RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is hosting the Times Higher Education Global Sustainable Development Congress, the Saudi Press Agency has reported. The event, which runs until June 1, gathers more than 1,000 researchers and innovators from leading universities in the region, as well as government agencies in Saudi Arabia. Tony Chan, KAUST’s president, said that the university’s hosting of the forum aims to establish new partnerships among participants, while urging universities to focus their educational, research, innovative, and awareness initiatives on generating tangible and influential results. Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih is one of the speakers at the event, delivering a speech on “Investment in Transformation” in Saudi Arabia. Al-Falih said that the conference was an excellent opportunity for reviewing efforts, innovative methods and research expertise in the field of international sustainability, as well as boosting cooperation between the Kingdom and international partners. Several CEOs of important international companies are also expected to speak at the event. A panel discussion, “Shaping Global Food Systems,” is also on the agenda, organized by the UN Global Compact network in Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy.