SOMETHING NEW

Saudi leaders and universities are investing in the nation’s youth to foster the entrepreneurs that will drive the nation’s economy into the future.

Ismail Al-Bishri

RECTOR, AL JOUF UNIVERSITY

What are the major updates since we last met in early 2018?

We are working toward to Vision 2030. We are trying to keep up with digital learning, computer-based exams, and virtual classrooms. We now have a master’s program in clinical pharmacy, approved by the Ministry of Education.

Looking at tertiary care, how can Saudi nationals be encouraged to undergo surgery and specialized medical services in Saudi Arabia rather than traveling abroad?

Tertiary care is an expensive service. From the private sector point of view, you can provide the service only if there are paying customers, which means that developing tertiary care will not be an easy process by the private sector. The government sector has tertiary care, but it will be complex for the public and private sector to build both the required infrastructure and attract the customer base.

Do you think medical insurance implementation would strike a balance between profitability and wider access to care?

Insurance, which is still a new concept for Saudis, will make the patient suffer. Unfortunately, the patient will be looked at primarily as a customer rather than an individual who needs healthcare. Profit motive will override the sector’s focus on care, as has happened in many countries. Cost will become the dominant consideration in medical care. There is the potential, too, for people to go bankrupt due to medical expenses that they cannot afford. For this reason, insurance privatization can have unintended negative consequences for people, as insurance companies want to make a profit with the bare minimum of services. Insurance companies will deny coverage whenever they can. The patient, at the end of the day, will be a number. The people who have money will get treatment and the people who do not will only get a minimum level of care. ✖

What have been the major highlights over the last year?

The country is working hard on intangible assets, such as knowledge, education, and future skills that can help companies adapt to the future. As we enter the Industry 4.0 revolution, there is a need to impart different skills for tools such as the internet and even newer media in this complex environment. The educational sector has to play a major role in this transition, focusing on peer-to-peer learning, social interactions, and the exchange of information, as promoted by corporate workshops. The more one learns, the easier it becomes to adapt to the future.

“The education sector has to play a major role in this transition, focusing on peer-topeer learning, social interactions, and the exchange of information, as promoted by corporate workshops.”

Which technologies will have a major impact on education and the corporate segment and why?

Different technologies could play different roles, but the exchange of knowledge will help decision-makers understand the main obstacles they could face with AI. It will allow them to capture qualitative and quantitative data to help them measure trends. The main skill needed now is programming and adopting different languages. We need to teach children from an early age. Private schools have started working on this, though our focus should be on teaching such skills at the primary level. That will help students adjust to new languages.

How can teachers stay one step ahead of their students?

It is complicated, but teachers need to update their mindsets by learning new skills, such as analyzing and capturing data and improving communication and interaction with students. They need data and smart analysis tools to strike a balance with students who are born using these technologies. Teachers need to have the ability to incorporate these skills quickly and easily.

What is the best way to use this data properly?

We need to know what affects the education sector. New technologies such as AI will help companies and decision-makers analyze the information coming in from all these different sources. To help companies adopt AI, we have to remove some barriers and obstacles, such as the fear people have in adopting new technologies. You need to understand the implications of implementing AI in terms of security, for example. To manage this issue, take full advantage of AI, and understand its limits, there needs to be increased transparency, awareness, and literacy around AI technology. In this sense, private organizations need to know more about the threats of cyber attacks. They have to take it seriously.

What role will people play in the new processes established by the advent of new technologies?

People need to learn new skills and add more value to the output of machines. The human component will only become more important at the advanced stages. After we gain insights from new technologies, we need to know how to harness more output and create new ideas. These ideas could lead to further improvements. To get to that point, we have to focus on providing the tools to learn new skills, make use of the data, be more innovative, create more projects, and add value to the latest technologies.

In 2019, our main focus is to learn about the side skills that the students need to acquire to develop virtual/augmented reality content. Instead of relying on suppliers, we want to provide tools that can help people create content. This will help us integrate our own system, adopt, and shape it to fit specific needs. We want to focus on peer-to-peer communication, which will accelerate the adoption of new technologies. ✖