Education Minister Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Issa on Monday, Shaaban 23, 1437H attended a ceremony held for signing a memorandum of understanding between the ministry and Umm Al-Qura University (UQU).

UQU's Vice-President for Business & Innovation Dr. Nabil bin Abdul Qader Koshak signed for the university while Deputy Minister Mohamed bin Attia Al Harethy signed on behalf of the education ministry.

The ceremony was attended by President of Umm Al Qura University Dr. Bakri Bin M'atoog Bin Bakri Assas and Dean of Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dr. Wadih Barqawi.

Under the memo, the institute is tasked with the development of training programs set for the ministry's employees in the fields of leadership and entrepreneurship. The training is part of a plan set by the ministry to apply the quarter system in the secondary schools. It is expected to meet the requirements by providing a curriculum for the applied skills in the new project-dependent system. Also, it provides training on the leadership and entrepreneurship skills that sharpen the student qualifications to lead, develop and innovate in addition to the ethical values.

Addressing the attendees, the UQU President said the agreement would help the ministry in improving curricula and in crystallizing its visions to deal with any curriculum in the school. In addition, it can develop its educational technologies and attain better communications between the ministry and other directorates. He stressed the importance of the development of secondary education and the whole process in the kingdom in general. The ministry recourses to Umm Al-Qura University to benefit from its expertise and potentials for developing the educational facilities, he said.

The memo proves that the university has been going through a giant leap forward and mirrors the generous support given by the leaders, the president told the ceremony. He hailed the education ministry as keen entity on the cooperation.

Dr. Assas thanked Al-Issa for attending the ceremony saying this reflects his keen interest in supporting the university and its scientific, educational and research activities. He noted that the university has actively broken in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship.

At the same meeting, Dr. Koshak highly valued the support given by the university and its president to take more steps forward. He described the MoU as a part of the university's plan to occupy a position in the forefront of the universities by playing a patriotic role through a group of experts and innovative youth.

For his part, Dean of Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Dr. Wadih Barqawi saluted the university president over backing the institute to achieve its mission. The memorandum of understanding is a result of plans set to create not innovative projects.