Business & Money | Wednesday 16 November, 2016 2:31 pm |

​Cisco and MiSK Foundation today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will prepare the leadership of tomorrow with the skills of the future.

The MOU sets the framework for both parties to work closely together to empower Saudi youth with the right cultural, technology, media and educational tools to unleash the potential of the next generation of leaders, helping make Vision 2030 a reality. The collaboration between MiSK Foundation and Cisco also aims to encourage entrepreneurship, stimulate business innovation and enhance research and education.

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is undergoing a massive transformation and its youth will be critical in the transition to a digital economy,” said Abdullah Al-Swaha, Managing Director, Cisco Saudi Arabia. “This partnership with MiSK will create an environment that will allow the youth to flourish in a dynamic and innovative startup ecosystem.”

The two parties will work together to combine Cisco’s technology leadership, solutions and expertise with MiSK Foundation’s local knowledge, programs and partnerships aimed at develop intellectual capital and unlocking the potential of all Saudi people. A key focus of their joint efforts will be to support young Saudis to lead the way in the new digital economy by preparing the workforce of tomorrow and enabling them with skills suited for the jobs of the future.

The MoU also paves the way for the development of educational and training programs and platforms that facilitate the exchange of knowledge and expertise across key technology and entrepreneurship domains.

The MOU was signed on the sidelines of MiSK Global Forum, a two-day multidimensional culture and technology conference which brings together nearly 1,500 young Saudis with the brightest minds across the world. Under the motto of ‘Young Leaders, together,’ the event will see young leaders representing around 65 countries participate in the event's discussions and deliberations.

During the Forum, John Chambers, Cisco’s Executive Chairman, delivered a keynote on ‘Youth and Digitization for an Innovation Based Economy,’ during which he highlighted the critical role Saudi youth will play in transforming their nation and the need to build on other countries’ lessons to foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Bader Al-Asaker, Secretary General of MiSK Foundation commented: “The MiSK Foundation is determined to nurture young people’s talent so they can lead the businesses that will make up the digital economy of tomorrow. That doesn’t just mean teaching them a few skills, it means creating an ecosystem in which they can thrive. That’s why the Cisco initiative is so important, it helps young people develop digital know-how at every stage of their journey; from skills training to platforms to sponsoring hack-a-thons.”

MiSK Foundation is non-profit foundation which is devoted to cultivating learning and leadership for the Saudi Arabia of tomorrow. It aims to enable Saudi youth to learn as a means to develop leadership skills and drive advances in education, culture and media in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To do this, the Foundation focuses on the country’s youth and a wide variety of ways to foster talent, creative potential, and innovation in a healthy environment that points the way toward opportunities in the arts and sciences.