Saudi Gazette report

LONDON — Saudi Arabia's Architecture and Design Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The MoU, signed in London by the Saudi commission's CEO, Dr. Sumayyah Al-Sulaiman, and the CEO of the British Institute, Dr. Valerie Vaughan-Dick, comes within the framework of the commission's endeavor to enhance international strategic partnerships to attract best global practices and expertise to advance the sector.

Al-Sulaiman indicated that "this partnership is one of the commission's plans to develop the sector, which will contribute to transferring the best practices in architecture and design, in order to reach the best standards of excellence with our strategic partners in the sector."

She said this will contribute to achieving the aspirations of the specialist community in Saudi Arabia to advance in the sector.

The Saudi Architecture and Design Commission is seeking to build international strategic relationships with the most important distinguished organization in the sector in different fields, starting from education, to professional practices, Al-Sulaiman noted.

She said the professional practices focus on research and innovation, as well as on enriching the sector through community participation.

The MoU aims to strengthen the best practices, ways of joint cooperation in the architecture and design sector by cooperating in fields such as education, professional practices, competitions, awards, research and innovation, as well as events and forums.

It also included developing innovative educational programs in the fields of architecture and design that meet local and international needs, as well as developing professional accreditation programs and continuous professional development for Saudi architects and designers.

Moreover, the MoU will carry out research and develop new technologies in the fields of architecture and design, and will organize architectural competitions and institute awards to stimulate innovation and creativity, in addition to holding events and forums to exchange knowledge and experiences.

This partnership is considered one of the Saudi commission's plans to enhance international strategic partnership to develop the architecture and design sector in Saudi Arabia.

The two parties will work together on exchanging the best international practices and experiences in a way that contribute to developing the national cadres's capabilities, and empowering them in the sector.

This also reflects the keenness of Saudi Arabia's Culture Ministry to consolidate international cultural exchange, as one of its strategic goals that fall under the umbrella of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.