American universities in need of funding may find an unlikely ally in the Middle East, as Saudi Arabia prepares to launch an international, graduate level research university. Already, Berkeley and Stanford have signed millon dollar contracts with the university.

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), set to open in 2009, promises a commitment to advancing science through global collaboration, linking research activities with economic expansion. Never mind the fact that KAUST sits 50 miles north of Jeddah; this “MIT in the Middle East” does not discriminate against women, and is open to all genders, races and religions.

According to its charters and bylaws, KAUST is independently governed by an international board of trustees; not by the Saudi Government, which means Kaustis are free to worship, date, and curse whomever they please, while drinking Kahluas and exposing as much or as little skin as they so please.

Skeptical? So am I. When I spoke with James Wagner, a recruiter on KAUST’s non-academic leadership search committee, after his presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science convention, he assured me that the Saudi government could not interfere with KAUST affairs; that was a condition set from the inception.  It’s also clearly stated in the university’s charter and bylaws.

However, bylaws don’t stop leaders, particularly authoritarian ones, from doing what they please.  Kaust will operate within the confines of a dictatorial monarch and it only exists because King Abdullah, as demonstrated with his $10 billion endowment, wants it to. Therefore, it may be challenging for KAUST to remain completely free, and Saudi Arabians will suffer most from that repercussion. While KAUST recruits both Saudi and international students, there’s no guaranteed method of preventing the Saudi government from interfering in the selection process. Since Kaustis will have different rights from Saudis, it is likely the conservative government, known for preventing women from mingling freely with men, will limit their admission. KAUST officials may be able to take measures to ensure that Saudi women are given the same liberties as the rest of the students once enrolled, but they will have no say if the Saudi government discourages women from applying in the first place.

Regardless of this flaw, and because it’s investing in excellence, KAUST will likely become one of the top ten research institutions in the world. The faculty and partnerships it’s recruiting are world-renowned, and the environmentally sustainable campus is equipped with the finest and latest technology. The research it plans to conduct will have an impact across the globe, as it involves issues such as water desalination, renewable and sustainable energy sources, human health and biotechnology. However; in the 21st century, success should also be measured by what its yields to humanity.

How will Saudi Arabians benefit from the fruit that KAUST bears?

It’s no secret that the oil supply is running out, and the royal family is smart to convert from an oil-based economy to a research-based one, as it joins neighboring countries like Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in Westernizing its education system.  It’s refreshing to see a country, often isolated and criticized, taking measures to improve its image and transform into a country that better resembles the rest of the world.  However, the new Saudi Arabia will be a lot easier on the eyes if the success of its economy is mirroerd by the success of its society. In other words, KAUST shouldn’t be an isolated island of progression, but an integrated expression of new-age pluralism, sure to make inroads for the rest of the country, for the rest of the region, for the rest of the Muslim and Arab world.

It is counterproductive and outright hypocritical for KAUST investors to deprive the rest of the Kingdom from the benefits of their collaborative philosophy. To truly call itself innovative and inclusive, KAUST needs to extend its philosophy to all of Saudi Arabia’s citizens by including their welfare in its constitution. This will legitimize KAUST in the eyes of Saudis and help reduce the possibility of any threats from Muslim extremists, weary of Arab governments pandering to Western influences. By the same token, when Westerners see that KAUST is committed to scientific and humanitarian advancement for all of Saudi Arabia’s citizens, they will be less hesitant to associate themselves with a country that Osama Bin Laden once called home.

Before becoming affiliated with KAUST, faculty and students around the world should pressure the university into expanding its philosophy to where the welfare of Saudi Arabians is also a clear part of its constitution. In order to realize its aspiration as an institution that will lead the world, KAUST must first lead the Saudis, and work on achieving equilibrium between an advanced Saudi Arabian economy and an advanced Saudi Arabian society.