Future-proofing Saudi Arabia’s workforce

Men walk at the campus of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal. (File/AFP)
Men walk at the campus of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal. (File/AFP)
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Updated 17 March 2024
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Future-proofing Saudi Arabia’s workforce

Men walk at the campus of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Thuwal. (File/AFP)
  • Deals to establish foreign university campuses in the Kingdom will help prepare Saudi workers for the modern labor market 

DUBAI: Saudi students will soon have greater access to top-quality higher education following a series of agreements allowing international academic institutions to open branches in the Kingdom.

Agreements were signed with Australia’s University of Wollongong, and American schools Arizona State University and Cintana Education to establish new campuses in the Kingdom, making their world-class programs available to Saudi students.

The deals were announced during the Human Capability Initiative conference held in Riyadh on Feb. 28-29.

According to a 2023 report by the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, the Kingdom’s traditional education system is failing to prepare the workforce for the demands of the modern labor market, resulting in “a wide skill gap.”

By establishing these campuses, the Saudi government hopes to create a workforce aligned with Vision 2030, which sets out to diversify the Kingdom’s economy, wean it off a reliance on hydrocarbons, and develop high-skill industries.

It is also hoped that by attracting foreign universities and fostering more local talent, the Kingdom can realize its goal of becoming a regional education hub and a leader in scientific research.

During the Human Capability Initiative, the Kingdom also launched “Study in Saudi Arabia,” a new visa initiative aimed at attracting foreign students. 

The visa is designed to make it easier for international students to study in the Kingdom, thereby creating a global learning hub for more than 132,000 foreign students, academics, researchers and professors. 

By promoting this exchange of talent through collaboration with the world’s leading universities, the Kingdom aims to enhance knowledge creation, and foster cross-cultural dialogue between Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world.

Also during the conference, the Saudi Ministry of Education announced it will contribute to revolutionizing education in lower-income countries by officially joining the Global Partnership for Education with a substantial $38 million contribution to equip younger generations with the necessary skills for jobs of the future. 

Groundbreaking education partnerships were also struck between Saudi Arabia and some of the world’s biggest sector leaders, including Porsche, Hyundai, LinkedIn, and IE University, leveraging the power of international collaboration to accelerate human capability development. 

The Saudi ministries of education and investment entered into the new strategic partnership with Arizona State University and Cintana Education after signing a memorandum of understanding at the Human Capability Initiative conference. 

The collaboration aims to establish a new university and an affiliated school in Riyadh, offering internationally recognized education standards, fostering research, and introducing innovative programs.

A date has not yet been set for the opening of these new institutes, which will feature specializations in fields such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, economics, and include the training of educational staff.

Australia’s University of Wollongong was issued with its license at the end of February by the Saudi ministries of education and investment as a step toward establishing a local branch in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Digital Knowledge Company.

“This is the first investment license awarded to a foreign university and is a requisite first step to permit foreign companies to legally operate and conduct business activities in Saudi Arabia,” the Australian university said in a statement.

The university stands out for its academic excellence, being ranked in the top 1 percent of universities globally, according to the 2024 QS World Index, making it as a significant addition to Saudi Arabia’s educational sector.

The University of Wollongong in Saudi Arabia, or UOWS, will be the second branch of UOW in the Arab Gulf states after the University of Wollongong in Dubai was established in 1993. 

Several Arab Gulf states have established partnerships with leading international institutions.

In the UAE, New York University established NYU Abu Dhabi in 2010, while the Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi established a campus in 2006, bringing the French institution to the Gulf. 

In Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University, a private research facility in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened a branch in 2004 and began graduating students in 2008.

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts has also been operating in Qatar since 1998, becoming a popular art school, with students from Qatar, the wider Middle East, and abroad. 

The opening of foreign universities in Saudi Arabia follows a bylaw passed in 2019 that established the Universities Affairs Council, replacing the Higher Educational Council, which allowed foreign universities to establish branches in the Kingdom.

“It will raise the standards of local universities,” Tagreed Al-Saraj, an education and entrepreneurship consultant, told Arab News after the decree was passed. “There will be much more competition, which is needed.”

The move was also welcomed by students. “It’s a positive and progressive step, and it will give a chance to those who can’t study abroad to study at such universities at home,” Abdan Alabdan, a Saudi student who was on a government scholarship program at York University in Canada, told Arab News.

Yousef Al-Benyan, who became Saudi Arabia’s minister of education in September 2022, is responsible for approving plans to establish branches of foreign universities in the Kingdom.




Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan. (Supplied)

In early February, Al-Benyan and his accompanying delegation met with senior officials and key investors in Chicago and Washington, where they visited several educational institutions and universities to discuss opportunities to invest in education in the Kingdom.

His visit reflected the Kingdom’s plans to enhance and develop scientific, education and research cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the US, particularly in early years education, and for students with special needs and people with disabilities.

Another goal of the visit was to attract foreign direct investment in public and graduate education in the Kingdom by providing opportunities and facilities to investors.

During the visit, Al-Benyan said students reflect the human, cultural and social values of Saudi society.

Besides attracting foreign universities to invest in the Kingdom, the Ministry of Education is also keen to promote innovation through international cooperation on the development and adoption of ed-tech.

Speaking at the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh in November, Al-Benyan said teachers must be equipped with the digital skills to educate current and future generations, including a strong understanding of artificial intelligence technology and its applications.

Thanks to Saudi Arabia’s new partnerships with US and Australian universities, the Kingdom is on track to build its own world-class institutes, train experienced staff, and foster generations of high-skill workers for the industries of the future.


KSrelief sends food to Libya, Uganda

KSrelief sends food to Libya, Uganda
Updated 18 February 2025
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KSrelief sends food to Libya, Uganda

KSrelief sends food to Libya, Uganda

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed 600 food parcels to 2,907 people in the Libyan town of Suluq, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

This distribution is a part of the urgent food-assistance project for families affected by Cyclone Daniel in Libya, conducted in cooperation with the Libyan Red Crescent.

KSrelief also sent 25 tonnes of dates recently to Uganda.

Saudi Arabia’s government, through KSrelief, continues to provide aid to vulnerable communities across the world.


Saudi crown prince receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh

Saudi crown prince receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh
Updated 18 February 2025
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Saudi crown prince receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh

Saudi crown prince receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh
  • Rubio arrives in Kingdom after visit to Israel, the first leg of his Middle East tour
  • Russia, US delegates  will hold talks in Saudi Arabia in bid to end Ukraine war 

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Monday.

The crown prince and Rubio discussed aspects of relations between their countries and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields, Saudi Press Agency reported. 

The latest regional and international developments and efforts made toward them to achieve security and stability were also discussed. 

The Saudi ambassador to the US Princess Reema bint Bandar, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff were among officials present at the meeting. 

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan receives US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Riyadh on Monday. (SPA)

Earlier on in the day, Rubio was received by the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Saudi Press Agency reported.

During the meeting, the diplomats reviewed Saudi-US relations and ways to enhance them to serve the interests of both countries.

They also discussed regional and international developments and efforts made in this regard.

Rubio arrived in the Kingdom after a visit to Israel, the first leg of his first Middle East tour in his current position. Next up on his tour will be the United Arab Emirates.


Saudi aid agency sends food to Sudan, clears mines in Yemen

Saudi aid agency sends food to Sudan, clears mines in Yemen
Updated 18 February 2025
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Saudi aid agency sends food to Sudan, clears mines in Yemen

Saudi aid agency sends food to Sudan, clears mines in Yemen
  • 30,000 food baskets to Sudan’s Sennar state, 536 mines cleared from war-ravaged Yemen

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has sent 30,000 food baskets to vulnerable people in Sudan’s Sennar state, the Saudi Press Agency reported recently.

The program seeks to support those displaced by the civil war, which is now approaching the two-year mark.

KSrelief’s food-security program helps people returning to their homes in the states of Gezira, Khartoum, Red Sea, Sennar, and White Nile.

Separately, the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance, known as Masam, removed 536 mines from war-ravaged Yemen during the second week of February.

The cleared ordnances included nine anti-personnel mines, 48 anti-tank mines, 478 unexploded ordnance, and one improvised explosive device, the SPA reported.

“Up to 5 million people are estimated to have been forced to flee their homes since the beginning of the conflict in Yemen — many of them displaced by the presence of landmines on their land,” stated the project in a release on Monday.

A total of 481,766 explosive devices have been removed from Yemeni territory since the project’s inception in 2018.


UK science minister visits King Faisal Specialist Hospital’s heart center

UK science minister visits King Faisal Specialist Hospital’s heart center
Updated 18 February 2025
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UK science minister visits King Faisal Specialist Hospital’s heart center

UK science minister visits King Faisal Specialist Hospital’s heart center
  • Peter Kyle meets medical team responsible for world’s first fully robotic heart transplant
  • Visit follows global recognition of KFSHRC’s medical standing, groundbreaking innovations

RIYADH: The United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology visited the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh on Monday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Peter Kyle was shown the hospital’s cardiac facilities, which have pioneered advancements in cardiac care and medical innovation.

Kyle visited the Heart Center of Excellence, where he observed cutting-edge technologies and medical breakthroughs that have positioned KFSHRC as a global leader in specialized healthcare.

He was received by Dr. Hani Al-Sergani, the center's executive director, and his deputy, Prof. Feras Khaliel.

The British official met with the medical team responsible for the world’s first fully robotic heart transplant, a landmark achievement led by Khaliel.

Kyle also reviewed the latest advancements in minimally invasive organ transplantation, which reduce surgical risks and improve patient recovery times.

His visit follows the international recognition of KFSHRC’s medical milestones, particularly after the groundbreaking robotic heart transplant.

KFSHRC ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and 15th globally among the world’s top 250 academic medical centers for the second consecutive year.

It was also named the most valuable healthcare brand in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East by Brand Finance 2025, and was included in Newsweek’s World’s Best Smart Hospitals 2025 list.


Canadians helping to deliver Vision 2030, says ambassador

Canadians helping to deliver Vision 2030, says ambassador
Updated 17 February 2025
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Canadians helping to deliver Vision 2030, says ambassador

Canadians helping to deliver Vision 2030, says ambassador
  • Saudi reform program ‘will be a tool to bring peace, stability in the broader Middle East,’ says Jean-Philippe Linteau
  • Envoy will lead a delegation of Canadian companies working in the Kingdom’s smart and green cities on visit to Madinah  

RIYADH: Canadian expatriates are helping Saudi Arabia to deliver Vision 2030 at various levels, as the two countries continue to enjoy closer ties, according to the Canadian ambassador to the Kingdom.

Jean-Philippe Linteau underlined the growth in relations between the two countries, describing these as the “core” of diplomatic ties, during celebrations for National Flag Day of Canada in Riyadh on Sunday.

The ambassador told Arab News that more than 14,000 Canadians are now living and working in the Kingdom.

“These Canadians are working in the private sector, they are CEOs, they are in mid-management, they work in government, in universities — you find them everywhere,” he said.

“The Canadians are here helping to deliver on the Vision.”

Linteau expressed how proud he is to see Canadians supporting Vision 2030, saying that it will deliver “a bright future for all Saudis, and will also be a tool to bring peace and stability in the broader Middle East.”

During his interview, the ambassador also extended a message to the “tens of thousands of (Saudi) alumni” of Canadian universities saying: “Canada is your second home and you are always welcome there.”

The ambassador gave the opening remarks during Canadian Flag Day, speaking about how relations between the two countries are growing, adding that many Saudis have a connection to Canada and vice versa through education, work, and tourism.

Saudi Arabia and Canada restored ties in May 2023 following talks between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Bangkok in November 2022.

During his remarks, Linteau also announced that he will lead a delegation of Canadian companies working in the Kingdom’s smart and green cities on a visit to Madinah.

“Following my earlier visit to Madinah we decided to take them to see how the holy cities are changing and becoming a tourist hub and a tourist attraction, and how much there are opportunities to work together to make these cities more green and sustainable,” he said.

As a part of Flag Day festivities, the Embassy of Canada hosted a photo exhibition titled “Unceded” celebrating the culture, heritage, and lives of the indigenous peoples of Canada.

“As Canada comes to grip with its colonial past, this exhibition is about our commitment to reconciliation, cultural preservation, and fostering deeper understanding across nations,” Linteau said.

Flag Day also celebrates the national symbol of Canada, the maple leaf, which was adopted on the flag and raised for the first time 60 years ago over Parliament Hill.

“Flag Day is about celebrating our national symbol, the maple leaf. In 1965, Canada adopted the maple leaf in the flag that you know today,” the envoy said.

The maple leaf “is a symbol that unites Canadians and reflects their common values of democracy, inclusion, and equality,” he added.