The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is partnering with private and public institutions overseas to attract foreign direct investment to develop its education system.
Not only could this push help increase the availability of critical education services within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, but it could also position Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in education—thereby diversifying and boosting the national economy even further. Seen by many as a move to diversify its economy, many expect the kingdom to become not only a major regional player but also a global hub for attracting the best and brightest minds.
One foreign player that stands to play a role in Saudi Arabia’s educational revitalization is Global Education Management Systems or GEMS. Based in Dubai, GEMS Education has become the largest operator of K-through-12 schools in the world and has recently signed an agreement with the Al Boraq Education Charitable Fund to open and manage an international American curriculum school in the holy city of Madinah, Saudi Arabia. The school, which will focus largely on the culture and belief of Arabic and Islamic peoples, is set to open its doors in September 2019. The advanced learning institution will be situated on a 50,000-square-metre plot of land in Madinah and will accommodate up to 1,650 students.
The agreement was signed between Ihab Hashani, the Secretary-General of the Executive Committee of the Al Boraq Education Charitable Fund, and Dino Varkey, the CEO of GEMS Education. GEMS will be responsible for providing “technical, academic, preoperational, and operational management services,” according to TradeArabia. Corporations are also eager to buy into the Saudi education pie.
Lockheed Martin has already announced plans to collaborate with Babson Global (a subsidiary of the Massachusetts-based Babson College) to establish “an elite educational institution” in Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). Babson College, a business school, based in Wellesley, Massachusetts, is the top college in the United States for entrepreneurship. The faculty in KAEC opened in 2017 with support from the Saudi Arabia Economic Offset Program, mirrors the entrepreneur-focused methodology of Babson College.The school, called the College for Business and Entrepreneurship, already stands as one of the world’s richest universities. With a co-ed student base and a vibe reminiscent of a Google campus, the college campus hums with possibility and potential. The mission of the school involves nothing less than reshaping Saudi Arabia, from creating tomorrow’s innovators, business owners and economic drivers.
The College for Business and Entrepreneurship has the backing of both King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and successor to the throne. Lockheed Martin’s initial press release about the school noted that the king has a vision for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia “to become a leading knowledge-based economy by advancing education, entrepreneurial skills, and helping establish the next generation of job creators.” KAEC is the testament to this Prince Mohammed bin Salman shares this mission.
With a full breadth of responsibilities—including roles as Defense Minister and overseer of the Saudi Arabian economy — Prince Mohammed bin Salman is uniquely positioned to push for further development of the Kingdom’s education sector. His belief that Saudi Arabia must diversify its economy and modernize itself in multiple ways—including governance and sociology—mesh with the mission of the College for Business and Entrepreneurship in KAEC.
In short, Prince Mohammed bin Salman knows that the world is in an age of rapid technology evolution. He also knows that to remain competitive with the rest of the world, Saudi Arabia must create a knowledge-based economy.
The College for Business and Entrepreneurship in KAEC is not the only educational institution in Saudi Arabia that is showing it has the power to change the country’s narrative. Another Saudi Arabian HE initiative that has been making headlines over the past few years is Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University or PNU. Located in Riyadh, PNU is the world’s biggest women’s college, providing space and state-of-the-art facilities for up to 60,000 female undergraduate students. Schools such as PNU are helping women establish a firmer foothold in the Saudi Arabian workforce, and PNU has already established itself as a global centre of research excellence.
Collectively, these examples show two things. Firstly, Saudi Arabia is focusing on education as a means of establishing the country’s next stage of economic and cultural growth. Secondly, the country is willing to partner and collaborate with foreign partners to make this vision a reality. Expect the focus and foreign investment on secondary and higher education to continue to grow in the coming years, as more schools and colleges start opening their doors, and more students from around the world are drawn to cities like the King Abdullah Economic City.