The 2024 Winter Enrichment Program theme is Digital Adventure. 

We stand on the threshold of an era of perhaps the most rapid change in human history, with artificial intelligence the keystone in the development of smart cities, smart health, quantum computing, virtual reality, the metaverse and more. 

WEP 2024 will explore this AI-infused future across four interrelated zones: health and wellness; environment; energy; and economics of the future. How are the ambitions of AI-empowered smart health, smart treatment, diagnosis, prognosis and drug development being realized?   What support can AI provide in tackling environmental challenges?  How will the economics of the future manifest themselves and what are their likely impacts?  Will our energy demands be eased by the application of AI?  And alongside all of this, how do we ensure AI is the stuff of dreams, not nightmares?

Each year WEP invites experts from the world over to KAUST, to share their insights, their journey of discovery and their hopes for the future. WEP 2024 invites you to join the ride to the future as it embarks on the Digital Adventure!

Call for Proposals

WEP is built on proposals submitted by the KAUST community. The WEP Committee invites everyone at KAUST to submit a theme-related proposal for: keynote or distinguished speakers, panel discussions, courses, seminars, field trips, events, films and performances – this is your chance to shape the program. 

WEP offerings range from credited courses to non-credited recreational events. Students are required to attend one WEP during their time at KAUST as part of their credit requirement to graduate.

What will you bring to WEP 2024?  Review the proposal guidelines and submit your proposal by Thursday, May 4, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.

WEP is an annual signature program for KAUST that brings together the world’s greatest thinkers and leaders at the intersection of academia, research, culture and innovation. WEP 2024 is chaired by Xin Gao, Professor of Computer Science and Interim Director of the Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC) and the Deputy Director of the Smart Health Initiative (KSHI); and co-chaired by Michael Berumen, Professor of Marine Science and Director of the Red Sea Research Center(RSRC). 

WEP Team
Office of Culture, Enrichment and Engagement#WEP2024 Digital Adventure – the ride to the future
January 7-18, 2024

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