In a strategic move reflecting Saudi Arabia's leadership in human capital development, Minister of Education Yousef Al-Bunyan launched the first global index for assessing gifted student care on Sunday. This took place during the opening of the 19th Asian Conference on Talent and Creativity 2026, hosted by the University of Business and Technology in Jeddah, amidst significant international participation.
A global event on Saudi soil
The launch event was attended by over 1,000 experts, decision-makers, and innovators, with official and academic delegations from more than 40 countries. This event underscores the Kingdom's position as a global hub for innovation, as the conference aims to establish new approaches to gifted education and fostering creativity across Asia and the world.
This launch is particularly significant given the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically the Human Capital Development Program, which aims to enhance the global competitiveness of Saudi citizens. The Kingdom is a pioneer in this field, with the Mawhiba Foundation achieving unprecedented international success in major scientific competitions such as ISEF, making the launch of this index a culmination of a long history of investing in human capital.
A future vision for talent
In her opening remarks, the conference's general coordinator, Dr. Laila bint Ahmed Jamjoom, explained that this year's conference is themed "Towards Progress: Building a Better Future for Gifted Education 2050." She emphasized that this global gathering aims to explore new educational pathways that integrate innovation and artificial intelligence, noting that the concept of giftedness is no longer elitist but rather based on diversity and supporting the individual capabilities of each learner.
For her part, the President of the Asian Council for Talent and Creativity, Dr. Kyungbin Park, appreciated the Saudi government’s sponsorship of this event, stressing that rapid technological transformations necessitate reshaping education methods, with the need to direct artificial intelligence tools to serve human creativity within responsible ethical frameworks.
Strategic partnerships and expected impact
On the sidelines of the conference, a strategic cooperation agreement was signed between the University of Business and Technology and the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba). The agreement was signed by Dr. Abdullah Sadiq Dahlan and Mr. Abdulaziz Al-Kridis. This partnership aims to enhance academic programs that support innovation.
The Global Talent Index is expected to revolutionize how countries measure their performance in this vital sector, providing objective benchmarks for comparison and development, helping governments and educational institutions around the world improve their giftedness environments, which reinforces the Kingdom’s leading role in shaping the future of global education.
The conference will continue until February 11, and will include scientific sessions, a talent hackathon, and a youth summit on generative artificial intelligence, making it a pivotal event in the history of nurturing talent in the region.
