Saudi heritage site Diriyah Gate to have modern smart city infrastructure, says CEO

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Updated 09 June 2022
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Saudi heritage site Diriyah Gate to have modern smart city infrastructure, says CEO

JEDDAH: The Diriyah Gate Development Authority has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in innovative smart city technology to support the historic city of Diriyah, according to the CEO.

Jerry Inzerillo, the CEO of DGDA, told Arab News during the 116th Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organization that the company intends to develop Diriyah as a smart city.

Below the historic city, Inzerillo stated that state-of-the-art technology supports the city in all aspects of electricity, water, sewage and traffic, with zero-carbon footprint.

On the surface, Diriyah’s ancient city will be rich in history, a very emotive walking city, but beneath the surface, the world’s brightest technology will be used to preserve that city, Inzerillo informed.

The city will be built using the mud-brick typology, just as it was 300 years ago. He added that the company is producing 185 million mud bricks to cover all of the structures and make them look like they belong to the Saudi state.

DGDA is harnessing solar and wind energy from all over the Kingdom and will install all-new water systems, piping and technology. As a result, the authority has reclaimed 24 percent of drip irrigation.

“We recycle old domestic water. We treat it for irrigation of all the new green Saudi initiatives,” Inzerillo added.

He said that if a pipe bursts, the DGDA already knows where it is and can immediately repair it, preventing waste.

The CEO said that to achieve net carbon neutrality, the DGDA is working to transition all of Diriyah and the Kingdom to more electric vehicles.

Because DGDA understands how important and sentimental the city is, they practice sustainability “every minute of every day,” Inzerillo said.


Saudi Arabia leads outcome-based education to prepare future-ready generations: Harvard Business Review

A Harvard sign is seen at the Harvard University campus in Boston, Massachusetts, on May 27, 2025. (AFP)
Updated 10 February 2026
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Saudi Arabia leads outcome-based education to prepare future-ready generations: Harvard Business Review

  • The Riyadh-based school group developed a strategy that links every classroom activity to measurable student competencies, aiming to graduate learners equipped for the digital economy and real-world contexts

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s education system is undergoing a sweeping transformation aligned with Vision 2030, shifting from traditional, input-focused methods to outcome-based education designed to equip students with future-ready skills, Harvard Business Review Arabic reported.

The transformation is being adopted and spearheaded by institutions such as Al-Nobala Private Schools, which introduced the Kingdom’s first national “learning outcomes framework,” aimed at preparing a generation of leaders and innovators for an AI-driven future, the report said.

Al-Nobala has leveraged international expertise to localize advanced learning methodologies.

The Riyadh-based school group developed a strategy that links every classroom activity to measurable student competencies, aiming to graduate learners equipped for the digital economy and real-world contexts. The school’s group approach combines traditional values with 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, communication, innovation and digital fluency.

According to the report, the shift addresses the growing gap between outdated models built for low-tech, resource-constrained environments and today’s dynamic world, where learners must navigate real-time information, virtual platforms, and smart technologies.

“This is not just about teaching content, it’s about creating impact,” the report noted, citing how Al-Nobala’s model prepares students to thrive in an AI-driven world while aligning with national priorities.

The report noted that Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Education has paved the way for this shift by transitioning from a centralized controller to a strategic enabler, allowing schools such as Al-Nobala to tailor their curriculum to meet evolving market and societal needs. This is part of the long-term goal to place the Kingdom among the top 20 global education systems.

Al-Nobala’s work, the report stated, has succeeded in serving the broader national effort to link education outcomes directly to labor market demands, helping to fulfill the Vision 2030 pillar of building a vibrant society with a thriving economy driven by knowledge and innovation.

Last February, Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Benyan, Saudi Arabia’s minister of education, said that the Kingdom was making “an unprecedented investment in education,” with spending aligned to the needs of growth and development. He said that in 2025, education received the second-largest share of the state budget, totaling $53.5 billion.