Executive Education and Vocational Training Initiatives

Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) implemented a range of executive education programmes and vocational training events in 2024 and 2025, all open to the general public. These initiatives were designed to enhance professional skills, support community development, and expand learning opportunities beyond the university’s degree programmes. Below is an overview of the key programmes and events, each including details on their title, timing, format, target audience, objectives, and outcomes.

Short Courses and Executive Education Programmes (Open to the Public)

“Occupational Health and Safety in the Health Sector” – Micro-Credential Course (2025)

This short executive course was launched in partnership with the Ministry of Health as part of PSAU’s micro-credential programmes. Aimed at healthcare professionals and trainees, the course provided fundamental training in maintaining safety standards within health facilities. 

Scope and Objectives: Participants learned core occupational health and safety practices, focusing on preventive measures to ensure a safe working environment in hospitals and clinics. 

Format: Delivered as a focused training programme (likely in-person workshops), it offered practical instruction aligned with national health sector requirements. Outcomes and Impact: The programme bolstered the competencies of health workers in the region, reflecting PSAU’s status as an accredited provider of continuing professional development for medical personnel[2]. By enhancing healthcare safety skills, it contributed to improving the quality of care and workplace safety standards in local health institutions.

Entrepreneurship in Nutrition: Starting Your Own Business – Workshop for Women (2025)

Organised as part of a career fair in 2025, this workshop targeted female graduates interested in entrepreneurship in the nutrition and food sector. 

Scope and Objectives: The session covered how to launch and manage a successful food-related business, including planning, marketing, and operational steps for start-ups. It was designed to empower women with the knowledge and confidence to become entrepreneurs in nutrition and healthy catering. 

Target Audience: Recent female graduates and aspiring women entrepreneurs from the general public were invited to participate, aligning with PSAU’s commitment to women’s economic empowerment. 

Format: A one-day, in-person training and awareness session, featuring presentations and interactive discussions led by experts in nutrition entrepreneurship. 

Outcomes: The workshop raised awareness about opportunities in the nutrition business and equipped attendees with a roadmap for starting their own ventures. It also reinforced PSAU’s broader community outreach goals by encouraging women’s participation in the local economy.

Self-Development Skills – Community Personal Development Workshop (2025)

PSAU’s College of Business Administration, in collaboration with Al-Hulwa Municipality, hosted a “Self-Development Skills” workshop in 2025 to enhance personal and professional competencies among community members. 

Scope and Objectives: This short course focused on personal development areas such as goal setting and planning, building self-confidence, improving communication and social skills, and maintaining a positive mindset when facing challenges. It also emphasized work-life balance and continuous self-improvement. 

Target Audience: Local youth and professionals in the Al-Hulwa region were invited (open to the general public, especially those outside the university) to improve their soft skills and employability. 

Format: An interactive workshop delivered in-person at a community venue, featuring lectures and practical exercises. 

Outcomes: Participants gained valuable insights into personal effectiveness and leadership. The workshop successfully guided attendees in cultivating stronger behavioural and planning skills for both career and personal life, exemplifying PSAU’s role in community capacity-building through executive education.

“Wa’ed” Virtual Summer Forum – Youth Skills Development Programme (Summer 2025)

In the summer of 2025, PSAU academics partnered with the Social Development Committee in Al-Kharj to deliver the “Wa’ed” virtual summer forum. This two-week online programme was open to young men and women across the community. 

Scope and Objectives: The forum aimed to discover and nurture youth talents, sharpen their experiences, and develop various skills through remote workshops and activities. Sessions were designed to instil responsibility, encourage volunteerism, and channel the participants’ intellectual and creative energies in positive directions. Topics included developing creative ideas, emotional intelligence, and constructive use of leisure time. 

Target Audience: Local youth (both male and female, generally secondary school or university age) were the primary audience, and the event was publicly advertised for broad participation. 

Format: Conducted entirely online (virtual), it featured an “elite group of academics and educational specialists” from PSAU and the local education department who led interactive webinars and discussions. 

Outcomes: The Wa’ed forum successfully engaged young participants across Al-Kharj in productive summer learning. It concluded with enhanced youth capabilities in creativity, teamwork, and community involvement. While precise attendance figures were not given, the high-profile participation and two-week duration suggest a significant reach. This virtual forum exemplified PSAU’s innovative use of online platforms to extend educational opportunities to the wider public.

Vocational Training and Community Education Programmes

Lifelong Learning & Community Education Hub – Free Evening Classes 

PSAU established a Lifelong Learning and Community Education Hub in mid-2024 as a platform for continuing education open to the general public. 

Scope and Objectives: The hub offers free courses and workshops in practical skill areas such as information technology, languages, and basic business or financial skills. The objective is to provide youth and adult learners (especially those not enrolled in formal education) with opportunities to gain job-relevant skills and personal development. University faculty and top students volunteer as instructors for these courses, ensuring quality teaching while also giving PSAU students teaching experience. 

Target Audience: Community members of all ages in Al-Kharj and surrounding regions, including unemployed youth, working adults seeking upskilling, and others in the general public. 

Format: Courses are offered as free evening classes on campus and in some cases through online modules, to accommodate working individuals. They typically run in short cycles, focusing on skill acquisition and certification. 

Outcomes: The hub enrolled over 200 community learners in its first year alone. By 2025, dozens of participants had completed courses, with at least 150 expected to finish various programmes by 2026. Some graduates of the hub have already leveraged their new skills to secure employment or pursue further studies, demonstrating the hub’s impact on improving local employability. This initiative illustrates PSAU’s strong commitment to lifelong learning and making education accessible beyond its degree students.

Applied College Vocational Diploma Programmes – 12 New Diplomas (Launched 2025)

In 2025, PSAU’s College of Applied launched twelve specialised diploma programmes focused on vocational and technical fields. These 1–2 year diploma courses were introduced to meet labour market needs and are open to anyone with a secondary education, thus serving as an accessible vocational pathway for the general public. 

Scope and Objectives: The programmes cover high-demand skills in areas such as logistics and supply chain management, cybersecurity, renewable energy technology, project management, multimedia design, and more. Developed in consultation with industry partners, their curriculum combines theoretical knowledge with practical training to prepare graduates for specific job roles. 

Target Audience: High school graduates, job seekers, and working individuals looking to re-skill in the Al-Kharj region can enroll. The diplomas are offered across PSAU’s branch locations (e.g. in Al-Kharj, Wadi Addawasir, Hotat Bani Tamim, etc.), increasing geographic accessibility.

Format: These are in-person academic programmes (classified as “Associate Diploma” or intermediate college qualifications). They typically span 3–4 semesters, including hands-on projects or internships in relevant industries. 

Outcomes: Early results have been very promising – within the first year of implementation, over 70% of the Applied College diploma graduates secured relevant employment or paid internships upon graduation. This high placement rate indicates the effectiveness of the skills-focused curriculum and its alignment with market needs. The programmes also support inclusivity in employment; for example, PSAU provides career support to female and disabled students to ensure all graduates benefit equally. Overall, the launch of these diplomas has significantly expanded vocational education options in the region and contributed to reducing youth unemployment by equipping learners with job-ready skills.

Community Volunteer Training Programme – Vocational Skills for Low-Income Families (2024–2025)

PSAU initiated a Community Volunteer Programme in late 2024 that delivers vocational training and educational support directly to disadvantaged members of the community. 

Scope and Objectives: This programme mobilises student and staff volunteers to provide free tutoring, basic vocational skills training, and essential services to low-income families in the Al-Kharj area. The aim is to improve beneficiaries’ access to education and to impart practical skills that can help adults in those families increase their income or employment prospects. Training topics vary based on community needs – ranging from literacy and computer skills to handicrafts or other livelihood skills – effectively advancing the “leave no one behind” ethos in local development. 

Target Audience: Economically disadvantaged families and out-of-school individuals in the region form the core audience. Participation is open to the public in targeted communities, with outreach coordinated via local social welfare organisations. 

Format: The programme operates through periodic workshops and tutoring sessions conducted in community centres or at PSAU facilities, as well as one-on-one mentoring. It is an ongoing initiative rather than a one-time event, with flexible scheduling to reach various neighbourhoods. 

Outcomes: By the end of 2025, over 200 PSAU volunteers had participated, delivering training and support to more than 500 community members. Many adult learners in the programme acquired new skills (for example, sewing, computer use, or English language basics) that improve their employability or ability to start small home businesses. The university plans to scale the programme to reach 1,000 beneficiaries by 2026. This initiative not only provided tangible skills and knowledge to underprivileged groups, but also strengthened university-community ties and fostered a culture of volunteerism among students. The expected long-term impact includes improved educational attainment and new income-generating opportunities for participants, contributing to poverty alleviation in the area.

Summary of Activities (2024–2025): Below is a summary table listing each identified programme/event, along with its type and the date or period of implementation:

Each of these activities was open to the general public, targeting various groups such as local professionals, women, youth, and underserved communities. Collectively, they illustrate PSAU’s commitment in 2024–2025 to extend learning beyond its campus — empowering individuals with skills training, supporting career development, and fostering inclusive community engagement in line with sustainable development goals.

Additional executive training and short courses at PSAU are presented in the following sections.