UNIVERSITIES

Advancing Knowledge Diplomacy Through Academic Cooperation
The Saudi Business Council (SBC) believes that universities, business schools, research institutes, and think tanks play a fundamental role in strengthening international cooperation, advancing knowledge, and supporting sustainable economic development.

As an independent, non-profit, private-sector association legally registered in the National Register of Associations (Registro Nacional de Asociaciones) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Spain under Registration Number 633101, SBC promotes academic cooperation as an essential pillar of economic diplomacy and international institutional engagement in support of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

The Council encourages partnerships that connect academic excellence with public policy, innovation, responsible investment, entrepreneurship, and institutional development.

Knowledge Diplomacy
Knowledge is one of the most valuable instruments of international cooperation.
The Saudi Business Council promotes knowledge diplomacy by encouraging collaboration between higher education institutions, research organizations, public institutions, and the private sector.
Through academic cooperation, SBC seeks to strengthen institutional understanding, promote evidence-based dialogue, and contribute to the exchange of knowledge that supports long-term international partnerships.
Knowledge diplomacy enables institutions to build trust through research, education, innovation, and shared expertise while creating lasting relationships between Saudi Arabia and the international community.

Who We Work With
The Council welcomes cooperation with qualified academic and research institutions, including:

• Universities
• Business Schools
• Research Institutes
• Think Tanks
• Centres of Excellence
• Innovation and Technology Centres
• Public Policy Institutes
• Executive Education Providers
• Academic Networks
• Scientific and Professional Associations

Every partnership is developed according to the objectives, governance arrangements, and institutional responsibilities of the participating organizations.

Areas of Academic Cooperation
The Saudi Business Council supports cooperation across a broad range of academic and institutional activities.
Strategic Research
Joint research initiatives, policy analysis, economic studies, and interdisciplinary projects that contribute to informed decision-making and responsible international cooperation.
Academic Exchange
Collaboration among academic institutions through faculty exchanges, visiting scholars, institutional dialogue, and international academic cooperation.
Saudi Studies
Support for research and educational initiatives that enhance understanding of Saudi Arabia's economy, institutions, legal framework, international partnerships, and Vision 2030.

Council of 5 Academy
The Council of 5 Academy represents SBC's long-term educational platform for international learning and professional development.
The Academy seeks to promote executive education, policy dialogue, leadership development, institutional learning, and knowledge exchange through programmes aligned with the Council of 5 Framework and the principles of responsible international cooperation.

Executive Education
Development of executive programmes, professional education, specialised seminars, leadership initiatives, and lifelong learning opportunities for public and private sector professionals.
Student Mobility
Encouraging academic mobility, educational cooperation, internship opportunities, and international engagement that strengthen understanding between Saudi Arabia and global academic communities.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Supporting collaboration in innovation, technology transfer, entrepreneurship, applied research, and emerging technologies that contribute to sustainable economic development.

Joint Publications
Cooperation in the preparation of institutional reports, policy papers, white papers, research publications, case studies, and educational resources.
Conferences and Academic Dialogue
Supporting conferences, seminars, workshops, academic forums, roundtables, and international dialogue that encourage the exchange of ideas and institutional good practices.

Institutional Framework
Academic cooperation follows a structured institutional methodology.
Identify
Assessment of institutional priorities, research interests, educational objectives, and opportunities for collaboration.
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Connect
Establishing dialogue between academic institutions and relevant stakeholders while respecting institutional autonomy and governance.
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Develop
Designing cooperation frameworks, research partnerships, educational programmes, and implementation plans.
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Collaborate
Supporting research, education, conferences, publications, exchanges, and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
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Sustain
Encouraging long-term academic partnerships that continue to generate knowledge, innovation, and institutional capacity.

The Council of 5 Framework
Academic partnerships are supported through the Council of 5 Framework, the Saudi Business Council's institutional architecture for international cooperation.
The framework promotes interdisciplinary collaboration across five strategic cooperation corridors connecting education, research, trade, investment, innovation, sustainability, and institutional development.
By integrating academic expertise into international cooperation, the Council of 5 Framework encourages evidence-based policy dialogue and implementation-oriented partnerships that contribute to long-term public value.

Academic Partnership Principles
Every academic partnership supported by the Saudi Business Council is guided by shared institutional principles:

• Academic Excellence
• Integrity
• Institutional Independence
• Transparency
• Responsible Governance
• Academic Freedom
• Evidence-Based Research
• International Cooperation
• Knowledge Exchange
• Long-Term Collaboration

These principles support high-quality academic cooperation while respecting the autonomy and governance of participating institutions.

Supporting Saudi Vision 2030
The Saudi Business Council aligns its academic cooperation activities with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by encouraging partnerships that contribute to:

• Human Capital Development
• Knowledge Economy
• Innovation
• Entrepreneurship
• Research Excellence
• International Education
• Responsible Investment
• Sustainable Development
• Global Academic Partnerships

As an independent association, SBC complements the work of universities, public institutions, and international organizations while fully respecting their legal mandates, institutional autonomy, and governance frameworks.

Expressions of Interest
Universities, business schools, research institutes, think tanks, and academic organizations interested in developing cooperation with the Saudi Business Council are invited to submit an expression of interest.
Proposals may include:

• Institutional profile
• Proposed area of cooperation
• Research or educational objectives
• Relevant expertise
• Contact information

Each proposal is reviewed in accordance with the Council's mission, statutory objectives, governance framework, and commitment to responsible international cooperation.

The Saudi Business Council (SBC) is an independent, non-profit, private-sector association legally registered in the National Register of Associations (Registro Nacional de Asociaciones) of the Ministry of the Interior of the Kingdom of Spain under Registration Number 633101 and NIF G26608752.
SBC is not a university, accreditation body, educational regulator, degree-awarding institution, governmental authority, or public institution.

Unless expressly authorized in writing for a specific purpose, SBC does not represent the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, or any sovereign institution.
Academic cooperation facilitated by the Council remains subject to the independent governance, academic policies, and approval procedures of the participating institutions.