The Shura Council calls on Princess Nourah University to adopt an identity to empower women and develop universities
The Shura Council held its twenty-second regular session of the second year of its ninth term on Monday, chaired by His Excellency the Speaker, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh. The session included extensive discussions of the annual performance reports of several Saudi universities, culminating in a set of resolutions aimed at enhancing the efficiency of higher education and aligning it with national development goals.
Women's empowerment and the identity of Princess Nourah University
In a move reflecting the Kingdom's growing interest in women's empowerment, the Council issued a resolution requiring Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University—in coordination with relevant entities—to adopt an institutional identity that directly focuses on empowering women in areas of national development priority. This resolution aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which places women's participation in economic and social development as one of its fundamental pillars.
The council also called on the university to enhance its international standing by increasing the recruitment of international female students and developing student exchange programs, which contributes to promoting cultural diversity and supports the university’s academic reputation as the largest women’s university in the world, thus enhancing the Kingdom’s soft power in the educational and cultural field.
Digital transformation and financial sustainability in universities
In a related context, the council discussed the challenges facing emerging and regional universities. It urged Al-Baha University to expedite addressing shortcomings in its institutional performance and improve the quality of its graduates, calling on it to develop an institutional identity that reflects the comparative advantages of the Al-Baha region, particularly in the tourism and agricultural sectors for which the region is renowned.
The council also emphasized the importance of digital transformation, urging Jeddah University to adopt a comprehensive institutional program to complete its digital infrastructure and establish a unified data center. The council also addressed the issue of financial sustainability, calling on King Faisal University and Jeddah University to maximize the benefits derived from innovative products and patents, and to establish an integrated investment system—particularly in the area of endowments—to ensure diversification of income sources and achieve financial and operational sustainability. This is a strategic direction pursued by the Ministry of Education to reduce its overall reliance on direct government support.
Preserving Islamic heritage and innovation
Regarding the Islamic University of Madinah, the council requested a study on converting its valuable paper library holdings into digital formats. This decision is of paramount importance in preserving Islamic and scientific heritage, facilitating access for researchers worldwide to these intellectual treasures, and ensuring the protection of intellectual property rights.
The council also directed Hafr Al-Batin University and Majmaah University to work on attracting qualified national academic staff, enhancing the governance of strategic initiatives, and measuring performance through accurate indicators that ensure the quality of educational outputs.
International and security agreements
The Council concluded its session by approving a number of memoranda of understanding, including a draft memorandum of understanding between the High Commission for Industrial Security and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences to enhance cooperation in the field of industrial security, in addition to a memorandum of understanding with the Republic of Tunisia for cooperation in the postal sector, reflecting the Council’s keenness to enhance strategic partnerships locally and internationally.
