Saudi Ministry of Education officials, more than 140,000 male and female students from more than 160 nationalities have graduated from Saudi universities after obtaining specializations at various levels of education. Dr. Sami Al-Haisouni, director of the Ministry of Education's scholarships department for non-Saudi students, revealed that over 74,000 male and female students from all over the world are currently studying in the Kingdom. In the Kingdom, these students will benefit from distinguished education and high-quality outputs.
Al-Haisouni made the remarks while speaking at an introductory forum titled "Study in Saudi". "This forum reflects the Kingdom's commitment to providing the best educational and training opportunities" cultural exchange for international students. The Kingdom has paid great attention to supporting and empowering international students who have chosen it as their destination for education”, he added. The activities of the forum and an exhibition organized on the sidelines of the forum were inaugurated by Saudi Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan. Several ministers and ambassadors accredited to the Kingdom and representatives from diplomatic missions and international organizations attended the event.
The forum aims to introduce opportunities for outstanding students from around the world to study at Saudi universities, which have made giant leaps and tangible progress at the global and regional levels in a variety of scientific fields, including research, innovation, and entrepreneurship. In his speech, Al-Benyan emphasized that Saudi Arabia is an important center for scientific research and innovation because of King Salman, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman's unwavering support. "This ensured the continuation and sustainability of an excellent research environment".
The minister urged outstanding researchers and academic degree holders to collaborate and explore educational opportunities in the Kingdom as an appealing educational destination through various academic programs in colleges, universities, and institutes. "Those who wish to participate in these programs will benefit from modern methodology and advanced educational facilities, as well as opportunities for interaction with people from various cultures, which provides rich cultural experiences". Al-Benyan emphasized that the enrollment of international students, researchers, and trainees in Saudi Arabia's higher education institutions is an essential part of the Kingdom's vision to develop the educational sector and enhance its global standing, claiming that this contributes to achieving the fourth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals, which is represented by quality education, enhancing the global flow of students, cultural and scientific exchange, and a better understanding of the Arab world.
The minister emphasized the importance of learning Arabic as a global language, stating that the Kingdom is a renowned learning destination. This contributes to the student's journey of discovering its ancient cultural heritage. "Global economic transformations have made the Kingdom one of the fastest growing economies, which has helped create opportunities for employment, professional development, and training in sectors such as oil and gas, renewable and clean energy, technology, and business". he said. Al-Benyan called on all international partners to benefit from diverse educational opportunities for international students, researchers, and trainees as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to expand the scope of education and increase their presence in it, and to provide all opinions and suggestions related to this project to enhance the academic experience in Saudi universities and achieve cultural understanding and international cooperation.
