KAUST Virtual Young Talent

Navigating Major Transitions to New Realities: Promoting Stability and Growth for KAUST’s Young Saudi Students amid the COVID-19 Crisis

Each year, KAUST welcomes hundreds of Saudi undergraduates, middle and high school students to campus for activities including real-world research, intensive training and specialized internships. These students will be future KAUST graduates and Saudi Arabia’s next generation of scientists, innovators and thought leaders. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, KAUST was ahead of the curve in developing targeted strategies to support its gifted young Saudis in the Kingdom and abroad, ensuring uninterrupted academic journeys. KAUST’s Strategic National Advancement office quickly responded to mitigate disruptions, gaps and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, with holistic efforts and interventions ranging from educational and operational, to health and well-being.

MAWHIBA “Because of KAUST’s intervention, Saudi Arabia now has a one-of-a-kind digital STEM academy and a vibrant learning community for our nation’s top high schoolers.”

HH Prince Dr. Bandar bin Abdullah Al Saud, Senior Mawhiba Board Member

KAUST Virtual Young Talent Academy

Developing national talent in the age of COVID-19

To overcome the learning and development challenges brought on by COVID-19, KAUST launched an online academy to support Saudi Arabia’s most gifted high school students, whose summer academic plans – which often define their future college admissions success – were disrupted.

A first of its kind in the Kingdom, the KAUST Virtual Young Talent Academy (VTA) kicked off at the beginning of June with an intensive summer pilot program for students displaced from the university’s annual residential Saudi Research Science Institute. The VTA offers students a robust mix of academic courses, training and research, combined with KAUST’s own brand of enrichment and development activities. The goal is for students to come out of the summer stronger and more prepared than ever with the skills, networks, confidence, edge and drive to succeed in a rapidly changing 21st century.

The VTA offers students a new way to engage and grow. It enables a rich virtual network for young scholars, marked by peer empowerment and KAUST mentor support. KAUST faculty and staff are dedicated to preparing students for their futures as global undergraduates, KAUST graduates and professionals contributing to Saudi Arabia’s vibrant national transformation.