RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, known as Mawhiba, and the University of New Haven Riyadh have signed an agreement to support and develop gifted students at the secondary and university levels.
The memorandum of understanding aims to expand academic and enrichment opportunities for talented students, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 to develop human capabilities and empower national talent.
The signing ceremony was attended by Mawhiba Secretary-General Abdulaziz Al-Karidis and the university’s senior vice president, Leo Lester, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.
Under the partnership, the two organizations will offer academic enrichment and summer programs in Saudi Arabia for gifted secondary school and university students. They will also develop a dedicated program for outstanding Mawhiba students enrolled at the university’s Riyadh campus.
In addition, the agreement includes cooperation on summer and study programs for high-achieving Mawhiba students at the university’s main campus in the US, as well as specialized training and professional development programs.
Earlier, University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen praised Saudi Arabia as a global leader in educational development.
He said the rapid transformation of the Kingdom’s education sector under Vision 2030 has created a dynamic environment for attracting leading universities and developing innovative, market-driven programs.
It is the first US university to open an international branch in the Kingdom, with the Riyadh campus welcoming students from August this year.
Once fully operational, the Riyadh campus will accommodate about 13,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
The university will include a College of Business and Digital Innovation, a College of Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing, and a College of Arts and Applied Sciences.
Initial programs will include business administration, sports management, e-sports, marketing and an MBA, all aligned with the evolving Saudi economy.
Students will have access to the university’s main campus in West Haven, Connecticut, as well as its campus in Tuscany, Italy, which opened in 2012.
