Dr. Dalia Ibrahim Meisha, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, has achieved a landmark international recognition by receiving the ADEE Mature Career Educator Award for Excellence in Dental Education 2025 from the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE).

This marks the first time in the ADEE’s 50-year history that the award has been presented to an academic outside European universities. The honor was announced during the association’s annual meeting in Dublin, where a panel of distinguished deans from leading dental schools in the UK and across Europe commended Dr. Dalia’s outstanding contributions to dental education.

The award is a culmination of an accomplished academic journey that began with a bachelor’s degree in dentistry with distinction, followed by advanced qualifications including a master’s and doctorate, the American Board certification in Dental Public Health, and a fellowship in Artificial Intelligence in Education and Scientific Research in 2025.

Dr. Dalia has made significant contributions beyond classroom teaching, including curriculum development, mentoring early-career academics, supervising over 30 student research groups, leading more than 100 research projects, and reviewing studies in over 10 academic forums. Her work has also earned her previous distinctions, such as first place in research poster competitions and the top award in a leadership case study competition.

In her statement, Dr. Dalia expressed pride in this achievement, emphasizing that it represents an international recognition of the academic excellence of Saudi universities, and in particular King Abdulaziz University. She regarded the award as a tribute to her university and to everyone who played a role in shaping her academic journey.