Shura Council decisions for Jazan, Imam Abdulrahman and King Faisal Universities
The Shura Council held its twentieth regular session of the second year of its ninth term on Monday, chaired by the Council's Vice President, Dr. Meshal bin Fahm Al-Sulami. The session witnessed extensive discussions and the issuance of a package of resolutions aimed at developing the university education system in the Kingdom, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
Key decisions for the development of Jazan University
In its initial educational decisions, the Council directed Jazan University to align its initiatives with its strategic objectives, emphasizing the importance of adopting precise performance indicators to measure the level of implementation. This directive comes within the framework of the Council's efforts to enhance governance in educational institutions.
The council called on the university to enhance its digital transformation capabilities to improve service quality, as well as to strengthen its academic programs to ensure graduates meet the evolving needs of the labor market. The resolution also included a call to finalize the university's corporate identity to reflect the comparative advantages of the Jazan region and to leverage the regulatory incentives offered by special economic zones to develop innovative investment models. This underscores the growing economic importance of the Jazan region as a southern gateway and logistical hub for the Kingdom.
Financial sustainability of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
In a related matter, the Council issued a resolution regarding the annual report of Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University for the academic year 2024. The resolution focused on the financial and investment aspects, urging the university to develop its investment and endowment portfolio. This step aims to diversify the university's self-generated revenue streams and ensure its financial and operational sustainability, a general trend supported by the state to enable universities to rely on their own resources in line with the new university system.
The council also asked the university to study the reasons for the decline in the number of students enrolled in postgraduate programs and medical fellowships and to work on addressing them, given the importance of specialized medical personnel in supporting the national health sector.
Discussions about food security and King Faisal University
The council also discussed King Faisal University's annual report, with interventions highlighting the university's long-standing reputation in the fields of agriculture and veterinary medicine. Council member Dr. Abdullah Al-Najjar urged the university to align its educational and research roles to serve the goals of quality of life, environmental sustainability, and food security, and to transform community initiatives into programs with tangible and measurable impact.
Approvals of international agreements
Regarding international relations, the Council approved several memoranda of understanding, including:
- Memorandum of Understanding for Legal and Judicial Cooperation between the Saudi Ministry of Justice and its Thai counterpart.
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Investment and the Bahrain Economic Development Board to encourage direct investment.
- Cooperation agreement between the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO).
These decisions reflect the pivotal role played by the Shura Council in oversight and supporting decision-making, to ensure that governmental and educational institutions operate in accordance with ambitious national plans.
