“Success stories always start with a vision, and the most successful visions are those that build on inherent strengths.” These are the words of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman.

The Crown Prince launched on September 15 the Human Capability Development Program (HCDP), which aims to enhance the competitiveness of the Saudi citizen locally and globally.

This will become possible through several goals, the most important of which is raising the Kingdom’s ranking in the World Bank’s Human Capital Index to 45 out of 157 countries as well as upgrading the Saudization rate in high-skill jobs, in addition to increasing the number of Saudi students enrolled in the top 200 universities around the world to 10,000. Moreover, six Saudi universities will be upgraded so that they will find a place among the top 200 universities of the world.

The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 includes several programs such as Human Capability Development Program, National Transformation Program, Health Sector Transformation Program, Housing Program, Quality of Life Program, National Industrial Development and Logistics Program, Privatization Program, Public Investment Fund Program, Financial Sector Development Program, Financial Sustainability Program, Privatization Program, and the Guests of God Service Program.

The Human Capability Development Program tops the list of these programs, and receives special attention from Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman. Why?

Investment is a prominent feature of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Attracting foreign investments and streamlining domestic investments are among the most important components of the Vision, as the leadership knows that “the Saudi man” is the first engine of investments and the ingredient without which no achievement will be scored.

The individual has given special attention to training, education, and development of capabilities and skills through HCDP, which seeks for the citizen to possess capabilities that enable him to compete globally. This is through the promotion of values, the development of basic and futuristic skills, and the development of knowledge by building a solid educational foundation from early stages of childhood, and preparing the youth to take up challenging career prospects in the local and global labor markets.

This also aims to enhance the citizens' work culture, developing their skills by providing lifelong learning opportunities, and supporting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, based on developing and activating policies and capabilities to enhance the Kingdom’s leadership and achieve its Vision goals through the minds and arms of its people.

The program targets to achieve several strategic goals, the most important of which is to promote the values of moderation and tolerance, in addition to fostering proficiency and discipline, determination and perseverance, instilling patriotic principles and values, and strengthening self-reliance.

The goals also include strengthening family participation in preparing the children’s future, building an integrated educational journey, improving basic education outcomes, providing qualitative knowledge for distinguished people in priority areas, expanding vocational training to meet the needs of the labor market, and supporting a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The Kingdom’s Vision 2030 has set several strategies and goals to continue investing in education and training, and to provide the people of the Kingdom with the skills and knowledge that are necessary for future jobs, starting with giving every child opportunities for high-quality education with a variety of options, apart from empowering the youth and women, and nurturing their special talents by enabling them to pursue higher education.

The Vision’s initiatives also supported scientific research in universities and research centers, and assisted universities in developing a special research strategy and identity that work to raise the quality of scientific publishing and maximize its impact.

The human capability development system has witnessed many achievements in the immediate past, the most important of which is the continuation of the educational process despite the circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic by launching several virtual digital platforms such as Virtual Kindergarten and Madrasati and activating interactive classes that are used as a supportive means to deliver educational content to the students.

The Kingdom has also launched a large number of projects and initiatives concerned with rehabilitating young people, raising their readiness to take up jobs in the labor market and taking advantage of the opportunities it offers as a result of its openness to the world and investments in many areas, sectors and programs such as the cultural scholarship program, the establishment of the Saudi Digital Academy, the inauguration of 14 digital innovation laboratories, and many other initiatives and programs. It is impossible to pen down all these in an article.

As I began my article with an important quote of the Crown Prince, I will end it with another quote that summarizes his interest and keenness on the efforts and intellect of the people of the country: “I live among a mighty and great people, they just set a goal and achieve it with ease, and I don’t think there are any challenges that are insurmountable for the great Saudi people.”