Two-day national event in the Kingdom united over 120 school leaders, policymakers and education partners to strengthen human capability and skills development
Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – 09 February 2026: The British Council successfully concluded the first-ever KSA Schools Conference, a flagship two-day national event that convened more than 120 senior leaders from Saudi Arabia’s education ecosystem, including school leaders, policymakers, Ministry of Education representatives, universities, higher education leaders, industry partners, British Council global specialists in leadership, assessment and English education to strengthen human capability and future skills across Saudi Arabia’s education sector.
Held on 28–29 January 2026 in Yanbu, the conference was delivered under the theme ‘Future-Ready Schools: Developing Human Capability and Skills,’ and marked a significant milestone in the British Council’s long-standing partnership with the Kingdom and its contribution to national education reform.
The conference strongly aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which places human capability development, digital readiness, and high-quality education at the heart of national transformation. Discussions focused on how schools can better prepare learners and teachers for a rapidly evolving economy shaped by technology, innovation and global competitiveness.
Insights shared during the event reflected British Council engagement across the Kingdom, indicating that over 70% of schools identify leadership development, AI readiness, and enhanced student engagement as top priorities over the next three years. The conference programme was designed to directly respond to these priorities through evidence-based dialogue, sector collaboration, and practical learning.
Conference Highlights Included:
- Vision-setting keynote addresses from senior Saudi and international education leaders
- High-level panel discussions with school leaders, Ministry of Education representatives and industry partners
- Spotlight on Schools sessions showcasing data-driven innovation and best practice from Saudi Partner Schools and regional peers
- Interactive breakout workshops on leadership development, teaching quality, AI-enhanced learning and student capability
- Exhibitions from CES, IELTS and leading Saudi edtech and AI start-ups
- A recognition ceremony celebrating outstanding schools and OSS achievers across the Kingdom
Speaking at the conference, Matthew Knowles, Country Director, British Council, Saudi Arabia, said: ‘The inaugural KSA Schools Conference marks a significant milestone in our work to support the Kingdom’s education ambitions. As Saudi Arabia invests in skills and technologies to build human capabilities, this conference offers a valuable platform for schools, policymakers and partners to collaborate, exchange insights and collectively shape the future of learning.’
Fakhar Jaffery, Director Exams, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain at the British Council, said: ‘The British Council is proud to support the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 that focuses on human capability development through investment in education. In our flagship conference that focused on ‘Future-ready schools’, the conversations and insights shared reinforced the importance of strong leadership, empowered teachers, evidence-based practices while leveraging technological advancements and innovation in education in preparing young people for the future economy.’
The conference concluded with a strong commitment to continued collaboration, with outcomes from the sessions set to inform future Partner Schools support, leadership development initiatives and long-term engagement across the Kingdom.
Full speaker biographies are available here
About British Council Partner Schools
British Council Partner Schools is a global community of over 2,600 schools, delivering UK qualifications such as International GCSEs, O Levels and A Levels. A trusted partner, we help improve education quality, supporting learners worldwide to achieve their potential through UK education and qualifications. We support Partner Schools in over 40 countries, transforming the lives of over 250,000 students each year.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024–25 we reached 599 million people. https://www.britishcouncil.sa/en