Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Bureau in Ireland, the Saudi Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Investment, and the Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority all participated in the meeting along with Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency responsible for growing and developing Irish enterprises globally.

“The aim of this meeting was to encourage Irish educational institutions to establish campuses in KAEC,” said the CEO of Emaar the Economic City, Cyril Piaia.

“The aim of this meeting was to encourage Irish educational institutions to establish campuses in KAEC”

KAEC is one of the most important Saudi Arabian locations that is supporting the “national initiative” to bring in more international education institutions, according to Piaia.

The “pioneering” work of KAEC, represented by the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship, in tandem with the “advanced infrastructure” maintained by the city and its economic strategy, Piaia said, will help attract “prestigious” international education institutions and in turn, develop the education sector in KAEC.

This meeting is the first of many with top global universities, which “highlights the city’s commitment to support the Saudi Ministry of Education’s efforts” to develop the education sector.

KAEC’s World Academy was also discussed at the virtual meeting; the academy currently has more than 600 students enrolled, and the city plans to add more independent schools.

The city is home to several other academies, such as the National Aviation Academy and Tomouh Academy, which aim to ‘empower and qualify’ national students in order to meet the demands of the national labor market in Saudi Arabia.

The organisation hopes to provide a “regulatory environment” for investment, boosted by a competitive market, in an effort to attract foreign investors and diversify income sources by providing higher quality jobs for Saudi youth.

Piaia also shared that KAEC offers a consolidated platform for investors and businesses. This platform is supported by KAEC’s “key location” on the Red Sea Coast and efforts by ECZA to make the city a beacon of urban-planning, business, and investment.