A summer of English learning adventure at British Council

Fully face-to-face, children will benefit from hands-on, interactive projects.
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Updated 14 August 2022
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A summer of English learning adventure at British Council

Summer is quite long and leaves a big learning gap for children. Reinforcing core English classes can help ensure knowledge is retained whilst also learning new skills to ensure academic improvement. The British Council in Saudi Arabia has announced a new edition of its popular “Summer School” program that helps parents give their children the confidence and tools to succeed in an evolving world.

The program has been created to spark children’s imagination, so they can express themselves with confidence that goes beyond their English language skills. They can continue confidence building as well as learn teamwork and leadership skills

Every child will have the opportunity to learn contemporary life skills such as creativity, critical thinking and problem solving to improve their confidence and communication skills through fun and interactive lessons with the best English language experts.

Fully face-to-face, children will benefit from hands-on, interactive projects with special focus on real-world topics like artificial intelligence, gaming, ethical food and climate change, while discovering their own style and talents.

The fun, interactive, and inspiring learning module is for children of age 6-17 years, segregated into age groups of 6-11 years and 12-17 years to ensure age-appropriate learning and tasks.

The curriculum has been adjusted with a greater focus on a child’s overall development and honing their interpersonal skills to create more agile and adaptive individuals prepared to succeed in a globalized, always evolving world.

With small class sizes, children will get the best out of learning English because they are guaranteed attention and personal support from an expert teacher. The courses offer flexible start dates with five classes per week, three hours per day from beginner to upper intermediate levels.

Those interested in learning more about the “Summer School” program, can visit the British Council website.


Saudi Awwal Bank becomes first Middle East bank to earn 7-star CinOrg innovation accreditation

Saeed Assiri, chief innovation banking officer at SAB
Updated 05 March 2026
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Saudi Awwal Bank becomes first Middle East bank to earn 7-star CinOrg innovation accreditation

Saudi Awwal Bank has become the first bank in the Middle East to receive a 7‑star Certified Innovative Organization rating from the Global Innovation Institute, the highest recognition awarded by the institute.

The accreditation marks a significant step in SAB’s innovation strategy and follows an innovation maturity assessment conducted by the institute in December 2025. The review, which built on an earlier assessment in December 2023, raised the bank’s maturity level from “Champion” to “Leader.” The new rating reflects SAB’s institutionalized approach to innovation, its enterprise-wide impact and its ability to consistently deliver measurable results.

With the 7‑star rating, SAB becomes the first bank in the region to reach the highest innovation maturity level, strengthening its position as a regional reference point for innovation-led and future-ready banking.

In 2025, the bank opened its flagship Innovation Centre and secured six internationally recognized innovation awards, along with a lab accreditation. The centre has supported SAB’s efforts to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies, encourage cross-functional collaboration and reinforce its standing as a regional leader in financial innovation.

Saeed Assiri, chief innovation banking officer at SAB, said the recognition reflects years of focused work to build a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

“By investing in SAB’s culture, governance and talent, innovation enables the bank to remain future-ready,” he said. “This milestone reinforces our role in accelerating financial innovation in Saudi Arabia and delivering long-term value for our customers.”

The certification adds to SAB’s broader efforts to strengthen its innovation capabilities as the Kingdom’s banking sector continues to evolve.