Arab-Chinese conference to explore business synergies, investment opportunities 

The conference will welcome more than 2,000 private sector leaders and government officials (Shutterstock)
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Updated 15 May 2023
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Arab-Chinese conference to explore business synergies, investment opportunities 

RIYADH: Investment opportunities, economic growth, and closer trade relations will be on the agenda at the 10th session of the Arab-Chinese Businessmen Conference scheduled to take place in Riyadh on June 11 and 12. 

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the event will also explore synergies in technology, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, agriculture, real estate and strategic minerals. 

Organized by the Saudi Ministry of Investment in partnership with the Chinese Council for the Promotion of International Trade and a host of other regional associations, the conference will welcome more than 2,000 private sector leaders and government officials. 

The SPA report added that Chinese investors would also get to examine emerging markets in the Kingdom through the “Invest Saudi” platform. 

The conference comes hot on the heels of the economic potential of the Middle East-China trade corridor discussed at an exclusive International Connections briefing organized by HSBC and the UAE China Business Council last week in Dubai. 

The UAE stands as China’s second-largest trading partner in the Arab world and the largest investment destination, and there is significant potential for further cooperation between the two countries.  

Similarly, Saudi Arabia and China bolstered their strategic relations and expanded their commercial ties during President Xi Jinping’s three-day state visit to the Kingdom last year.   

Xi and his delegation held talks with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the heads of key ministries, resulting in 35 memorandums of understanding and deals worth $30 billion.   

The two sides signed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement, committing to support each other’s core interests, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and to defend the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states. 

“There is no doubt that working together with the second largest economy in the world is vital to Saudi Arabia’s growth, but that does not mean that we cannot continue to work with the world’s largest economy,” Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan said during the visit.


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.