Year-end Review: Saudi Arabia Carves Place on Global Scientific Stage in 2024
With a steadfast commitment to boost Saudi Arabia’s scientific revolution, the Kingdom has carved its place on the global scientific stage.
In 2024, the Kingdom embarked on a series of outstanding partnerships with global entities to reshape the scientific scene in the nation.
Leaders MENA offers readers some glimpses into the most significant deals signed throughout 2024.
SDAIA & Oliver Wyman
In September, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) signed a memorandum of cooperation with Oliver Wyman, a global management consulting firm and subsidiary of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Signed basically to foster Saudi Arabia’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, the new cooperation will witness the launch of the “Kingdom AIQ Framework” within the next 12 months.
“Kingdom AIQ Framework” will be based on the continuous efforts to boost generative AI capabilities in Saudi Arabia. It will rely on recommendations and insights from “Innovation Oasis: The Landscape of Generative AI in the Kingdom,” a joint report on generative AI technologies by SDAIA and Oliver Wyman.
The framework also provides a reference for assessing the maturity and readiness of Saudi government agencies and institutions to effectively adopt and deploy generative AI technologies.
The signing ceremony was part of the 3rd edition of the Global AI Summit (GAIN), which took place in Riyadh, from September 10-12, with the participation of more than 450 speakers.
GAIN Summit highlighted the attendance of artificial intelligence experts, specialists, and decision-makers from 100 countries around the world.
SDAIA & Dell
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dell Technologies at GAIN Summit, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The MoU aimed primarily at building capabilities in artificial intelligence and developing national talents in the Kingdom. This partnership involved organizing specific workshops and training programs, focusing on data science and artificial intelligence applications.
The programs are set to boost the skills of national talents and provide them with practical experience and theoretical knowledge about the concepts of artificial intelligence and its applications.
KAUST & Google
In July, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) collaborated with Google to boost KAUST’s pursuit to advance research in multilingual, multimodal machine learning, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
According to the deal, Google dedicated $100,000 in seed research grants to AI researchers at KAUST.
Consequently, the researchers will promote the use of generative and large language models (LLMs) in various topics, including health, cross-cultural language understanding, sustainability, privacy and education.
Google emphasized its unwavering support to empower local researchers and institutions to introduce relevant solutions to users, businesses and governments in an AI-first world.
“By investing in pioneering research with KAUST, we hope to continue fostering multilingual, multimodal machine learning breakthroughs that will benefit the region and beyond.” Sarah Al Husseini, Google’s Head of Public Policy in Saudi Arabia, said.
The announcement of the new collaboration coincided with KAUST’s establishment of its new Center of Excellence in Generative AI.
The center was basically designed to accelerate progress in generative AI research and development in the Kingdom through the creation of general-purpose generative AI models.
Therefore, these models provide the best suitable solutions for research, development, and innovation priorities in the Kingdom.
Tuwaiq Academy & Meta
In August, Tuwaiq Academy launched a promising diploma in collaboration with Meta to boost game development and virtual worlds, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
Tuwaiq-Meta program officially kicked off on Sunday, September 15, at the academy’s main headquarters in Riyadh.
The program marked the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, designed to provide national cadres with necessary skills in game development, building virtual worlds, and augmented and virtual reality technologies.
Through a successful learning methodology based on the job market’s needs, the diploma includes educational curricula with international professional certificates in several fields, including:
- Three-dimensional (3D) modeling
- Developing and programming virtual worlds
- Creating augmented reality and mixed reality applications
- C# programming language
- Unity engine
- Web 3 technologies
Tuwaiq Academy chief executive Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi highlighted that the diploma stood as a testament to Tuwaiq’s commitment to offer numerous educational tracks and active partnerships with prestigious entities.
Al-Hammadi added that the academy sought to pioneer the technical education in the Kingdom, flourish labor market with professional Saudi cadres to enhance innovation and creativity in various sectors.
The diploma featured a practical learning method based on building and developing applied projects, under the supervision of a specialized teaching staff, over two semesters and +800 training hours.
CST & IEEE
In collaboration with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Saudi Arabia’s Communications, Space, and Technology Commission (CST), launched the “Competition on Non-Terrestrial Networks for 6G” International Research Competition.
The initiative aimed primarily at finding innovative solutions for 6G non-terrestrial networks (NTN).
Furthermore, it focused on boosting research and innovation in the field of non-terrestrial networks and future communications.
Mawhiba & UNESCO
In July, the King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity “Mawhiba” signed a strategic partnership in Paris with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to boost education across Arab countries, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
In coordination with the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, the partnership aimed at fostering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in the region.
The partnership has set the following objectives:
- Supporting STEM education for students from grades 6 to 12 in Arab countries
- Improving the students’ scientific knowledge and developing their creativity and critical thinking
- Empowering Arab youth with all necessary skills to ensure they have equal opportunities to excel in STEM fields
- Training Arab science teachers to lead research and mentor students in scientific projects
- Enhancing the overall quality of STEM education
- Promoting public understanding of STEM through targeted training programs, especially for pre-primary children and young women
- Ensuring inclusiveness and accessibility of STEM education in Arab countries
MAWHIBA-UNESCO Online STEM Oasis was the core center of the partnership serving as a global platform for local, national, and regional science and engineering fairs.
The oasis aimed to provide valuable opportunities for Arab students to showcase their talents and gain international recognition.
Furthermore, it focused on conducting immediate assessments of middle and high schools in Arab countries to raise the standards of education and infrastructure.
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