In a strategic move aimed at raising health and nutritional awareness within the educational environment, His Excellency the Minister of Education, Mr. Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan, witnessed the launch of a new range of healthy food products from the global food company "Milaf." This took place during His Excellency's visit to the company's headquarters, which is one of the Public Investment Fund's companies, as part of activating the strategic partnership between the public and private sectors.

Strengthening national industries based on local resources

During the visit, the Minister of Education was briefed on the production lines and the efforts being made to develop innovative processing industries that rely primarily on national resources, specifically dates and their derivatives, and camel milk. These products add value to the national economy by transforming local raw materials into high-quality food products, thus contributing to strengthening local content and diversifying income sources, which aligns with the Kingdom's economic objectives.

Supporting the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030

This launch comes within a broader context of supporting the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, where the Public Investment Fund plays a pivotal role in empowering promising sectors. Milaf serves as a model for investment in food security and public health, as the agreement between the Ministry and the company aims to provide healthy and sustainable food options for students, reflecting the integration of efforts between educational institutions and major economic entities.

Improving lifestyle and the quality of school meals

This step is of paramount importance given the ongoing efforts to improve the quality of meals offered in school canteens. By introducing healthy products based on natural and beneficial ingredients such as dates and camel milk, the Ministry is contributing to combating unhealthy eating habits and promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people. This approach aligns perfectly with the objectives of the Quality of Life Program, one of the Vision 2030 programs, which focuses on improving the lifestyle of individuals and families and building a society where its members enjoy a balanced way of life.

Sustainable impact on student health

This collaboration is expected to have a tangible positive impact in the long term, as providing healthy alternatives in schools not only plays a role in nutrition, but also extends to raising the level of academic achievement and physical activity of students by ensuring that they obtain the nutrients necessary for their healthy growth, thus establishing a health-conscious generation capable of contributing to building the future of the nation.

In a move reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s interest in raising the efficiency of the university education sector to align with the goals of Vision 2030, the Shura Council held its regular session today (Monday) under the chairmanship of His Excellency the Speaker of the Council, Sheikh Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Sheikh, where it issued a package of important decisions and recommendations directed to a number of Saudi universities, which focused in their entirety on empowerment, digital transformation, and financial sustainability.

Development context and strategic direction

These recommendations come at a time when the Kingdom's education sector is undergoing radical transformations aimed at bridging the gap between educational outcomes and the evolving needs of the labor market. The Human Capital Development Program is a cornerstone of the vision upon which these directives are based, as the Council, through its decisions, seeks to encourage universities to adopt more efficient operational models based on self-financing, innovation, and comprehensive digitalization, rather than relying entirely on traditional government support.

Women's empowerment and institutional excellence

During the session, the council directed Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University to adopt an institutional identity that directly focuses on empowering women in areas of national development priority. This recommendation is particularly important given the significant strides Saudi women have recently made in the labor market. The council also urged the university to increase its recruitment of international students and develop student exchange programs, which will enhance cultural diversity and improve the university's global ranking and academic reputation.

In a related context, the council called on Al-Baha University to address shortcomings in institutional performance and raise the quality of educational and research outputs, stressing the importance of highlighting the university’s identity in a manner that is appropriate to the comparative advantages of the Al-Baha region, and developing the digital transformation system and partnerships with the private sector to ensure sustainability.

Innovation and the knowledge economy

The Council's recommendations to King Faisal University focused on the economic aspect of knowledge, calling for maximizing the benefits of innovative products and patents and transforming them into sustainable investment models. It also urged the university to leverage its digital infrastructure to develop a smart student guidance system. This step is essential for transforming universities from purely academic institutions into productive research centers that contribute to the national economy.

Preserving heritage and digital transformation

The session also addressed the issue of heritage, with the council urging the Islamic University of Madinah to digitize its library's paper holdings. This initiative aims to preserve and make Islamic and scientific heritage globally accessible, while respecting intellectual property rights. The council also called upon Jeddah University to complete its digital transformation and establish a unified database.

Localization of talent and financial sustainability

Regarding human resources, the council urged Hafr Al-Batin University to attract qualified national academic staff and provide scholarship opportunities for outstanding students to address staffing shortages and enhance the scientific research environment. Discussions also touched upon the importance of diversifying income sources through endowments and self-investments to ensure the financial and operational sustainability of universities, a point emphasized by council members in their comments on the reports from Majmaah University and Jeddah University.

The session concluded with the approval of two memoranda of understanding; the first between the Supreme Commission for Industrial Security and Naif Arab University for Security Sciences, and the second between the Ministry of Transport and Logistics and the Tunisian Ministry of Communication Technologies, which strengthens international and local cooperation in the security and logistics fields.