The website of Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) witnessed last month 8 million visits from all over the world, including USA, Britain, Germany, etc.  Through the website, the visitors benefitted from the services of King Abdullah University Library which contained 25,000 titles: 15,000 theses, 8,000 manuscripts, as well as books and periodicals.

The website has been made available in four languages. In addition, more than 90 electronic services have been developed recently to serve more than 120,000 employees in UQU headquarters and branches in Al-Jamoum, Al-Lith, Adham and Qunfudah.

In this regard, Dr. Bakri bin Maatouq Assas, UQU President, appreciated the support by the Saudi wise leadership, may Allah support it! He added that it contributed to the preparation of the educational environment for UQU students and staff members, including the establishment of the university's electronic services infrastructure. This resulted in the availability of UQU website in four languages for 8 million visitors from all over the world who benefitted from its services, including scientific research. Moreover, he pointed out that such expansion was in line with the approach of KSA, may Allah keep it safe, towards electronic governance in accordance with KSA Vision 2030. He added that UQU e-services infrastructure was qualified to be linked directly with the services of the relevant authorities in the aspects of finance and the Ministry of Education, etc.

Within the same framework, Dr. Assas commended the efforts exerted by the Deanship of Information Technology, as it in the last two years could transfer UQU e-services, especially for students, to a qualitative leap. He explained that from the beginning of admission, graduation, and academic certificate receipt, students dealt electronically without the need to refer to the relevant bodies; they apply for services automatically via the academic portal.

In turn, Dr. Yasser bin Suleiman Shosho, UQU Vice-President, said that UQU Administration was seeking to provide advanced means to support decision-making by providing the necessary information and ensuring their easy, smooth, safe and quick exchange. This was through the engagement in the approaches of the digital transformation program, and movement to the comprehensive use of e-transactions. He also noted that work was started to form an electronic link between financial affairs and the Ministry of Finance, through which financial dues would be disbursed. In addition to that, he pointed out that this shift would rationalize government expenditures, and lead to the good use of available resources, while maintaining the effectiveness of performance.

In the same context, Dr. Hani bin Othman Ghazi, UQU Vice-President for Development and Entrepreneurship, said that a comprehensive plan was developed and activated with the aim of digital transformation, comprehensive progress towards e-transactions that embodied the strategic approach of the university, connection of UQU systems to a unified database to ensure data accuracy, validity and security, and total elimination of the paperwork currently used at the university.

Dr. Ghazi added that many systems and services were developed for the academic and administrative structures of UQU. He also pointed out that the development strategy of UQU was in line with the objectives of KSA Vision 2030, the National Transformation Program 2020, and the National Committee for Digital Transformation to spread and activate the culture of modern technology.  This would be achieved when government and private agencies used developed platforms, applications and programs that ensured the availability of high-quality, comprehensive and integrated services and met the national and international standards for the benefit of all segments of the university and Saudi Arabian community.

For his part, Dr. Majid bin Muhammad Al-Qathami, Dean of Information Technology, said that the stages of activation and implementation of the action plan in the domain of e-services reached advanced stages. He explained that the infrastructure and networks were ready to accommodate and link UQU systems, databases and applications that ensured the achievement of its future vision, through the conception and implementation of the Smart Campus Project. He also noted that public and private partnership programs were implemented to open the door to investment, aiming to ensure financial stability and continue construction and development. This also would provide all the components of the Smart University: infrastructure, technology and smart software supervised by smart human frameworks and trained personnel, which implemented clear plans, strategies, objectives and policies using smart management systems.