Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education, Yousef Al-Benyan, met Singapore’s Minister of Education Desmond Lee on 11 September 2025 to discuss partnerships in higher education, research, and vocational training.
SINGAPORE, 11 September 2025 – Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Education, Yousef Al-Benyan, held discussions with Singapore’s Minister of Education, Desmond Lee, during his official visit to the Republic of Singapore. The meeting focused on strengthening academic cooperation and exploring joint initiatives between the two countries.
The ministers discussed opportunities for partnerships between Saudi and Singaporean universities, particularly in curriculum development to meet the demands of the knowledge economy. Plans were also considered for the creation of joint research centres in priority fields such as artificial intelligence, clean energy, and cybersecurity, alongside encouraging scholars from both nations to collaborate on research projects and scholarship programmes.
Cooperation between Saudi Arabia’s Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and Singaporean institutions was also reviewed, with an emphasis on sharing best practices in aligning technical education with labour market requirements. Proposals included the development of joint vocational training programmes in strategic sectors such as logistics, robotics, and advanced manufacturing technologies.
The meeting also explored avenues for knowledge exchange in digital transformation and the integration of AI into education systems. In addition, Minister Al-Benyan met with university officials in Singapore to discuss opportunities for enhancing cooperation and leveraging Singapore’s expertise in higher education and training.
He further highlighted the investment potential within Saudi Arabia’s higher education sector, both public and private, through the “Invest Saudi” platform, inviting Singaporean institutions to consider collaborative ventures and investments in the Kingdom.
Source: SPA
