Overview and Establishment:

Mechanical engineering is a key engineering specialty with applications penetrating all other engineering applications. It covers a very wide range of technical and industrial areas, such as designing and manufacturing mechanical and thermal tools, devices, and industrial systems, as well as energy transformation systems, and generating mechanical and electric forms of energy. Furthermore, mechanical engineering is instrumental for energy transfer, by means of designing, producing and utilizing specific methods and tools (heat exchangers, pipelines, gears, etc.), aside from refrigerating and air conditioning systems.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering was established in 1408 A.H. (corresponding to 1987 A.C.), under the College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture. The department is known for its impressive heritage and traditions, with regard to research, teaching, and keeping in touch with industry, at the local and the international levels.

The Department of Mechanical Engineering is staffed with more than 35 faculty members, supported and followed up by a helpful administration and aided by a myriad of supportive technical and working groups. The Department of Mechanical Engineering accommodates more than 650 undergraduate students, while the MSc students exceed 70 students. The number of department graduates is more than 2000, who have assumed significant posts in different sectors.

The courses taught at the department cover the various fields of mechanical engineering (e.g. mechanical power engineering, and production and manufacturing engineering). That is to be added to courses associated with energy management and research quality assurance, with a view to introducing academic degrees compatible with the various fields.

The department places particular emphasis on engineering topics related to the industrial needs. Coupled with this, there are courses that are meant to enhance the students' awareness of the most important, advanced, and recent fields in mechanical engineering. This includes mechanical design, power generation, manufacturing, and computer-based designing, in addition to air conditioning, water desalination, and energy management. Students in the undergraduate level have two training opportunities to boost their educational development and upgrade their engineering and administrative skills as well as their work ethics.