Dr. Bakr bin Bakr, First President of KFUPM and Pioneer of Engineering Education, Passes Away

Saudi Arabia has lost one of its leading higher education pioneers with the passing of Dr. Bakr Abdullah bin Bakr, the first president of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), following a distinguished career that helped shape engineering education and develop national talent.

KFUPM mourned its former president, recognizing his pivotal role in establishing the university and strengthening its position as one of the region’s leading institutions for engineering and energy studies.

First Saudi Petroleum Engineer at Aramco

Dr. Bakr was among the Kingdom’s earliest national pioneers in the energy sector, becoming the first Saudi petroleum engineer to join Aramco in 1963 after earning a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Texas.

His career marked an important milestone in the development of Saudi Arabia’s national workforce in the petroleum industry.

Building a World-Class University

He participated in founding the College of Petroleum and Minerals in 1965 and became its dean in 1970.

When the institution became King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in 1975, Dr. Bakr was appointed its first president, leading the university for two decades and overseeing major academic and research expansion that established its international reputation.

Academic and Diplomatic Legacy

Following his academic career, Dr. Bakr served Saudi Arabia as ambassador to Tunisia and later to Syria, combining educational leadership with diplomatic service.

His legacy continues through the generations of engineers and professionals he helped educate, as well as the lasting impact he left on one of Saudi Arabia’s most prestigious universities.