RIYADH: A special education awards program is being set up for Saudis who graduated from United Kingdom higher learning institutions over 10 years ago and are now performing well in their current jobs.

“The program is being worked out by the British Embassy in coordination with the British Council in Riyadh to honor outstanding success in entrepreneurship, professional achievement, and social impact by Saudis who have graduated from United Kingdom higher education institutions,” Simon Collis, British ambassador, told Arab News on Monday.

The envoy said that alumni who have returned to Saudi Arabia after graduating in the last 10 years are eligible to apply or be nominated for the awards. The closing date for applications is Oct. 31. The winners would be announced at a gala ceremony held in the capital in March.

“Over the last decade more than 100,000 Saudi students studied at United Kingdom universities and colleges and we look forward to welcoming many more. The Education UK Alumni Awards 2016 celebrate the impact of studying and living in the United Kingdom and I would encourage alumni in Saudi Arabia to apply,” said Collis.

This year the awards will be hosted in 10 countries — Brazil, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States. The awards were first launched last year and were open to alumni from China, India and the United States.

The ambassador said that there are 15,000 students currently studying at various universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, with women making up one-third. He said that the two countries are enjoying excellent bilateral relations. “This could be further improved with the new Saudi leadership and the new government in the United Kingdom,” he said.

In a statement, Charlie Walker, country director of the British Council, said: “The best thing about studying in the United Kingdom is that it’s truly global, culturally diverse and offers valuable skills that help in accelerating professional aspirations and opening up wider opportunities. The award recognizes these achievements and the winners will also raise their international profile, expand their networks, and enhance their careers,” he said.

Recent research by the British Council has revealed that one in seven current world leaders have studied in the United Kingdom. The research also found that of the world leaders including prime ministers or heads of state who have studied at university abroad, 34 percent did so in the United Kingdom.

A recent QS global survey of 27,000 employers showed that United Kingdom degrees are highly valued worldwide. Graduates from Oxford and Cambridge were rated the most employable in the world, while London School of Economics, Imperial College London and the University of Manchester all made the top 10.

Studies also show that graduates achieve markedly higher average salaries in their home country. Celebrated alumni include designer Jimmy Choo, former American President Bill Clinton, co-founder of LinkedIn Reid Hoffman, Olympic gold medalist Annette Salmeen, Nobel Prize for Literature winner Wole Soyinka, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and business magnate Zhang Xin.