المملكة: The first in the region: launching the Saudi College of Mining to qualify specialized national competencies

The Ministry signed Industry, Mineral Resources, and King Abdulaziz University, today a cooperation agreement to establish "Saudi College of Mining"By transforming the College of Earth Sciences and the Department of Mining Engineering at the university into a global academic and research edifice, in a strategic step aimed at building a competitive educational system that keeps pace with the qualitative shift in the sector Mining.

This came on the sidelines of the fifth edition of the International Mining Conference, in the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, and His Excellency the Minister of Education, Mr. Yousef bin Abdullah Al-Bunyan.

The two sides were represented at the signing by His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs, Engineer Khalid bin Saleh Al-Mudaifer, and the President of King Abdulaziz University, Dr. Tarif bin Youssef Al-Aama.

Investment in cadres. Humanity

The agreement aims to place the new college on the list of the top 5 educational institutions in the world in the field of earth sciences and mining, by attracting a global academic partner to transfer expertise and localize knowledge, and restructuring study programs for bachelor’s and postgraduate studies to be fully compatible with the requirements of the accelerating labor market, and bridging the gap between academic outputs and industrial needs.

His Excellency the Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources stressed that this step embodies the integration of government roles, stressing that investment in Human resources are the real bet for the sustainability of the mining sector, noting that the new college will play a pivotal role in graduating national competencies who possess the necessary skills to lead major mining projects, in order to achieve the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in making the Kingdom a global center for minerals.

For his part, His Excellency the Minister of Education stressed that the launch of the Saudi College of Mining in partnership between the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and King Abdulaziz University represents a strategic step in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and makes education A basic pillar of economic development through a model "Productive education" Which links education outcomes to investment opportunities in the mining sector, indicating that the college will contribute to qualifying specialized Saudi cadres capable of leading this vital sector, promoting the diversification of the national economy, and consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a regional and global center in the field of mining and specialized education.

His Excellency pointed to the major transformations that university education is witnessing through the Universities Leadership Initiative within the Human Capacity Development Program, which aims to develop a pioneering model for universities, enhance their institutional identities, raise the quality of their outputs, and direct scientific research toward… National priorities and increasing its economic impact, in addition to supporting local and international partnerships and transforming universities into innovative environments that support economic diversification and localization of technology, pointing out that the Saudi College of Mining represents a practical example of this trend.

The first specialized college in the region

In turn, His Excellency the Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Mining Affairs explained that this partnership comes as a continuation of the efforts made by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources to develop the human capabilities system in the mining sector, which previously included partnerships Similar with King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, in addition to establishing the Saudi Technical Institute for Mining in Arar, and supporting the National Academy of Minerals in Yanbu.

He said: "In building the new college, we will focus on the long history of the College of Earth Sciences as the first specialized college in the region, while incorporating the latest international standards and modern technologies in cooperation with a global knowledge partner, to ensure attracting distinguished students and leading companies, to cover all stages of the value chain from geological surveying to exploration and processing."

For his part, the President of King Abdulaziz University stressed that the partnership with the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources supports building a knowledge-based economy in the mining sector, expressing King Abdulaziz University’s pride in leading the academic and research transformation through the establishment of the Saudi College of Mining, which represents a qualitative leap in the process of university education.

Al-Aama pointed out that the agreement aims to integrate academic curricula with industrial and scientific expertise, which allows the development of educational programs according to the highest international standards in partnership with sector leaders, to ensure Graduating cadres who possess the scientific tools and field skills required by the mining sector. It also aims to enable applied research outputs with a tangible and profound impact to simulate the mining needs of the geological, industrial and technical sectors.

The President of King Abdulaziz University concluded his statement by emphasizing that the university will focus in the next phase on attracting a group of prominent professors and researchers internationally, through a global academic partner, and providing an advanced research environment that contributes to addressing the technical and environmental challenges in this vital sector. Transforming the college into a knowledge and field research center that supports the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in enhancing local content, building an economy based on knowledge and innovation, and supporting the vision of a globally competitive graduate.

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