Saudi Arabia’s passion for science and education has been an important component of the country’s development, with new festivals promoting this feeling of originality and invention. For this reason, the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has announced its annual Science Festival for 2022, which will take place on Jan. 20-21, with the goal of inspiring young talents in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East, and North Africa.
The festival, which will take place on Jeddah’s Thuwal Beach, is a direct move toward innovation as a foundation for exploration and creativity. Consequently, there is a pressing need for young people to address and engage in solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
Tony Chan, who worked closely with the US National Science Foundation, was announced as KAUST’s new president back in 2018, and his goals were focused on research within the higher education system that must be nurtured throughout the country. He noted that KAUST has risen to prominence in Saudi Arabia’s science and technology sector. The university has established itself as an international platform for inspiring and nurturing young scientists to unleash the power of science and accomplish the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
This year’s event will include a variety of science festivals, daily night-time science programs, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics challenges; in addition to science projects presented by KAUST students. The fair also includes a Red Sea beachfront exhibition that showcases the region’s project to modify the laws of sustainable tourism.
It is critical for higher education in Saudi Arabia to evolve and foster new ways that will have a significant impact on education quality not only in Saudi Arabia but throughout the Middle East. This festival will serve as an excellent example of how we may inspire and urge our children to participate in science projects in order to prepare for the new world we are approaching.
