2,750 students to participate in Mawhiba summer program

Mawhiba unveiled its local and regional summer program for 2013 yesterday. It involves the participation of 2,750 male and female students, officials from King Abdul Aziz and his Companions Foundation for the Gifted and Creativity, or “Mawhiba,” said at a press conference in Riyadh yesterday.
The program will focus on topics of strategic importance approved by the National Plan for Science and Technology for mobilizing the support of international expertise from universities in innovative projects.
Vice Secretary-General of Mawhiba, Mahmoud Al-Naqqadi, told reporters that the students will be taking part in 75 scientific programs designed for talented students at local and international levels.
The event is organized annually by Mawhiba in 12 cities, with the participation of 28 leading national firms. According to the organizer, there is a 13-percent increase in the number of participating students from last year. As many as 200 students will be taking part in the international programs, registering an increase of 37 percent in the number of male and female students.
Accordingly, the number of local students has increased by 18 percent and 35 percent outside the program from last year in the areas of research, academic, technical and preparation programs for the university. These programs will be implemented through Aug. 30.
Al-Naqqadi said that there will be a full-time international program for girl students at Princess Norah University in collaboration with the John Hopkins University program to be implemented for the first time in the Kingdom mainly to bring international expertise in this area and achieve as much as possible for the benefit of students.
He said students from the Gulf and Malaysia will also take part in this program, pointing out that Mawhiba has sought to develop its summer program in collaboration with various bodies and institutions, as well as local and international experts in the field of enrichment programs. He stressed that development is not in terms of quantity alone but was also for the development of programs for officials at Mawhiba.
He said they seek to expand the program and increase the number of beneficiaries for deserving students while maintaining the quality of the programs, the design of an integrated plan for evaluation and application of standards and international quality standards.
He announced five new programs for curriculum enrichment that have been developed and targeted at all levels and grades. The summer programs will be implemented in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dhahran, Dammam, Makkah, Medinah, Abha, Tabuk, Qassim, Jazan and Al-Baha.
Local partners supporting the program are Saudi Aramco, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Interactive King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy, Prince Sultan University, King Abdulaziz University, University of Imam Muhammad bin Saud, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Saud University, Umm Al Qura University, King Khalid University, King Faisal University, Jazan University, Baha University, University of Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman, Taibah University, University of Dammam, Effat University, Qassim University, Islamic University, King Abdulaziz and King Faisal schools, among others.