The partnership between the National Industrial Clusters Development Program (NICDP) and Siemens was formalized at a signing ceremony in the presence of King Salman and Chancellor Angela Merkel in April.
The move has achieved a major milestone with the handover of digital industrial software by Siemens to the first recipient universities in Saudi Arabia.
Siemens announced its €100 million ($118.5 million) investment in industrial software earlier this year, which aims to build up the most advanced local digital capabilities and prepare Saudi students and future leaders.
Effat University and King Saud University were the recipients at the “digital groundbreaking ceremony” that took place during the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh on Oct. 24.
The ceremony was attended by Khalid Al-Falih, minister of energy, industry and mineral resources and chairman of the NICDP, and Joe Kaeser, president and CEO of Siemens AG.
According to Siemens, software investment in the fields of digitalization and automation will drive knowledge transfer and the localization of technology, and create high-skill jobs in line with Vision 2030.
Kaeser said: “With its Vision 2030, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has one of the most advanced and ambitious strategic development programs in the world. Siemens is supporting this vision in multiple ways. Providing digital education and ingenious software, Siemens elevates its commitment as a long-term strategic partner of the Kingdom.”
Dana Juffali, who moderated the ceremony, said “Siemens is responding to the imperative for education and training among the Kingdom’s youth. As a graduate of the Siemens education system, I can only urge my fellow youth to grab the opportunities whether in vocational education, internships abroad or by accessing digital software. This truly is about preparing us for a brighter future under Vision 2030.”
Arja Talakar, CEO of Siemens Saudi Arabia, said: “As a father of young children, I was touched by the visible enthusiasm and pride of the students who received the software on behalf of their universities.
One student referred to how she would use the software to create engineering models during her term of study and we are very proud to be part of this initiative.”
Siemens transfers industrial software to first Saudi universities
Siemens transfers industrial software to first Saudi universities
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment projects worth SR8bn launched in Makkah
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company has announced the launch of several real estate projects belonging to the Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment system in Makkah, with a total investment exceeding SR8 billion ($2.1 billion). These projects include commercial, residential, and hospitality developments, as well as strategic land plots, as part of the company’s commitment to supporting the Kingdom’s real estate sector and enhancing the quality of life in the holy city.
The announcement was made during a field tour by a delegation of high-level officials including Saleh Al-Rasheed, CEO of the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites; Ihsan Bafakih, chairman of the board of directors of Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi Holding Company; Haitham Al-Fayez, chairman of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company and CEO of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Holding Company; Moath Al-Mukhudub, managing director and CEO of Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate Company; and Anas Mansour Abadi, CEO of real estate at Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Holding Company and representative of the Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Endowment, alongside members of the board of directors of both the holding and real estate companies and the executive team.
The tour included the launch of the Tilal Towers project, with an investment value of SR2 billion, featuring more than 2,500 hotel rooms, strengthening the hospitality sector in Makkah.
The delegation also visited the Tilal Village project, valued at SR2.8 billion. It is one of the prominent qualitative projects within the hospitality ecosystem in Makkah.
Furthermore, the visit covered the residential buildings within Tilal Village, comprising 828 units, with an investment of SR800 million. The delegation inspected the specialized hospital, medical complex housing, and the office and commercial plazas.
During the tour, a contract was signed for the Al-Rajhi Center project, valued at SR250 million, as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation plan.
The inspection also included the Al-Ukayshiyyah land, spanning 4 million square meters, and the Al-Ghazzawi project land, valued at SR250 million.
The tour concluded with prayers at the Aisha Al-Rajhi Mosque, the second-largest mosque in Makkah after the Grand Mosque, with a capacity for 50,000 worshippers.
This visit underscores the importance of these investments, which represent a clear direction toward enhancing the management of the endowment’s assets through diversification, redevelopment, and strategic expansion, in line with the development goals of the Makkah city and Saudi Vision 2030.
Sulaiman Al-Rajhi Real Estate, a subsidiary of Sulaiman bin Abdulaziz Al-Rajhi Holding Company, continues to provide innovative solutions to elevate the real estate sector to international standards.
