Riyadh: As part of the Saudi-British Strategic Partnership Council and coinciding with the Human Capability Initiative Conference-held under the patronage of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Chairman of the Human Capability Development Program Committee-Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi launched the Future Skills Initiative.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the initiative aims to foster the exchange of specialized expertise and develop future-ready skills across 13 promising economic sectors, including trade, investment, financial services, energy, education, healthcare, innovation, transportation, industry, environment, sports, culture, and tourism.
The launch was attended by 40 government officials and over 100 business leaders from Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. Al-Kassabi also chaired a high-level Saudi-British meeting, with the participation of Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan, Deputy Minister of Sports Bader bin Abdulrahman Al-Kadi, and from the UK side, Minister for Early Education MP Stephen Morgan, the UK government's education and healthcare representatives Sir Steve Smith and Professor Steve Field, and British Ambassador to the Kingdom Neil Crompton.
The meeting addressed priority sector opportunities, skills gaps identified in earlier workshops, and strategies to enhance cooperation between universities and the private sector to expand experiential learning programs.
Al-Kassabi also oversaw the signing of an agreement between the Mohammed bin Salman Foundation (Misk) and the London Business School, paving the way for joint leadership development, academic partnerships, research, and executive education. He handed over the school's commercial registration in preparation for its Riyadh campus launch.
Five additional agreements were signed during the event, including a partnership between Sherborne British School and Maarif Education Company, and the creation of a joint executive program in technical and vocational training between the British Department of Trade and Industry and Saudi Arabia's Technical and Vocational Training Corporation.
Further memoranda of cooperation were signed between the National Institute for Educational Professional Development and University College London, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the British Council, Imperial College London, and the Company for Capacity Development and Learning Solutions.
The initiative also saw the participation of 15 British educational institutions and companies at the EDGex exhibition.