Saudi alumni of Carnegie Mellon University held their 2026 annual gathering in Diriyah. Cyberani by aramco digital sponsored the event, which was attended by graduates from across the university’s disciplines. The event aimed to strengthen professional networking, encourage the exchange of expertise, and expand opportunities for collaboration among alumni.
The gathering featured a dialogue with Eng. Abdulaziz S. Al-Shafi, Vice President of Cybersecurity and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at Aramco – and Board Chairman at Cyberani. Al-Shafi reflected on milestones in his professional career and his leadership experience, as well as shared his perspectives on the digital technology and cybersecurity sectors.
The event also showcased an initiative by the university’s Saudi Students Association to strengthen career mentorship and connect current students with alumni, helping to transfer knowledge, share experience, and support the development of national talent. The initiative builds on the long-standing presence of Saudi students at the university, which has graduated more than 130 Saudi men and women in fields including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, business administration, engineering, and computer science. More than 30 Saudi students are currently enrolled in its undergraduate and graduate programs.
The gathering comes as the university enters a new phase of growth. On September 30, 2026, Carnegie Mellon announced a historic $3 billion gift from Kenneth Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, the largest individual donation in the history of higher education. The gift includes $1 billion for the university’s Pittsburgh campus, of which $500 million will go to the School of Computer Science, to be renamed in Griffin’s honor, along with $2 billion to establish a new campus in Miami to advance education, research, and innovation.
The gathering highlights the importance of the Carnegie Mellon alumni network in the Kingdom and its role in connecting national talent with professional leaders, building opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange in technical and scientific fields, while supporting human capability development and innovation – contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
Source: Riyadh Daily