RIYADH — The Ministry of Culture has signed on Thursday two memoranda of cooperation (MoC) with the Ministry of Education and the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), aimed to enhance educational programs and cultural activities in the Kingdom's public and private education sector. The provisions of the agreement include carrying out comprehensive studies about strengthening and incorporating 16 cultural sectors in the school and university education. The MoC also aims to attract foreign universities and colleges and facilitating the issuance of the necessary permits for establishing their campuses in the Kingdom. Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan and Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Sheikh signed the first MoC while the second one was signed by Deputy Minister of Culture Hamid Fayez and TVTC Governor Dr. Ahmed Al-Fuhaid in a ceremony held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Culture here. The agreements also aimed to create practical ways for culture and arts in the fields of technical and vocational training, in order to ensure the provision of an educational environment incubating national talents in various creative fields. The MoC between the ministries of culture and education included aspects of joint cooperation in the field of education, and it was agreed to conduct an integrated study dealing with the promotion and inclusion of 16 cultural sectors in public and higher education as well as to activate initiatives emanating from these sectors. Both ministries agreed to implement the outcome and recommendations of the study, and coordinate and cooperate in implementing the results and recommendations of the national culture strategy. The MoC also envisages cooperation between the two ministries to update the relevant laws and regulations as well as to develop the capabilities of workers in the fields of education related to the cultural sectors, and activate the facilities of the Ministry of Education to implement cultural activities. The memorandum envisages cooperation of the ministries of culture and education in implementing and facilitating licensing and permitting procedures for educational and enrichment programs and activities related to 16 cultural sectors in schools, colleges, universities, and government and private institutes. It also aims to strengthen cooperation in developing and expanding specializations in the 16 cultural sectors in universities, colleges and government and private institutes, as well as in the field of foreign scholarship program for specializations in these cultural sectors, and contributing to finding out local and international partners and shareholders. The agreement between the Ministry of Culture and TVTC focused on cooperation in the areas of training, and that included agreement to conduct an integrated study dealing with the promotion and inclusion of the 16 cultural sectors in training, and cooperation in the exchange of data and information that enhances the work of the ministry and the corporation and supports developing its programs, and facilitating licensing procedures for private training institutions related to these cultural sectors. Minister of Culture Prince Badr Bin Abdullah Bin Farhan announced on Monday the launching of the Kingdom's first foreign scholarship program for culture. The program enables the qualified young Saudi men and women to pursue their higher studies in culture and arts specializations in the world class universities.
