President of Umm Al Qura University (UQU) Dr. Bakri Bin M'atoog Bin Bakri Assas has opened a workshop titled "Roles played by universities, research and social study centers in achieving Saudi Vision 2030".

It was attended by Head of National Center for Social Studies (NCSS) Dr. Saleh Abdulaziz Al Nassar and Head of the Research, Social Advices Department at the center Dr. Abdullah Hussein Al Khalifa, Vice President for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research Dr. Thamir bin Hamdan al-Harbi, Vice President for Branches Dr. Abdulmajeed bin Saeed Al Ghamdi, College Deans and members of the staff and postgraduate students.

It was organized by the Deanship of Graduate Studies at King Abdulaziz Hall in Al-Abdiyah and would be aired on CCTV system to Aljawhara Hall in Al Zaher (for female students).

Dr. Assas said the man is the only replacement of oil and can make applied researches that give us patents every day to be later turned into products.

He said the UQU made progress and received matchless support from the government by the incorporation of Wadi Makkah to turn patents into real products at the hands of its startups.

He added the Graduate Studies' Deanship set programs and organized workshops to achieve the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 to improve its programs in line with the labor market requirements.

Later, a seminar kicked off discussions managed by Dean of the Postgraduate Studies Professor Salih bin Abdullah Al-Firaih.

Head of National Center for Social Studies (NCSS) Dr. Saleh Abdulaziz Al Nassar addressed the participants using an introductory presentation on the center giving an overview on its foundation, strategy and the organizational structure.

He said specialized social researches are at the heart of the center's mission. Also, he shed light on the research and scientific activities regulations including financial assistance, subsidized research standards, conditions for research programs, rules of contracts, implementation, regular technical, financial and final reports, expenditure rules for researchers, advisors and panel members, trainers and assistants rules of contracting in addition to rules and conditions for scientific activities such as surveys and publishing.

He added the research priorities in the social domain cover a study on consumption behavior, culture of saving among Saudi families and affects of the technologies on social and family relationships in Saudi Arabia in addition to the productive families' role in the sustainable development plans and challenges taking into consideration the effectiveness of pension and subsidies programs in meeting the development requirements, shaping the preventive programs policies and curing drug addiction.  

In light of the oriented-researches in Social Research Support Program, he called for carrying out a comprehensive survey to cover social problems, needs and issues by region and also the deviant behaviors, support given to citizens who want to marry to Saudis in addition to the relation between poverty, crime and drugs: A field study on Riyadh Region, analytical studies for social solidarity databases, analytical studies for family violence reports in addition to regional, Arab and international success stories in the field of prisoner, released people and families care in cooperation with the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD).

The meeting has also taken up mission adopted by the center in taking decisions, studying social phenomena, enriching social knowledge, and develop knowledgeable social researcher, technology infrastructure and cooperative partnerships.  

In the same context, Dr. Al Khalifa said a survey on consulting researches revealed that surveys were assigned for foreign companies that lack knowledge about small social characteristics known for national specialists, in other words the country has the competent staff to provide this service.