Jeddah– Minister of Education Dr. Hamad bin Mohammed Al Al-Sheikh has uderscored the importance of educational cooperation and partnership with the United States of America in the fields of public, graduate, post-graduate, scientific research and innovation within achieving the targets of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s vision 2030 and the objectives of the sustainable development.

In this regard, the minister cited that there are currently 20,639 Saudi students and trainees studying in US universities and educational foundations.

The number of Saudi female and male graduates from US educational institutions over the last 17 years amounted to more than 167,729, Dr. Al Al-Sheikh reported, noting the importance of scholarship program aiming to qualify its graduates to compete in the labor local and international market within the strategy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program which was launched by HRH the Crown Prince.

The minister also pointed out that Saudi Arabia has reached several MoUs on scientific and research cooperation between Saudi universities and their US counterparts in support of scientific research and innovation, citing that Saudi students studying in the US concentrate on engineering, health, administration, information technology, English language and law.

Not only that, but, according to the Kingdom vision 2030, the ministry underscores the importance of educational investment calling for US universities to open branches in the Kingdom and encourage US investors to do business in public and graduate education in Saudi Arabia, he said.

Al Al-Sheikh added that Saudi Arabia grants 318 schorships for US students to study in the Kingdom. Currently, there are more than 167 female and male US students in the Kingdom, he concluded, citing that 289 agreements between the two parties have been signed, out of them 125 on scientific and research cooperation, 38 MoU reached as well as six executive training programs and 120 service contracts.

Source: Saudi Press Agency