Dr. Najah Ashry joined KAUST in 2008 as the senior assistant provost, where she developed the strategic vision and plans for Graduate Affairs, including admissions, enrollment management, registration, and scholarship programs. She was then appointed founding executive director of Saudi Initiatives to better align KAUST’s strategy and offerings to national needs. She now serves as senior associate to the president and vice president of KAUST’s Strategic National Advancement. Prior to KAUST, Dr. Ashry served as a professor of MIS, department chair, dean, and, eventually, the head of the 40,000-student women’s section of King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia, where she provided vision and strategic direction to two campuses, nine colleges and faculties, seven deanships, and a number of centers, institutions, and administrations.

In 2002, Dr. Ashry earned her PhD from the University of Bradford (UK) in Management Information Systems with a focus on strategic development and planning. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Board of Directors for the Center of Planning & Strategic Studies for the Principality of Makkah Region; the KAU University Board; Women National Committee at the Council of Saudi Chambers; Saudi Ministry of Education’s Board of Directors of Scientific Centers; and the Dow Chemical Company Sustainability External Advisory Council. In 2020, Ashry won the Middle East Women Leaders Excellence Award for Knowledge Management.