The Shura Council issues important decisions regarding 3 universities and international agreements
The Shura Council held its twentieth regular session of the second year of the ninth term on Monday, chaired by the Vice President of the Council, Dr. Meshaal bin Fahm Al-Sulami, during which the Council discussed a number of annual reports of government agencies and issued key decisions aimed at raising the efficiency of university education and strengthening international partnerships.
Context of the decisions and their importance in light of Vision 2030
These decisions fall within the Shura Council's oversight and legislative role in supporting the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, particularly in the education sector. Through these directives, the Kingdom seeks to transform universities from traditional educational institutions into research and investment hubs characterized by financial sustainability and administrative independence, in accordance with the new university system that focuses on aligning educational outcomes with the evolving needs of the labor market.
Strategic decisions concerning Jazan University
At the beginning of the session, the council issued a resolution regarding Jazan University's annual report for the academic year 2024, urging the university to align its initiatives with its strategic objectives. The council emphasized the importance of:
- Adopting precise performance indicators to measure the level of implementation.
- Strengthening the digital transformation system to improve the quality of services.
- Improving the efficiency of academic programs to ensure that outputs are aligned with labor market requirements.
- Completing the corporate identity to reflect the comparative advantages of the Jazan region, and taking advantage of the regulatory incentives of special economic zones to develop innovative investment models.
Enhancing the financial sustainability of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
In a related matter, the Council directed Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University to implement recommendations aimed at ensuring its financial and operational sustainability. The resolution called on the university to develop its investment and endowment portfolio to diversify its self-generated revenue streams, in addition to coordinating with relevant authorities to privatize some of its sectors and services. The Council also requested the university to study and address the reasons for the decline in enrollment in postgraduate programs and medical fellowships, a crucial step in providing the healthcare sector with qualified national personnel.
Discussion of the King Faisal University report on food security
The Council discussed King Faisal University's annual report, hearing the views of the Education and Scientific Research Committee. The discussions focused on the need to align the university's educational and research roles with major national objectives such as "quality of life," "environmental sustainability," and "food security." Members emphasized the importance of transforming community initiatives into programs with measurable impact. The Committee requested time to review the observations and will respond at a later session.
Approval of international agreements and memoranda of understanding
On the international level, the Shura Council approved several memoranda of understanding that enhance the Kingdom's regional and international standing, including:
- Memorandum of Understanding for Legal and Judicial Cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Justice and its counterpart in the Kingdom of Thailand.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the Bahrain Economic Development Board to encourage direct investment.
- Cooperation agreement between the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
These moves reflect the integration of work between educational institutions and legislative bodies to ensure the quality of outputs and enhance the global competitiveness of Saudi universities.
