RIYADH: New global trends such as micro-credentials, virtual reality and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence chatbots such as ChatGPT and Jasper, are reshaping the future of higher education in the Kingdom and beyond.
Online learning became dominant after the COVID-19 pandemic, and academic institutions with prior investment in digital technologies emerged as more resilient and agile.
Professor Santiago Iniguez de Onzono, executive president of IE University in Madrid, said: “Legislation here has been reluctant to bring in online education in pair with other traditional arrangements of education.
“But the fact is that we at IE University have experienced that the best methodology for enhancing skills and developing attitudes and upskilling is using the blended format, that combines presence with an online form of education.”
It (Saudi Vision 2030’s Human Capability DevelopmentProgram) will render lots of positive results in future generations.
Santiago Iniguez de Onzono, IE University executive president
Iniguez is a pioneer in business education, actively contributing and participating in various forums and networks to foster innovation and development in higher education.
He was described by the Financial Times as “one of the most significant figures in promoting European business schools internationally.”
According to the professor, among the challenges facing higher education is preparing faculty, traditionally a group “that are difficult to move because they normally hold tenure for life, and they are sometimes quite comfortable doing their traditional research.” That can result in not prioritizing teaching, engaging with students and participating in class.
“I guess the challenge here to embrace these new opportunities for technology is to prepare the faculty to become the orchestrators of the whole learning process and the best possible managers of artificial intelligence,” he said.
The Human Capability Development Program, one of the Vision 2030 programs, focuses on developing a solid education base for all Saudis from an early age, by instilling values, developing current and future skills, enhancing their knowledge, and preparing them for the future local and global labor market.
“My first reaction is of admiration regarding the very ambitious objectives of the program,” Iniguez said.
The program includes early childhood education and the Kingdom now requires and promotes preschool education.
“That will render lots of positive results in future generations. It is already proven how the Chinese young generation has become much more competent, and motivated in areas like math and languages because of this emphasis on kindergarten education,” he said.
The program works to align the education output with labor market needs, which is another challenge facing many countries.
According to Iniguez, one of the criticisms of the US has been that universities do not prepare graduates to directly join the labor market. However, he believes that “universities should not just prepare employable graduates, but also global citizens, and part of the university has to do with putting and instilling these skills and global feelings, of belonging and respecting basic norms of tolerance to learn from others, to learn from diversity.”
He has closely worked with the higher education sector in the Kingdom as a consultant. In increasing the presence of IE University, Iniguez has worked with Saudi governmental agencies and has attracted several Saudi students to programs directed by the university.
“We are currently already running a master’s degree program, collaborating masters for a number of companies here including Aramco and stc (Saudi Telecom Company),” Iniguez said.
Iniguez was in Riyadh recently to launch his book “Philosophy Inc.: Applying Wisdom to Everyday Management.”
The book revolves around the central idea of management as philosophy in action.
“Behind any major management decision, there’s always a vision of the world, there’s a vision of what is business and how should business be,” Iniguez said.
The book discussions include leadership, the types of leaders the world needs, how to manage uncertainty, and how to make a good atmosphere at work as “two-thirds of our life is spent working, if we are not happy at work, then we have a problem,” he said.
