PSAU Community Health and Wellbeing Outreach Initiatives

Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) implemented numerous programmes in 2024 and 2025 to support the health and wellbeing of its local community. These initiatives – spanning student-led volunteering, public health awareness campaigns, community services, and sports events – addressed topics from hygiene and nutrition to disease prevention, mental health, exercise, and more. Below is an overview of key activities, grouped by their nature, followed by a summary table.

Health Awareness and Education Campaigns

• World Diabetes Day Awareness Programme (November 2024): In late 2024, PSAU marked World Diabetes Day with a comprehensive community outreach campaign. The programme included an on-campus workshop and informational booth educating attendees on diabetes prevention and management strategies, the distribution of health brochures, and the screening of two educational videos about controlling blood sugar and understanding insulin resistance. Additionally, an interactive online public lecture titled “Diabetes and Lifestyle: How to Make a Difference Every Day” was organised, stressing healthy diet and exercise as means to prevent type 2 diabetes.
• Breast Cancer Awareness Events (October 2024 & 2025): Each October, PSAU contributed to Breast Cancer Awareness Month by hosting educational events on early detection and women’s health. In 2024 and again in 2025, the university held awareness lectures and exhibitions highlighting breast self-examination techniques, symptoms of breast cancer, and the importance of regular screenings. These sessions were often led by medical faculty or healthcare students and sometimes conducted in partnership with local hospitals or cancer societies (for example, past collaborations included local clinics and charity groups).
• Pediatric Cancer Awareness Lectures (2024 & 2025): As part of PSAU’s community education outreach, the College of Applied Medical Sciences organised annual public lectures in 2024 and 2025 to coincide with international and Gulf regional cancer awareness days. These “Awareness Lecture on Pediatric Cancer” sessions informed students, parents, and schoolchildren about childhood cancer warning signs, the importance of early medical intervention, and supportive care for affected families. Often delivered in collaboration with local health authorities or charities (such as the Ensan Orphan Care Society in earlier years), the lectures provided a forum for discussion and questions.
• Mental Health Promotion Workshops (Periodic, 2024–2025): PSAU recognises the link between mental wellbeing and academic success. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the Deanship of Student Affairs ran periodic workshops on “Mental Health Promotion and Its Impact on Academic Achievement”. These sessions, led by mental health professionals, covered stress management techniques, study-life balance, and resources for counselling. Often timed around high-stress periods (such as exam seasons), the workshops encouraged students to discuss issues like anxiety or depression openly.
• Gulf Adolescent & Youth Health Day Events (September 2024 & 2025): PSAU took part in the annual GCC Adolescent and Youth Health Day observance – a Gulf-wide initiative focusing on young people’s health – by holding special events on campus in both 2024 and 2025. In September 2024, an awareness day was organised with seminars and exhibition booths highlighting topics such as nutrition for youth, physical fitness, substance abuse prevention, and reproductive health education. The following year, September 2025, the university expanded the programme with student-led presentations and health screenings for adolescents in the local community.
• “Clear Vision” Eye Health Campaign (2024): In 2024, PSAU’s College of Medicine launched the “Clear Vision” initiative – a free eye health campaign that provided vision screenings and eye care education to the university community and the public. Volunteer medical students and faculty offered free eye examinations to staff, students, and local residents, checking for refractive errors and early signs of cataracts. Alongside the check-ups, the team distributed educational pamphlets on eye care and demonstrated proper eye-health practices.
• Oral and Dental Health Outreach for Children (May 2025): In 2025, PSAU’s College of Dentistry, in cooperation with the University’s Social Responsibility Department, implemented its first outreach initiative focused on oral hygiene and sustainable health practices. The programme welcomed a group of children from the Al-Haytham Association for Orphan Care to the campus dental clinic. University dentists and senior students performed free dental examinations and treatments for the children. They also ran a fun, hands-on oral hygiene workshop – teaching proper brushing and flossing techniques and distributing eco-friendly dental care kits (biodegradable toothbrushes and recyclable paste tubes). Uniquely, the session integrated environmental awareness by advising kids on saving water while brushing and reducing plastic waste, linking personal health with sustainability.
• Voluntary Blood Donation Drive (January 2025): In early 2025, PSAU organised a major blood donation campaign in collaboration with the regional health authorities. Notably, the College of Business Administration at Hotat Bani Tamim coordinated a two-day drive on campus in partnership with Hotat Bani Tamim General Hospital.
• First Aid and CPR Training Programme (2024–2025): PSAU prioritised building emergency response skills in its community by offering regular first aid training workshops. Throughout 2024 and 2025, the College of Applied Medical Sciences ran periodic certified courses on basic First Aid, covering critical skills like treating wounds, managing burns, and responding to choking or allergic reactions. In addition, the university organised a mass CPR training event in 2024 – a large-scale hands-on session where dozens of students and faculty were simultaneously trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for adults and children. These training sessions were often conducted in collaboration with professional paramedics and aimed to empower volunteers for medical emergencies.
• Student Health Volunteer Programme: (Cross-cutting initiative) – Alongside formal trainings, PSAU encouraged students to apply their skills through volunteer service. Nursing and medical students formed volunteer squads that routinely staffed health booths at community events and provided basic screenings (blood pressure, blood sugar checks) to the public. They also participated in sanitisation and hygiene campaigns in local schools (promoting handwashing and COVID-19 prevention during the tail-end of the pandemic) and assisted in organising the above-mentioned awareness days. This culture of volunteering ensured that the knowledge from PSAU’s training programmes directly benefited the wider community. 

Target audience: Students, staff, and local residents (both in-person and online).

Goal: To raise awareness of diabetes and encourage healthier lifestyles to reduce risk. 

Outcome: The campaign engaged the wider community through educational materials and discussions, improving public knowledge on diabetes; dozens of participants took part in the workshop and webinar, demonstrating increased community interest in preventative health.

Target audience: Female students, staff, and women in the surrounding community. 

Format: Awareness lectures and on-campus campaigns (some sessions conducted virtually as needed). 

Goal: To promote early detection of breast cancer and educate women on prevention and treatment options. 

Outcome: Dozens of women attended these sessions each year, gaining practical knowledge about breast health; feedback indicated improved willingness to undergo screening and share information with family, thereby extending the impact to the broader community.

Target audience: University students and staff, schoolteachers, parents, and interested community members. 

Format: Educational lecture (sometimes held at schools or community halls as an outreach). 

Goal: To increase public awareness of childhood cancers and reduce stigma, while guiding families on accessing treatment early. 

Outcome: Participants reported greater understanding of pediatric cancer and the lectures strengthened community partnerships (e.g. linking families with support organisations). Repeating the programme in 2025 helped reinforce key messages and reach new audiences.

Target audience: University students (with some sessions also open to faculty and the public). 

Format: Interactive workshop seminars (hosted on campus, occasionally via webinar). 

Goal: To raise awareness of mental health issues, destigmatise seeking help, and equip students with strategies to maintain good mental health for better academic performance. 

Outcome: The recurring sessions fostered a more supportive campus environment; attendance grew over time, and participants reported improved understanding of coping strategies. The initiative contributed to an uptick in students utilising campus counselling services, indicating a positive cultural shift in attitudes towards mental wellbeing.

Target audience: Adolescents and young adults, including university and high school students in Al-Kharj region. 

Format: Awareness campaign day with workshops, informational stalls, and expert talks. 

Goal: To educate and engage young people on health issues relevant to them (from healthy lifestyle habits to preventive care), as part of a regionally coordinated effort. 

Outcome: The events drew active participation each year – for example, local secondary schools sent groups of students in 2025 – thereby improving health literacy among youth. Feedback from attendees and educators noted increased awareness in areas like healthy eating and exercise, supporting better long-term wellbeing for the young participants.

Community Health Outreach and Services

Format: Public health campaign (mobile clinic and education booths on campus). 

Date: Launched in mid-2024 (with periodic screening days thereafter). 

Target audience: PSAU community and residents of Al-Kharj, especially those who may not have regular optometry access. 

Scope and goal: To improve access to basic vision screening and raise awareness about preventable eyesight issues, aligning with the goal of universal health coverage. 

Outcome: Hundreds of individuals benefitted from free eye exams during the campaign’s sessions, with many receiving referrals for further treatment as needed. The campaign not only identified vision problems in participants who were previously unaware, but also educated attendees on protecting eyesight – thereby expanding preventive care in the community.

Format: One-day community clinic and educational workshop. 

Date: May 2025 (in alignment with SDG-themed health outreach that year). 

Target audience: Orphaned children (approximately 20 participants, ages 6–12) and their caregivers. 

Scope and goal: To provide vulnerable children with needed dental care and instil lifelong healthy oral habits, while also highlighting environmental responsibility in hygiene practices. 

Outcome: The children received immediate dental treatments (addressing cavities and gum issues on the spot) and left with improved knowledge of oral care. Caregivers noted that children were excited to continue the new hygiene habits at home. Given the positive impact, this pilot initiative is set to be repeated and expanded, strengthening PSAU’s community service role in preventive dentistry.

Date: 21–22 January 2025 (corresponding to 22–23 Jumada I 1446 AH). 

Format: Blood donation campaign (with mobile blood bank units and hospital staff on site). 

Target audience: All university students and employees, with an open invitation to local community members. 

Scope and goal: To collect blood for local hospitals in need, foster a culture of volunteer blood donation, and strengthen university-community ties in public health. University leadership, including the college dean, actively promoted the drive, urging participation for this humanitarian cause. 

Outcome: The campaign saw enthusiastic turnout from both PSAU staff and community donors, resulting in a substantial number of blood units collected to support the hospital’s patients[13]. The dean publicly thanked all contributors, highlighting that the drive not only bolstered the regional blood supply but also exemplified the spirit of social responsibility at PSAU[14]. The success of this drive led to plans for making it an annual volunteer event. Additionally, other colleges at PSAU hosted similar blood donation days in 2025 in partnership with regional blood banks, underlining the widespread volunteer ethos among students and staff.

Training and Capacity-Building Initiatives

Format: Repeated practical workshops (on-campus; some open to the public) and one large mass training session. 

Target audience: Primarily university students (especially those in health-related fields), staff, and interested community first-responders (e.g. school teachers). 

Goal: To improve the community’s capacity to handle health emergencies and to contribute to lowering preventable mortality by quick action. 

Outcome: Over the two-year period, well over a hundred participants gained lifesaving first aid and CPR competencies. Many student volunteers who completed the training have since joined local first-response volunteer teams or served as safety marshals in university events. The mass CPR event, in particular, heightened awareness of emergency preparedness on campus and was lauded for spreading critical knowledge broadly in a single day.

Outcome: By 2025, PSAU had a growing cohort of trained student volunteers actively engaged in community health promotion, exemplifying the university’s motto of learning through service.

Sports and Physical Well-Being Programmes

• Inter-University Sports Events (Exercise and Wellbeing): To promote physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle, PSAU hosted major sports competitions that engaged youth and the community. In March 2024, the university held the first Women’s Inter-University Volleyball Championship in Saudi Arabia, welcoming female teams from multiple universities. This landmark event – the first of its kind – was aimed at empowering women in sports and encouraging active lifestyles, aligning with national goals for women’s wellbeing. PSAU provided facilities, training support, and enthusiastic crowds, showcasing how sports can foster community and mental health. Similarly, PSAU was the venue for the Tenth Saudi Universities Cross-Country Running Championship (hosted during the 2023–2024 season). Dozens of student athletes from universities across the Kingdom raced on a course laid out in Al-Kharj, with local residents turning up to cheer the runners. 

  Format: Large-scale sports tournaments (one for women’s indoor sports, one for mixed-gender outdoor athletics). 

  Target audience: University student athletes nationwide; local community as spectators; PSAU sports science students as event volunteers. 

  Goal: To encourage exercise and sportsmanship among youth, provide equal sporting opportunities for women, and engage the community in healthy recreation. 

  Outcome: These events were successful and received positive media coverage. The women’s volleyball tournament in 2024 not only crowned a champion but also inspired increased female student participation in campus sports afterwards. The cross-country championship solidified PSAU’s reputation for sporting excellence and community engagement, as the university’s organisation and hospitality were praised. Both events contributed to a culture of physical well-being and demonstrated PSAU’s commitment to serving and caring for youth through sports.

The table below summarises these activities by type:

Additional details on PSAU's outreach initiatives are provided in the following sections.