Saudi Arabia is shifting gears toward a new automotive era with a landmark partnership between the National Automotive and Vehicles Academy (NAVA) and Prince Mohammed bin Salman College for Business and Entrepreneurship (MBSC). The deal, signed at the EV Auto Show in Riyadh, aims to localize the Kingdom’s Saudi automotive industry while bridging industry and academia.
Building Talent for a New Industrial Age
The memorandum of understanding focuses on developing national talent and equipping future Saudi leaders with the skills to drive industrial transformation and technological innovation within the Saudi automotive industry.
“Our mission is to prepare qualified talents capable of driving economic growth in line with the Kingdom’s industrial goals,” said Mohammed Al-Suhaim, NAVA’s managing director.
Through this collaboration, NAVA will contribute its technical expertise. At the same time, MBSC will provide leadership education to mold well-rounded professionals ready to guide Saudi Arabia’s growing mobility ecosystem and to strengthen the automotive market for decades to come.
Aligning Education with Innovation
Zeger Degraeve, executive dean of MBSC, called the agreement a “natural alignment between technical training and leadership education.” He emphasized that the Saudi automotive industry stands at the forefront of change, especially in electric vehicles and sustainable mobility.
“Working with NAVA allows us to develop leadership capabilities within teams, driving innovation in the automotive sector,” he said.
Together, both institutions will design specialized programs blending leadership, technology, and entrepreneurship. This formula supports Saudi Vision 2030’s objective of building a knowledge-driven, diversified economy powered by the automotive industry.
Empowering a Sustainable Mobility Future
Beyond training, the partnership includes research initiatives on advanced vehicle technologies and community outreach projects promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in transportation. These initiatives aim to position Saudi Arabia as a hub for smart, sustainable mobility, fostering awareness of cleaner, more efficient transport solutions, and further accelerating the growth of the automotive industry.
The agreement will remain effective through 2028, creating a multi-year framework for education, research, and industry collaboration.
Driving Vision 2030 Forward
The NAVA–MBSC partnership embodies Saudi Arabia’s drive to lead in automotive innovation. By aligning talent, education, and industry, the Kingdom is accelerating local manufacturing, EV growth, and sustainable mobility, propelling the Saudi automotive industry toward a smarter, greener, and globally competitive future.
Stay tuned with Arabwheels for more updates on automotive news and trends.
