شوريون يتطلعون للارتقاء بأداء الجامعات السعودية

The Shura Council issued a decision requesting King Khalid University to develop the academic guidance and counseling system and to create a comprehensive human resources strategy that achieves the university's goals.

During its thirteenth regular session of the second year of the ninth term, chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the Council, Dr. Mishal bin Fahm Al-Sulami, the council called on the university to coordinate with relevant entities to develop applied colleges in the branches by adopting a clear operational model that ensures no overlap of authorities and specializations with technical colleges, achieves the desired goals, and builds indicators to measure the results of its alignment with the development strategy of the Asir region and its actual impact on achieving the university's mission and the development targets in the region.

The council discussed the annual report of the Islamic University in Medina after listening to a report presented by the Education and Scientific Research Committee, followed by the committee's chairman, Dr. Nasser Tayran, regarding what was included in the annual report of the Islamic University in Medina.

Indicators and Targets

Following the presentation of the committee's report for discussion, council members expressed several observations and opinions regarding what was included in the annual report of the Islamic University in Medina. Council member Dr. Lubna Al-Ajmi requested the Islamic University to prepare an institutional framework to measure the global impact of its graduates and to link the university's strategic performance indicators with the indicators and targets of what the university offers to students, in addition to other academic indicators.

Council member Dr. Basim Al-Sayed urged the Islamic University to adopt an ambitious project that makes it a benchmark for Islamic universities and to work on overcoming the challenges of global rankings that do not consider the nature of these specializations.

Council member Dr. Bandar Al-Buqami emphasized the importance of the Islamic University making further efforts to improve its ranking and achieve advanced positions in international rankings, which is one of its targets.

At the end of the discussion, the committee requested more time to study the opinions and suggestions raised by the members and to return with its perspective to the council in a later session.

Quality Academic Programs

The council discussed the annual report of Bisha University during this session after listening to a report presented by the Education and Scientific Research Committee regarding what was included in the annual report of Bisha University. Following the presentation of the committee's report for discussion, council members expressed several observations and opinions regarding what was included in the annual report of Bisha University. Council member Abdullah Al-Tawi called on Bisha University to focus on quality specializations in the university's programs, which are among the advantages of the region. Council member Zahir Al-Shahri urged Bisha University, in coordination with the Council of University Affairs, to study the establishment of a pioneering college in the management and technology of agricultural and environmental sciences with quality academic programs that build qualified human capacities and contribute to sustainable development.

Council member Dr. Salem Al-Jarbou' looked forward to Bisha University forming partnerships with investors and establishing a specialized investment entity to leverage knowledge, scientific research, and patents by transforming them into economically valuable products. Council member Dr. Abdullah Al-Zahrani urged Bisha University to support and fund research and joint research projects in the field of artificial intelligence to identify mining sites in the Asir region, to establish specialized research teams, and to provide the necessary computing and data infrastructure, as this has scientific, economic, and strategic implications that serve the university, the region, and the Kingdom.

Encouraging Direct Investment

At the end of the discussion, the committee requested more time to study the opinions and suggestions raised by the members and to return with its perspective to the council in a later session.

The council approved a draft memorandum of understanding between the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) and the State Administration for Market Regulation in the People's Republic of China (SAMR) for cooperation in the field of conformity assessment.

The council also approved a draft memorandum of understanding between the Government of the Kingdom and the Government of the Republic of Honduras for cooperation in the field of encouraging direct investment.