Since the launch of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has paid much attention to the education sector as a key driver of its ambitious economic diversification plans.
Higher education, in particular, is a main catalyst in this regard as it qualifies graduates for the labor market requirements which have shifted under the ongoing transformation.
In the light of this, the Kingdom has embarked on several initiatives and programs to foster the higher education sector, creating a favorable environment for investments. This aims to enhance the quality of education and elevate the status of Saudi Arabia as a prime global destination for higher education.
Transformation under Vision 2030
As part of the ambitious Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to diversify its economy away from oil-based revenues. To this end, the National Transformation Program (NTP), part of Vision 2030, has outlined multiple strategic objectives to create a diversified, innovative and world-leading nation.
These strategic objectives include improving the learning environment to encourage creativity and innovation; enhancing curricula and teaching methods; improving financial efficiency; educating students to meet the requirements of national development and labor market needs; and promoting private sector participation.
Higher Education in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has fostered a top-quality higher education, hosting a myriad of prestigious universities and institutions that provide an encouraging learning environment for students.
Universities in Saudi Arabia offer a diverse range of study programs across many disciplines and specialties, with a focus on harnessing research, innovation and scientific applications. The Kingdom is home to about 29 public universities and 14 private universities, in addition to several colleges and institutes.
In recent years, these Saudi universities have developed their curricula and teaching techniques and built a robust infrastructure, securing top ranks in several education indexes.
They include King Abdulaziz University (KAU), King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Saud University (KSU), King Khalid University (KKU), Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University and the Saudi Electronic University (SEU).
Popular Specialties
In the light of the ongoing economic transformation, several specialties have gained increased popularity in Saudi Arabia. These include engineering, computer science, medicine, business administration, media and communications, social sciences, tourism and hospitality.
Higher education in Saudi public universities is free. Moreover, Saudi Arabia offers scholarships for foreign students to encourage them to learn in the Kingdom’s safe and secure environment. It is also a preferred destination for students who want to learn Arabic language and culture.
Saudi universities also provide distance learning programs to enable students all across the Kingdom to access higher education.
Empowering Students
In a remarkable milestone, the Saudi Ministry of Education has recently allowed university students to study dual specializations simultaneously. This move aims to hone students’ skills across various fields to meet the requirements of the global labor market.
The program will begin in the next academic semester, including science, technology, humanities, and business fields.
Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has made major strides towards empowering female students and increase women’s participation in various sectors, in line with Vision 2030. In October, the King Abdulaziz University (KAU) in Jeddah opened admissions for women in maritime studies.
This unprecedented move will enable women to acquire degrees in marine engineering, navigation, surveying, supply chain, and maritime transport.
Harnessing Technology
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in the higher education sector to foster a high-standard education experience across the Kingdom’s universities. Technology has been a central aspect in this effort.
Hence, Saudi Arabia has upgraded the physical and digital infrastructure and encouraged private investment to create a competitive learning environment that meets the highest universal standards.
Furthermore, the Kingdom has developed a higher education system that integrates technology in the educational process and enhances scientific research and innovation through cutting-edge research centers. This encourages innovation and discovery to achieve scientific advancements.
Under the Digital Transformation Strategy, Saudi universities have adopted innovative learning methods, flexible learning options, and technology-based learning solutions.
A Destination for Foreign Students
Saudi Arabia’s heavy investment in education aims to establish its position as a global educational destination for students from all over the world. To this end, the Kingdom offers a variety of study programs that cover a wide range of specialties.
Moreover, the Kingdom has launched the “Study in Saudi Arabia” platform. It is a unified national platform designed to introduce the education, training and research programs available at Saudi universities. It streamlines the application process for foreign students, offering its services in 10 languages.
Additionally, Saudi Arabia offers the Educational Visa for foreign students and scholars who want to study in the Kingdom’s universities. This initiative aims to foster cultural and scientific exchange between Saudi Arabia and other countries, as well as attracting foreign talent to the Kingdom. Students can obtain their visas via “Study in Saudi Arabia” platform.
As a result of these efforts, more than 100,000 international students have graduated from Saudi universities, while the Kingdom’s universities host students and faculty from over 170 countries.
Attracting Investments
Owing to the Kingdom’s efforts to develop the education sector, it has become an attractive destination for investors, according to the Economic and Investment Monitor, issued by the Saudi Ministry of Investment (MISA).
Saudi Arabia supports investment in the education sector by offering many incentives, including supporting capital expenditures such as land and buildings or land leasing to offset the high cost of real estate for private sector operators.
As a result of these efforts, investment in the education sector witnessed a surge in foreign direct investment (FDI) by 335% (SAR 191mn) in 2022, compared to 222% in 2021(SAR 181mn). Hence, the FDI stock in education reached SAR 917mn in 2022. Furthermore, MISA issued 41 education licenses in the second quarter of 2024, marking an 86% growth YoY.
In a groundbreaking achievement, five high-ranking international universities have obtained foreign investor licenses to set up branches in Saudi Arabia and will offer bachelor’s and masters’ programs in areas of key priority under Vision 2030.
These universities are: the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), the University of Strathclyde, the University of Wollongong, IE University, and Arizona State University.
International Partnerships
To further establish its status as a global hub for higher education, Saudi Arabia has forged a number of academic partnerships and initiatives with international institutions.
In November, the Saudi Minister of Education, Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, and the US Ambassador, Michael Ratney, launched the Saudi-US Higher Education Partnerships Forum. The event focused on enhancing bilateral educational cooperation and academic innovation, by bringing together education leaders and experts from over 80 Saudi and US universities.
During the event, Al-Benyan emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to strengthening global academic exchange and attracting international talent, pointing to the “Study in Saudi Arabia” platform which attracted over 80,000 applicants from 152 countries.
In October, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) partnered with Ferrandi Paris College to open a branch in AlUla, which will offer three-year diploma programs in culinary arts, tourism, and hospitality, aiming to hone students’ skills and knowledge in these areas.
In an effort to enhance cooperation and foster future partnerships, the King Saud University signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on academic cooperation with The University of Tokyo in May. The agreement covers the fields of physics, chemistry and earth science.
Global Awards
Thanks to the Kingdom’s efforts to enhance higher education, several Saudi universities have achieved global recognition and received international awards.
In November, the College of Architecture and Planning at King Abdulaziz University won the Best Architectural Graduation Project in the Middle East Award for 2024 from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), for an innovative project titled Psychological Healing Resort. This achievement highlights the university’s creativity and leadership in architectural design.
In another achievement, the King Faisal University won in October the 2024 Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards for Education in the category of “Innovation in Teaching and Learning.” This award underscores the significant shift in teaching methods, by developing an augmented reality application to enrich the students’ educational experience.
Moreover, the King Abdulaziz University made a groundbreaking achievement in September by winning the gold medal at the 9th International Invention and Innovation Competition (iCAN2024) in Canada.
The university also secured a special international award from the World Invention and Intellectual Property Association (WIIPA) and the Best Video Presentations Award.
Advancement in Global Rankings
Saudi Arabia has reinforced its global competitiveness by enhancing its universities rankings in international indexes, including in the Shanghai Ranking and QS Ranking.
In November, the King Khalid University (KKU) achieved progress in the 2024 Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, by ranking among the top 200 universities worldwide in three academic disciplines.
The university ranked between 101–150 internationally in mathematics and metallurgical engineering and between 151–200 globally in energy science and engineering.
King Khalid University has also made notable progress in the 2024 QS World University Rankings by Subject. It ranked among the top 200 universities worldwide in chemical engineering, and secured advanced positions in other disciplines.
In August, King Saud University (KSU) secured the 90th position in the 2024 Shanghai Ranking of World Universities. Several Saudi universities secured places among the top 1,000 universities worldwide, underscoring the Kingdom’s focus on education, research, development, and innovation.
Meanwhile, 20 Saudi universities emerged among the top global universities in the QS World University Rankings 2025, which ranks 1,500 international universities. The King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals secured the first place in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, and 101st worldwide.
The King Abdulaziz University ranked second in Saudi Arabia and the 149th globally, while King Saud University secured the third place in Saudi Arabia and the 200th worldwide.
