Even before COVID-19 ravaged the global economy, the world was heading towards a digital revolution. New ideas and innovation was forcing companies, both big and small, to adapt to changing demands and expectations. New technology allowed businesses to operate faster and more efficiently. With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, this change was accelerated to a blinding degree.
In such a tumultuous time, effective leadership will be paramount in meeting and overcoming the significant challenges faced by our world’s nearly eight billion people, from community-level issues such as poverty to the planet-wide threats posed by climate change. Even just trying to put the world’s nations on the road to recovery will be a herculean task.
To help develop critical leadership skills, Saudi Arabia’s Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University (PMU) is launching a special Youth Leadership Program. The goal is to empower young people through hands-on learning activities, expanding their knowledge and equipping them to be global change leaders.
“Leadership is one of the core competencies that the PMU curricula are built around. This institutional experience has evolved into a broader vision for PMU related to community service, now PMU aims to convey that experience to Saudi youth in general through a leadership program,” said Dr. Issa Al Ansari, President of PMU.
Towards these ends, the YLP has been designed to align with twin strategies for national and international development. The first strategic framework, The Saudi National Vision 2030, is building for the country’s future through diversification of the economy. The second strategy is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, a set of 17 objectives to achieve a better, more sustainable global society.
“This strategic approach makes the YLP efficient and responsive to the needs planned for by the KSA and the world at a larger scale,” said Dr. Al Ansari.
The YLP will consist of a range of activities held at workshops locally, regionally, and international camps to promote innovation and service through constructive competitions, hackathons and social awareness campaigns. The workshops and camps will explore topics inspired by grouping the UN’s 17 SDG’s into seven major themes; Fighting Poverty, Health and Wellness, Education For All, Sustainability, Environment, Governance, and Innovation.
