Saudi Arabia allocates 94 overseas scholarships

RIYADH: The Ministry of Media announced the allocation of 94 scholarship seats across academic and training programs in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Spain under the Media Scholarship track (Wa’ed).

Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossary on Wednesday sponsored the signing of cooperation agreements between the ministry and nine media companies, marking what officials described as a national model of public-private partnership aimed at investing in human capital and strengthening the media sector’s contribution to the national economy.

The agreements signal a shift in the ministry’s role from a regulatory body to an enabler and growth catalyst by linking academic education and practical training to direct employment opportunities.

The initiative seeks to raise the productivity of media companies and develop specialized Saudi talent capable of leading transformation in the media and creative industries.

The agreements were signed with MBC Group, One Group, Al-Zhuhur Media, Hawadee, Shibh Al-Jazira, Salham, La’bah, Jathr Production and Waves.

The program provides 94 seats distributed across various academic and training pathways, including 21 master’s seats in the United Kingdom, the United States and Spain; 56 bachelor’s seats in the United States and the United Kingdom; 11 diploma seats in Canada and Spain; and six training seats in the United States and Spain.

Deputy Minister of Media for Media Sector Development Israa Assiri said the media industry has become a key driver of the creative economy, with value chains extending from production and distribution to technology, platform development and marketing.

She said the Media Scholarship track enables companies to design programs aligned with their employment needs, ensuring closer alignment between educational outcomes and labor market requirements, while enhancing the sector’s sustainability and competitiveness locally and internationally.