Sumitomo Chemical announced on Saturday its participation in the KAUST Industrial Collaboration Program (KICP) being promoted by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), a new graduate-level research university opening in Thuwal on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. As a member of the KAUST's Industrial Advisory Board, Sumitomo Chemical will play a role in KICP's management and provide guidance for KAUST's research. In addition, Sumitomo Chemical will have the opportunity to expand its research network through, for example, participation in joint research programs that KAUST will promote with other leading international institutions. Sumitomo Chemical, in partnership with Saudi Aramco, has built one of the world's largest integrated refining and petrochemical complexes in Rabigh on the coast of the Red Sea, a complex that recently began operation. In its R&D activities, Sumitomo Chemical pursues a strategy of “Creative Hybrid Chemistry,” combining core technologies fostered over the course of developing a variety of products utilizing a number of base technologies accumulated through a wide range of research activities. In recent years, it has actively stepped up its research collaboration with universities, other companies, and research institutions. Sumitomo Chemical expects that its participation in KICP will serve to further cement its already strong relationships with Saudi Arabia and accelerate its R&D activities based on its Creative Hybrid Chemistry. KAUST was established to contribute to the development of Saudi Arabia and the global community by developing next-generation technologies and fostering talent, building on a global network of universities and research institutes to provide the latest in advanced research facilities and offer research programs in 9 fields of study, including applied mathematics and computational science, bioscience, and chemical and biological engineering. KICP, through wide-ranging collaboration with other universities, corporations, and research institutions, seeks to promote the commercialization of research achievements in such areas as catalysts, computational bioscience, and geometric modeling. Sumitomo Chemical is one of Japan's leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products in the fields of basic chemicals, petrochemicals, fine chemicals, IT-related chemicals, agricultural chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.
