The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) has announced a landmark initiative to embed data and AI literacy at the core of the Kingdom’s higher education system. The new National Cross-Disciplinary Curriculum for University Students in Data and AI will become a mandatory requirement for all undergraduate students across every academic discipline.
The announcement was made during the International Conference on Data and AI Capacity Building (ICAN 2026) in Riyadh, signaling a structural shift in how Saudi Arabia is preparing its future workforce for an AI-driven economy.
A Cross-Disciplinary Mandate
The new curriculum is designed to provide all university students with the practical fundamentals for understanding data and leveraging AI tools responsibly in their respective fields. This initiative moves beyond traditional tech education by ensuring that graduates from arts, humanities, business, and healthcare are just as AI-literate as their counterparts in computer science.
By equipping non-specialists with the skills to use AI applications and understand relevant use cases, the program directly addresses the gap between technological capability and practical adoption across all sectors of the economy. The curriculum will ensure a minimum level of core knowledge and skills for every student, enhancing their ability to learn, work, and make decisions in the modern labour market.
Strategic University Partnerships
To facilitate the rollout of this ambitious program, SDAIA has signed memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with 14 leading public and private universities across the Kingdom. These agreements establish a collaborative framework to develop competitive data and AI capabilities among both students and faculty through specialized educational and training programs.
The partner universities include:
- Al-Baha University
- Alfaisal University
- Almaarefa University
- Dar Al Hekma University
- Effat University
- Imam Abdulrahman bin Faisal University
- Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU)
- King Abdulaziz University
- King Saud University
- Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University
- Prince Sultan University
- UBT (University of Business & Technology)
- University of Jeddah
- University of Prince Mugrin
Building a National AI Talent Pipeline
This university-level mandate is the latest step in a systematic national strategy to build human capital in data and AI from the ground up. In 2023, SDAIA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, launched a comprehensive AI curriculum for elementary and secondary schools, impacting six million students.
By integrating AI education at every level of the academic journey, Saudi Arabia is creating a continuous talent pipeline designed to meet future labour market needs and accelerate the goals of its Human Capability Development Program.
About The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA)
The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) is the government entity responsible for overseeing the national data and AI agenda in Saudi Arabia. Established by Royal Order in 2019, SDAIA is the Kingdom’s primary authority for driving innovation, setting policy, and building capabilities in all matters related to data and artificial intelligence to support the nation’s digital transformation goals.
Source: Middle East AI News
