Students who are identified with academic difficulties are supported with many guidance and support facilities provided by the University and monitored until the student overcomes the issue. Any student with academic difficulties due to social or psychological issues are referred to the University Guidance Center at the Deanship of Student Affairs for consultation and advising.

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The University Guidance Center at the Deanship of Student Affairs:

The center offers several services to both students and staff, that helps strengthening physiological health and adapting to university life, developing positive attitudes towards themselves and their society, individual and group guidance in the psychological, social, academic and professional fields, and difficulties overtaken and problems solving. The University Guidance Center consists of six units including; Academic and Career Counselling Unit, Psychological Counselling Unit, Social Care and Social Counselling Unit, and Counselling Unit at the University Residence (Accommodation) in addition to the Assessment and Training unit and Opinion Survey unit.

The main objectives of Psychological Counselling Unit are:

Help individuals understand themselves and their situations, develop positive thinking and attitude to deal with difficulties.

Train psychologists to identify individuals' issues and difficulties and to apply the appropriate counselling techniques according to each case.

Activating psychological counselling and psychotherapy services remotely.

These services are provided through individual and group psychological counselling sessions, social care, electronic counselling services, counselling phone, social participation programs, study faltering programs, lectures, seminars, workshops, events, forums and guided trips, and field tours. These services are implemented according to a specific, clear, and declared working protocol as follows:

1. he student/staff is directed to the center, and he or she is received by the receptionist, introducing him/her to the services of the center, and then electronically registering the request and choosing the specialist responsible for providing the service and setting a suitable appointment with them. Then the specialist determines the indicative plan s/he needs after his/her interview and opens a confidential file and determines appointments for each. If the student/staff needs another specialist, s/he will be directed to that specialist and if s/he needs to address some other authorities in the university, s/he is asked to submit a request for that and s/he takes this consent to send this confidential information to the concerned party.

2. Through the consultative phone call, in order to respond to the quick consultations that the student/staff needs after documenting their identity and taking the identification data accordingly, and if the matter requires the student to attend the center, the student is recommended to attend and set an appropriate date for them with the appropriate specialist.

3. By receiving the cases referred from the official authorities in university according to the approved transfer form or an official letter addressed to the Dean of Student Affairs or the General Supervisor of the University Counselling Center. The Center utilizes appropriate protection mechanisms to maintain the confidentiality of personal issues.

King Abdulaziz University is committed to supporting the mental health of its members, including students, staff, and faculty, through specialized centers such as the University Medical Services Center. Among the clinics offering these services are:

• Psychiatry Clinic: 1 clinic operated by a psychiatrist.

• Psychology Clinics: 2 clinics operated by psychological specialists.

According to statistics provided by the center for 2024, the number of beneficiaries from the psychiatry clinics at the main center and the female campus reached 1,637.

All mental health services are provided to beneficiaries, including students, faculty members, and administrative staff, free of charge and without any financial compensation.

In addition, KAU hospital has a psychiatry department that provides medical services to KAU students, staff and the community. The psychiatrists at KAU specialize in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental, emotional, and addictive disorders, such as schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders, and adjustment disorders. The psychiatrists analyze the biological, psychological, and social components of the disease, and is therefore fully prepared to treat patients. In addition, the psychiatrists are qualified to diagnose, perform examinations, order the necessary analyzes, prescribe medications, evaluate and treat psychological problems and personal problems, and collaborate with the families to deliver best quality of care.

King Abdulaziz University is committed to providing mental health awareness and education programs for all its members, including the following:

• On 5/11/2024, the Deanship of Student Affairs organized a lecture titled "My Mental Health is the Foundation of My Community Happiness."

  

• King Abdulaziz University, represented by the Deanship of Student Affairs in collaboration with the Human Capacity Development Center and the Health Promotion Center, organized an event to celebrate World Mental Health Day under the theme "Mental Health in the Workplace." The program included seminars and workshops on the importance of mental health in the workplace and how to enhance it. It also offered free specialized psychological consultations on stress management and achieving a balance between work and mental health. The event witnessed a large attendance from students and university staff, and accredited certificates from the Human Capacity Development Center were provided to the participants. For more click here

  

• On March 13, 2024, the Deanship of Student Affairs, represented by the Deanship's Student Services Agency, organized a training course titled "Psychological Balance."