In yet another example of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing propaganda machine, state-controlled media recently claimed that King Faisal University ranked first globally in the 2024 National Academy of Inventors (NAI) rankings, surpassing prestigious institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and the University of California, with an alleged 631 patents.
However, an investigation by Never Neom has exposed this as nothing more than another fabricated achievement. The National Academy of Inventors has not yet released any official rankings for 2024, and the most recent published list from 2023 confirms that King Faisal University ranked only 23rd globally, with 107 patents—a respectable achievement, but far from the misleading narrative Saudi media attempted to construct.
This deliberate manipulation of data once again highlights how Saudi state-run media distorts facts to manufacture fake successes that align with the regime’s broader propaganda efforts.
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The Truth vs. The Lies: What Does the Official NAI Ranking Say?
The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) releases an annual ranking of the top 100 universities globally based on their patent filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
The official 2023 NAI ranking placed King Faisal University at 23rd place with 107 patents. Many other universities were ranked higher, and there was no indication that the university had suddenly surged to first place.
The claim that King Faisal University secured 631 patents is entirely false. That figure actually represents the University of California’s past ranking when it led the global NAI rankings. It appears Saudi media recycled this number from an old report and falsely attributed it to a Saudi university in an attempt to fabricate an achievement.
Moreover, the 2024 NAI ranking has not even been published yet, proving that the Saudi media narrative is based on pure fiction rather than verifiable data.
The Saudi Propaganda Machine at Work
The disinformation campaign started when Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and other government-aligned media outlets reported that King Faisal University had topped the global rankings. The claim quickly spread across Saudi news websites such as Akhbaar 24, as well as pro-government social media accounts, portraying it as an unprecedented scientific breakthrough reflecting the success of Vision 2030 in innovation and technology.
However, upon examining the official academic rankings and patent records, it became clear that this claim lacked any factual basis. The Saudi media had completely fabricated this “achievement” in a desperate attempt to showcase artificial progress.
Why Does the Saudi Regime Resort to Lies?
This is not an isolated incident—Saudi Arabia has long relied on manipulating media narratives to project an illusion of progress and modernity. But why is the regime so invested in fabricating such achievements?
Firstly, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has failed to deliver tangible results on his grand promises of transformation under Vision 2030. Despite the kingdom’s immense wealth, significant segments of the population face economic hardships, rising unemployment, and a worsening cost of living crisis. Since there are no real successes to celebrate, the regime resorts to fake achievements to distract from its failures.
Secondly, Saudi Arabia is struggling to attract foreign investments in its tech sector. By presenting itself as a leader in innovation, the kingdom hopes to lure global investors. However, despite pouring billions into flashy tech initiatives, Saudi Arabia remains fundamentally dependent on oil revenues and has failed to make any genuine breakthroughs in scientific research or innovation.
Thirdly, Saudi Arabia’s global reputation has been tarnished due to widespread human rights abuses, including the brutal assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, mass political arrests, and systematic suppression of free speech. Having failed to rehabilitate its image through traditional PR efforts, the regime now seeks to rebrand itself internally by fabricating scientific and economic milestones.
Saudi Arabia’s Long History of Scientific Fraud
This is far from the first time the Saudi government has manipulated academic rankings to falsely portray itself as a scientific powerhouse.
- In 2022, King Abdulaziz University was exposed for artificially inflating its global ranking by employing foreign academics on paper only, without any real research contributions.
- In 2021, reports revealed Saudi efforts to purchase foreign patents and re-register them as Saudi innovations to artificially boost the country’s patent numbers.
- Saudi research institutions have published hundreds of low-quality papers in obscure scientific journals, not to advance knowledge but merely to inflate publication numbers.
These fraudulent tactics are designed to mislead the international community about Saudi Arabia’s research capabilities. However, in reality, the country remains far behind leading nations in scientific research and development. More importantly, genuine scientific progress cannot exist under a regime that suppresses intellectual freedom, criminalizes dissent, and persecutes scholars for their views.
Fake Achievements Won’t Build a Real Economy
The King Faisal University scandal is yet another example of how Saudi state-controlled media operates as a propaganda tool to fabricate successes and distract from deep-rooted systemic failures.
There is no official evidence that King Faisal University ranked first in the 2024 NAI list.
The figures cited by Saudi media were taken from an unrelated ranking of the University of California.
Saudi Arabia remains far behind in genuine scientific research, relying on misleading PR campaigns rather than actual breakthroughs.
While Saudi Arabia may attempt to manufacture success through media manipulation, scientific reality cannot be altered by propaganda. The real question remains: how many other media-fabricated “achievements” have gone unnoticed?
