BOSTON: Seventy Saudi students graduating from some of the United States’ most prestigious universities were honoured at a ceremony hosted at Harvard University, underscoring Saudi Arabia’s long-running investment in overseas education and human capital development under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program.
The event, reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), was attended by Saudi Cultural Attaché Tahany Aleisa, along with graduates, their families and members of the academic community.
Aleisa said the ceremony recognized 70 male and female graduates from universities across the Boston area.
Harvard University accounted for 29 graduates, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with nine, Boston University with 19, and Tufts University with 10, in addition to graduates from the University of Massachusetts Boston and Johnson & Wales University.
The graduates completed studies in disciplines linked to Saudi Arabia’s development priorities and Vision 2030 goals, including medicine, public health, dentistry, engineering, computer science, artificial intelligence, business administration, public policy, law, finance and supply-chain management.
Developing national talent
Aleisa said the achievements of Saudi students at leading American universities reflected the Kingdom’s continued commitment to developing national talent and preparing future leaders capable of contributing to economic diversification and innovation.
She highlighted the support provided by the Saudi leadership to education and international scholarship programmes, describing the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program as a key pillar in building globally competitive human capital.
The scholarship programme traces its roots to 2005, when it was launched by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz to expand opportunities for Saudi students at leading international universities, particularly in the US. The initiative was later restructured and expanded under Vision 2030 and renamed the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program.
A new strategy launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2022 shifted the programme’s focus toward highly selective placements at top global institutions and aims to send 70,000 Saudi students to leading international universities by 2030.
The US remains the programme’s largest destination, historically accounting for more than half of all scholarship recipients. Current estimates indicate that between 16,000 and 18,000 Saudi scholarship students and sponsored dependents are pursuing higher education across accredited US institutions, with many enrolled in research universities and advanced programmes in science, technology, engineering, medicine and business.
Aleisa said the programme’s updated strategy aligns academic specialisations with emerging labor market demands and the priority sectors identified under Saudi Vision 2030, strengthening the Kingdom’s efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy and globally competitive workforce.
