudi AramcocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) for Advanced Materials. Faculty projects on organic redox flow batteries leverage hydrocarbon-derived building blocks with strong interdisciplinary effort between KFUPM and Saudi Aramco.
Oil Sustainability Program (OSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative organization of OSP & KFUPM's MSE Students Competition for Sustainable Materials. Challenge designed to catalyze transition towards sustainable materials by identifying eco-friendly polymer alternatives. Sponsored, co-organized event with mentorship from industry professionals.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration through Ibn Battuta Summer Outbound Program. Faculty conducted research at MIT, specifically Dr. Muhammad Ihsan Ul Haq on silicon electrode passivation in high-energy density batteries.
Imperial College LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration through Ibn Battuta Summer Outbound Program. Faculty conducted research at Imperial College, with Dr. Md Delowar Hossain working on electrochemical glycerol oxidation.
Polytechnique MontrealcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational summer research program partnership. Student Faisal Ali Alzahrani conducted cutting-edge computational research using AI and machine learning in designing and manufacturing materials.
Cornell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational summer research program partnership. Student Mohammed Faisal Alsamail conducted research on synthesis of silica nanoparticles to enhance oil recovery.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational summer research program partnership. Student Mohammed Abdullah Alhelali conducted research on impact of ion irradiation on material properties using tandem accelerator and SRIM software.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) / CaltechcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Charles Elashi, Director of JPL and Vice President of Caltech, visited to explore role of MSE in space-related applications. Emphasized key role of MSE field in supporting space activity globally and in Saudi Arabia.
Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) for Advanced MaterialscoreTechnology or IntegrationKFUPM internal research center supporting MSE faculty research including Dr. Atif Alzahrani's patent development and faculty projects on energy storage and sustainability.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Regional players

King Saud University College of Engineering: Largest Saudi public university with broad engineering program offerings. Represents the most likely regional competitor for domestic engineering talent and government research funding, though it does not yet offer a dedicated MSE undergraduate program.
KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) — Materials Science and Engineering Program: Saudi Arabia's other world-class research university with an active materials science program. KAUST is the most direct regional comparable for competing Saudi talent and research funding, and its MSE activity is positioned as a peer to KFUPM MSE in the national research landscape.
National University of Singapore — Department of Materials Science and Engineering: Leading Asian MSE program with strong research output in energy materials, nanomaterials, and biomaterials. Comparable as a regional academic MSE program competing for international graduate student talent and industry partnerships.

Direct peers

MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering: Direct academic peer and an active research partner via the Ibn Battuta Summer Outbound Program. MIT DMSE is the global benchmark for academic MSE programs and represents the top end of the peer set in faculty depth, research output, and graduate placement.
Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering: Top US public-university MSE program with strong industry partnerships and a comparable orientation toward applied research in energy, manufacturing, and sustainability. Useful benchmark for the KFUPM MSE industrial partnership model.
Imperial College London Department of Materials: Active research partner (faculty exchange on electrochemical glycerol oxidation) and one of the leading UK-based MSE departments. Imperial is directly comparable in terms of interdisciplinary materials research and structured industry engagement.
Stanford University Department of Materials Science and Engineering: World-leading academic MSE program with comparable research scope in nanomaterials, energy storage, and computational materials. Stanford represents the upper benchmark for the department's research and graduate placement ambitions.
Cornell University Department of Materials Science and Engineering: Active partner via the Ibn Battuta Summer Outbound Program (silica nanoparticle research). Cornell MSE is a top-tier US MSE department with comparable research breadth in nanomaterials, polymers, and computational materials.
University of Cambridge — Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy: Top UK/EU academic MSE department with deep research strength in structural materials, energy materials, and computational materials science. Directly comparable in scale of graduate research and industry partnership model.

Emerging players

Polytechnique Montréal — Department of Chemical Engineering: Active partner via the Ibn Battuta Summer Outbound Program (AI/ML for materials design). Polytechnique Montréal is a credible applied-research peer with a comparable industry-engagement model, though slightly more applied than research-intensive compared to KFUPM MSE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM

What does Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM do?

Is Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM a public or private company?

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.

When was Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM founded?

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.

Where is Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM based?

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM is headquartered in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East region.

How does Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM make money?

One revenue line is on record: government Funding.

Who are Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM's main competitors?

Regional players on record are King Saud University College of Engineering, KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) — Materials Science and Engineering Program and National University of Singapore — Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Direct peers are MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Georgia Tech School of Materials Science and Engineering, Imperial College London Department of Materials, Stanford University Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University Department of Materials Science and Engineering and University of Cambridge — Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy. Polytechnique Montréal — Department of Chemical Engineering is listed as an emerging player.

Does Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM have an API?

No public API is recorded for Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM.

What industry is Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM in?

Materials Science and Engineering Department, KFUPM's product category is Higher Education in Materials Science and Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAJ, Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering. Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8731.