Latest news with #YousefAl-Benyan
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia launches media scholarship track to develop local talent
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Media have signed a cooperation agreement to launch the 'Media Scholarship' initiative aimed at training and qualifying Saudi talents in top global media companies and educational institutions. The initiative will begin with the 'Waed' track for the media sector, one of the tracks under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program, offering study-abroad opportunities linked to employment in media. The program will target specializations in high-demand fields such as digital media, artificial intelligence in media, content production technologies, augmented and virtual reality, digital journalism, publishing, and platform management. The memorandum of cooperation was signed in the presence of Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan and Media Minister Salman Al-Dosari. Representing the Ministry of Media was Undersecretary for Strategy and Vision Realization Majed Al-Thaqafi, and representing the Ministry of Education was Undersecretary for Scholarship Lina Al-Tuaimi. Al-Thaqafi said the program, offered in partnership with the private sector, will provide training opportunities in 15 countries, leading to diplomas, bachelor's, and master's degrees in media disciplines based on industry needs. The Ministry of Media will submit requirement forms from interested companies to the Ministry of Education for program approval and agreements with private sector entities. A workshop was held on Thursday at the General Commission for Audiovisual Media with more than 35 private sector participants from the media, advertising, journalism, gaming, and audiovisual production sectors to define training and hiring needs. Available seats for students are expected to be announced within 60 days.
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Science
- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia advances education reform with AI curricula, teacher training, and global partnerships
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Saudi Arabia's Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan on Wednesday outlined major progress in education reforms, including the integration of artificial intelligence into curricula, expansion of gifted programs, and the restructuring of administrative systems to boost school efficiency. Speaking at a government press conference in Riyadh, Al-Benyan said the National Curriculum Center had developed 27 digital courses, converted 19 into interactive books, and reviewed 50 more, while updating over 6,700 digital learning resources. The reforms, he said, are designed to create a globally competitive generation, with efforts targeting 19 strategic objectives that include modernizing curricula, training teachers, embedding AI, and expanding technical training. The ministry has consolidated educational administrations from 46 to 16, and fully outsourced operations, maintenance, and environmental quality management to Tatweer Educational Transportation Services Co., enabling educators to focus on teaching. New initiatives also aim to strengthen school-family partnerships and instill values such as national identity, commitment, and tolerance among students. On infrastructure, the minister said 75 new school projects were launched, more than 15,000 buildings underwent maintenance, and 1,400 facilities were renovated. Early childhood enrollment among Saudi children has reached over 36%, while the number of identified gifted students has risen to more than 28,000. Specialized schools for gifted students, developed with the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority and Tuwaiq Academy, are set to expand to five more regions next year. The ministry has also introduced AI curricula across all grades and a cybersecurity curriculum for high school students. Teachers and educational leaders received more than 5,200 training opportunities, including international programs such as professional master's degrees. Efforts to boost language skills include sending 100 teachers to study Chinese in China and expanding Chinese language teaching to more than 140 public middle schools. Al-Benyan said Saudi universities continue to climb global rankings, with 20 institutions now listed in the QS World University Rankings 2025 and three universities in the world's top 200. Since 2022, 3,388 Saudis have been sent to the world's top 30 universities under the King Salman Scholarship Program. In support of private sector engagement, the ministry launched the 'Madaris' platform, offering over 500 investment opportunities worth more than SR50 billion over the next five years.
Saudi Gazette
02-07-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
Airbus collaborates in launching training program for Saudis in helicopter maintenance
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — Airbus joined hands with the Colleges of Excellence Company in launching a unique training program aimed at qualifying young Saudis in the field of helicopter maintenance. The ceremony of launching the Helicopters Maintenance Joint Training Program with Airbus was held on Tuesday under the patronage of Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan and in the presence of Minister of Transport and Logistics Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser. The training program was launched in the presence of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) President Abdulaziz Al-Duailej, Assistant Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Dr. Abdullah Al-Ahmari, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colleges of Excellence Eng. Iyad Al-Qarawi, at the International Aviation Technical College in Riyadh. Eng. Ayman Al-Abdullah, CEO of Colleges of Excellence, Arnaud Montalvo, vice president of Airbus Helicopters for the Middle East and Africa, and Eng. Eid Al-Qahtani, head of Airbus's Regional Headquarters in the Kingdom, were also among the attendees. The program leverages the technical expertise of both Airbus and Colleges of Excellence in providing high-quality training content that enables trainees to acquire advanced skills in helicopter maintenance, in line with the sector's local and regional requirements. Eng. Naif Al-Matrafi, head of Marketing and Business Development at Colleges of Excellence, said that training in this program is scheduled to begin at the start of the next training year, and that participants will receive a higher diploma in helicopter maintenance. "The program aims to achieve a 100 percent employment rate for those enrolled in the program to work in military and civilian agencies," he said while noting that the launch of this program falls within the framework of Colleges of Excellence's approach to building strategic partnerships with major international companies in the aviation sector. With the aim of transferring knowledge and empowering national cadres with advanced technical skills, the program's launch was an extension of an effective strategic partnership between the two parties.
Kuwait News Agency
04-05-2025
- Politics
- Kuwait News Agency
GCC chief, Saudi Education Min. discuss Gulf educational coop.
Education RIYADH, May 4 (KUNA) -- Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jassem Al-Budaiwi met on Sunday with Saudi Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan to discuss educational collaboration across the GCC. According to a GCC statement, the meeting - held at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh and attended by the Director General of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEFS), Dr. Mohammad Al-Moqbel - focused on the joint educational agenda, including the 2022-2026 cooperation plans in education, higher education, and scientific research. The officials also reviewed progress on revising the strategy of the ABEFS and evaluating its affiliated offices to strengthen and advance Gulf educational efforts in line with current and future developments. Al-Budaiwi emphasized the support Gulf leaders give to the educational sector, and noted that the GCC countries now rank among the top in regional and international education indicators. He also congratulated Al-Moqbel on his recent appointment as Director General of the ABEFS, wishing him success in his new role. (end)
Arab News
22-04-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi minister in China to explore education, research cooperation
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Education Minister Yousef Al-Benyan met leaders from various universities, institutes and research centers in China, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. He was accompanied by Saudi Ambassador to China Abdulrahman Al-Harbi and Ministry of Education Undersecretary for International Cooperation Nasser Al-Aqeeli. The meeting, part of the minister's visit to Beijing, aimed to explore new avenues for cooperation to enhance the educational and research systems in both countries. The minister discussed promising investment opportunities in Saudi Arabia's public and private education sectors through the 'Invest Saudi' platform. The meeting also highlighted the Saudi government's scholarship program for Chinese students via the 'Study in Saudi' platform, along with efforts to expand admission opportunities for Saudi scholarship recipients in Chinese graduate programs. The Saudi and Chinese education ministries signed two memoranda of cooperation to exchange expertise in advanced curricula and provide scholarship programs for Saudi students in China. One memorandum secures seats for Saudi students in top Chinese universities, enhances scholarship programs, and increases opportunities for Saudi students in high-demand fields. The China Scholarship Council represented the Chinese Ministry of Education in the signing. The second memorandum, signed with the Chinese ministry's Center for Language Education and Cooperation, introduces Chinese language education in Saudi public schools starting this academic year. Experts from both nations will collaborate to develop a comprehensive curriculum. The Saudi minister also met Chinese counterpart Huai Jinpeng to discuss enhancing cooperation in general and higher education, exploring new opportunities, and exchanging expertise. The meeting reviewed expanding partnerships between Saudi and Chinese universities and research centers in scientific research, graduate studies, scholarships, and medical education and training. They explored investment opportunities for Chinese investors in the Saudi education sector, along with key opportunities in Chinese language education, e-learning, research, and innovation.
