Riyadh: SAMI Advanced Electronics Company (SAMI-AEC), a company of Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), marked the 27th anniversary of its longstanding partnership with King Saud University (KSU) during the university's annual ceremony honoring the winners of this year's Best Graduation Project Award. The occasion reaffirmed SAMI-AEC's sustained commitment to supporting and empowering young Saudi talent and strengthening the academic and innovation ecosystem across engineering and technology disciplines.
According to Saudi Press Agency, sponsored by SAMI-AEC since 1998, the award recognizes outstanding student achievements from the College of Computer and Information Sciences and the College of Engineering's Electrical Engineering Department. Awards are presented across key categories reflecting scientific progress, excellence, and innovation, including Best Project, Best Student, Best Idea, and Best Project in the Electronics Laboratory. Through this initiative, SAMI-AEC continues to encourage students who develop practical solutions and technology-driven innovations that create value for the Kingdom and society. This year's ceremony celebrated the Class of 2026, marking the company's 27th consecutive year of sponsorship.
CEO of SAMI-AEC Eng. Ziad Al-Musallam emphasized the importance of the partnership, stating: 'Our continued sponsorship of the Best Graduation Project Award at King Saud University for nearly three decades reflects a clear and enduring objective: to recognize, empower, and elevate young Saudi talent. These projects embody innovation, applied research, and technological excellence aligned with the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030. Many former award recipients now hold influential leadership roles and contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom's transition toward a diversified, knowledge-based economy.'
He added: 'At SAMI-AEC, empowering national talent and strengthening capabilities remains a long-term commitment. This is reflected not only in our sponsorship of this award, but also in our broader efforts to build a knowledge-driven environment for Saudi youth. Among our key initiatives is the establishment of a fully equipped electronics laboratory at the College of Computer and Information Sciences. We remain committed to supporting students and enabling an environment that advances their skills and prepares them for future academic and professional demands.'
Acting President of King Saud University Prof. Ali Masmali expressed his appreciation for the partnership, stating: 'Our collaboration with SAMI-AEC over the past 27 years has strengthened the university's innovation ecosystem and encouraged students to develop high-impact ideas and pioneering projects aligned with national development goals. We highly value the company's continued support for this award, which has played a significant role in enhancing positive competition among students and advancing scientific and academic excellence.'
During this year's ceremony, first place in the Scientific Progress Award was awarded to the project Rotman Lenses. Second place went to Wafrah, while third place was awarded to the Drone Positioning System project. The Innovation Award was won by Jazm. Students Mashari Al-Dawood, Yara Al-Fouzan, and Raghad Bin Khuraif received the Excellence Award. PlasterMate won Best Graduation Project, while Swimming Assistant System received Best Idea in the SAMI-AEC Laboratory.
Over 27 years of continuous sponsorship, the award has supported the development of numerous high-quality projects and helped accelerate student achievement across critical engineering and technology fields. SAMI-AEC's ongoing support reflects its commitment to investing in the Kingdom's most promising talent and providing meaningful opportunities for growth, development, and long-term contribution to national priorities.