The Ministry of Culture has opened King Saud University's College of Arts in Riyadh as part of a strategic cooperation. This is the first Saudi institution in the Kingdom devoted to arts education. Dr. Badran Al-Omar, the president of the university, Deputy Minister of Culture Hamed Fayez, and a host of other cultural and artistic aficionados from over the Kingdom attended the launch event, which took place on Sunday in the university's theatre.
In his remarks, Deputy Minister Fayez emphasised how Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan, the minister of culture, has dedicated his life to education and how important the College of Arts is to the advancement of culture and the cultural sector in line with the Vision 2030 framework.
The college's opening represents a major advancement for higher cultural education in the Kingdom and is anticipated to have a big influence on the growth of the country's culture. It attempts to provide an academic route that is essential for creative individuals and the arts in general. He went on to say that this activity is a component of the strategic alliance between King Saud University and the Ministry of Culture.
It's one of the first results of real-world initiatives with nearby universities to realise the objectives of the National Culture Strategy and the Strategy for Developing Cultural Capabilities, to meet the demands of the labour market and provide the cultural professions with highly qualified workers who will drive the industry towards reaching audacious national targets.
He continued, saying that the college "is just the beginning of ongoing cultural and scientific cooperation with King Saud University and other prestigious national universities." The college will launch with three new departments: Design, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts.
Following the event, guests had the opportunity to explore an exhibition that highlighted the cultural landscape of Saudi Arabia as well as the chances that the Ministry of Culture provides for students to advance their education and pursue careers in the arts. Along with highlighting these objectives, the exhibition also outlined the plans for the establishment of the Kingdom's first College of Arts, which will include training graduates for careers in science, technology, and other fields, attracting exceptional and talented students with particular admission requirements, and conducting specialised scientific research and studies in art.
The college is home to a number of scientific cultural departments, such as the Design department, which teaches jewellery design, fashion, and graphic design; the Performing Arts department, which offers courses in theatre, film, and music sciences; and the Visual Arts department, which teaches Arabic calligraphy, printing, drawing, and sculpture. In addition to satisfying the needs of the institution, the Ministry and its cultural entities help the institution of Arts by supplying faculty assistance, experience in these areas, aiding in curriculum creation, and providing training programmes for students.
The Ministry of Culture and King Saud University inked a collaboration agreement in December 2021, which includes the creation of the College of Arts as one of numerous initiatives.
