In a strategic move aimed at strengthening national identity and connecting young Saudi talents with their historical roots, the King Abdulaziz Foundation, located within the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, witnessed a significant event: the signing of a landmark memorandum of understanding between the Foundation and the Ministry of Education. The signing ceremony was attended by His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the King Abdulaziz Foundation, and His Excellency the Minister of Education, Mr. Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan.
Launch of the King Abdulaziz Foundation's program to serve scholarship students
This partnership culminated in the launch of the King Abdulaziz Foundation's Scholarship Program, a significant step forward in the overseas scholarship program. The program primarily aims to build bridges of scientific and intellectual communication with scholarship students across the globe, enabling them to access the wealth of knowledge housed within the Foundation. Scholarship students will have direct access to rare research resources and advanced digital services, including historical documents, original manuscripts, photographs, maps, and archival records that document the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula.
Strategic dimensions and alignment with Vision 2030
This agreement comes within a broader national context that aligns with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, specifically the Human Capital Development Program. The Kingdom seeks not only to send students abroad to pursue academic degrees, but also to cultivate a national identity rooted in pride in its history and capable of conveying the true image of the Kingdom to the world. The King Abdulaziz Foundation, established in 1392 AH (1972 CE), serves as the primary repository of national memory. By opening its doors to scholarship recipients, it ensures that academic research produced by Saudi nationals at international universities is based on reliable and accurate sources, thus strengthening the Kingdom's soft power within international academic circles.
Training and Qualification Pathways
The memorandum was signed by the CEO of Darah, Mr. Turki bin Mohammed Al-Shuwaier, and on behalf of the Ministry of Education by the Deputy Minister for Scholarships, Dr. Lina bint Mohammed Al-Tuaimi. The memorandum included detailed information on the mechanisms of cooperation, focusing on aligning scholarship programs with national priorities in the fields of history and social studies. The agreement also includes exploring the possibility of developing new specialized fields that serve Darah's areas of work, as well as organizing specialized training programs in archiving, historical research, knowledge content management, and documentary preservation, thus opening new career opportunities for graduates.
Supporting scientific research and documenting the scholarship journey
Furthermore, the program allows scholarship recipients to benefit from the Visiting Scholar Program and participate in joint seminars and scientific conferences. Notably, this memorandum focuses on documenting the history of scholarships in Saudi Arabia itself, recognizing them as an integral part of the Kingdom's national development since its founding. This collaboration will contribute to raising the quality of research output and guiding postgraduate studies to serve national issues, thus creating a generation of qualified researchers capable of utilizing global expertise to serve the Kingdom's history and rich heritage.
