Strategic recommendation from the Shura Council
In a move reflecting national trends toward enhancing women's role in development, the Saudi Shura Council issued a resolution calling on Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, the world's largest women's university, to adopt a new corporate identity. This identity aims to strategically focus on empowering women in development areas that represent a national priority, in coordination with relevant entities. The resolution was passed during the Council's twenty-second regular session of the second year of its ninth term, chaired by the Council's Speaker, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh.
General context: In line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This demand comes within the context of the major transformations taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the framework of “Vision 2030,” of which women’s empowerment is a key pillar. The Vision aims to increase women’s active participation in the labor market and open new horizons for them in promising economic sectors. From this perspective, Princess Nourah University, with its long history and pioneering role in women’s education, is seen as a key partner and a major driver in achieving these goals. By aligning its academic and research programs with the demands of the future labor market and priority development sectors, the university can graduate qualified female leaders to guide the next phase.
The importance of the decision and its expected impact
This decision is of paramount importance on several levels. Locally, adopting a new identity is expected to lead to a restructuring of some academic disciplines and programs within the university, with a focus on fields such as technology, renewable energy, tourism, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship. This transformation will not only equip students with theoretical knowledge but also with the practical skills necessary to compete in the modern job market. Internationally, this step enhances the university's standing as a leading institution in women's empowerment and makes it more attractive to female students and researchers from around the world. This was also emphasized by the council in its resolution, which called on the university to increase its recruitment of international students and develop student exchange programs to promote cultural diversity and enhance its academic reputation.
Further details and council recommendations
The Council made its decision after reviewing the Education and Scientific Research Committee's perspective on Princess Nourah University's annual report. In addition to the primary demand for adopting the new identity, the Council urged the university to enhance its international presence by increasing the number of international students and activating student exchange programs. This would contribute to enriching the educational environment and bolstering the Kingdom's standing as a global educational destination. These recommendations reflect a comprehensive vision of the university's role, one that transcends traditional education to become a platform for cultural and intellectual influence and an active contributor to achieving comprehensive national development goals.
