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Ties between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and The University of Western Australia have been strengthened by a recent collaboration between UWA's Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and Saudi Arabia's King Saud University's College of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

A joint memorandum of understanding will develop academic and cultural interchanges in teaching, research and other activities and foster exchanges of staff and students.

UWA's Chair in Agriculture and Director of UWA Institute of Agriculture, Winthrop Professor Kadambot Siddique, was recently appointed as a visiting Professor (in Crop Science) at King Saud University (KSU).

While there, Professor Siddique developed a joint research project proposal: Molecular breeding in faba bean for improved adaptation to drought and enhanced water use in water-limited environments.

There is also likely to be collaboration in animal production, and cereal (wheat and barley) heat and drought tolerance and the possibility of establishing a joint centre of excellence in sustainable agriculture.

"There is growing recognition of the need to develop rapid crop-breeding and animal production skills to help Australia and other nations adapt to climate change and to secure the world's food supplies," Professor Siddique said.

"It is exciting that our two countries, which share similar environmental challenges, can cooperate in advancing agriculture."

Furthering the relationship, students from Saudi Arabia are among the fastest-growing cohort at UWA, with about 80 Saudi students enrolled in various schools and faculties.  This year's enrolments are up from almost five per cent in 2009-2010.

The growth of the Saudi cohort is rivalled only by students from China, whose numbers have increased by almost 60% since last year.  There are now almost 470 students from China at UWA.

Media references

Winthrop Professor Kadambot Siddique (+61 8) 6488 7012
(Chair in Agriculture and Director UWA Institute of Agriculture, UWA)
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716