King Faisal Foundation holds inaugural International Baccalaureate Forum

The developing education sector in the Kingdom will take center stage at the International Baccalaureate Forum, organized by the King Faisal Foundation (KFF) and held under the patronage of the Minister of Education H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al-Issa on Tuesday October 25, 2016 at Riyadh’s Al Faisaliah Hotel.

The forum, held in collaboration with the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), will carry the central theme of “The Changing Educational Landscape in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and is one of several initiatives provided by KFF to prepare students, teachers and leaders of International Baccalaureate programs supported by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia.

Secretary General of the KFF, HRH Prince Bandar bin Saud bin Khalid, said the forum is part of the foundation’s key programs to develop education in the country in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.

He said: “The Vision 2030 states that we need to do more to bridge the gap between higher education output and the requirements of the labor market, develop public education and ensure students are making professional choices that serve the development of the country. This can be achieved by developing advanced educational curriculums such as the IB that focus on key core skills, nurturing talents and by strengthening the role of teachers and constantly focusing on their development.”

Prince Bandar will open the forum at 9 a.m. and a welcome ceremony will then follow. Paula Wilcock, Chief Assessment Officer for IBO, will then deliver a speech on the development of the International Baccalaureate program in the Gulf region. Two international baccalaureate graduates will share success stories of the diploma program students in the Kingdom. Afterwards, the project collaboration between KFF and the IBO will be presented. H.E. Dr. Ahmed Al-Issa will end the inauguration program with a speech on education in the Kingdom and its connection to the Saudi Vision 2030.

The forum will feature sessions on topics such as the International Baccalaureate Association in Saudi Arabia, IB programs for primary and middle schools and professional and employment programs for graduates. A workshop for owners and managers of schools and specialists in educational development, about key developments in the Saudi education sector, will also be held.

Stakeholders in the education sector, particularly representatives of private schools and accredited schools eligible to hold the IB program in the Kingdom, have been invited to attend the forum.