Effat University & Kerten Hospitality partner to grow human capital, innovation & entrepreneurship across the Kingdom

Effat University, a private university in Saudi Arabia and Kerten Hospitality, a responsible lifestyle operator, have joined efforts to support entrepreneurship, innovation, human capital upskilling for young Saudi talents in the Kingdom. 

Innovation hackatons that spur creativity in problem-solving capabilities, entrepreneurial knowledge-exchange held jointly with hospitality experts as well as facilitating opportunities for students to launch their own business are just few of the initiatives within this partnership that will be spearheaded by Maria Bou Eid, General Manager of The House Hotel Jeddah City Yard.

Additionally, at The House young Saudi leaders of tomorrow will be motivated and stimulated to enter the hospitality space with expertise acquired during internships and apprenticeships right in the heart of Jeddah’s lifestyle destination. Joining a global team of disruptors, students from non-hospitality background willing to connect on a global level will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience in the industry and witness first-hand how meaningful collaborations take shape, evolve and deliver impact to the communities around. 

Dr Haifa Jamal Al-Lail, President of Effat University, said: “With the Kingdom’s new focus on tourism, our partnership with Kerten Hospitality will not only open up a wide range of employment opportunities to our graduates, it will also enable them to actively contribute to welcoming international visitors, shaping perceptions and re-shaping stereotypes, contributing to transforming Vision 2030 into reality.” 

Maria Bou Eid said: “We’re proud to partner with a mission-driven university that aspires to bring down barriers for entrepreneurial students who think outside-of-the-box, want to establish their own business and are ready to drive innovation further. We are looking forward to bring together our leadership capabilities in the industry and to help nurture talent through our knowledge-share networks, tech-focused initiatives and real-life experiences.”

Effat University, the first private institution of higher education in Saudi Arabia which provides quality education as per global standards is a fully-accredited non-profit educational organization is a pioneer in the innovation and entrepreneurial space. Established in 1999 by Queen Effat Al-Thunayan, wife of late King Faisal. Operating under the umbrella of King Faisal Foundation, the University offers rigorous educational graduate and undergraduate programs conducive to lifelong learning within four colleges.

The House Hotel Jeddah City Yard is an ESG-oriented lifestyle destination connecting international travellers with the local community as part of curated events throughout the year. The focus on the human capital development of Saudi talents and the establishment of meaningful connections within the neighbourhood has become the property’s attraction point for employment and visitors alike. For instance, the first Career Day hosted at The House attracted over 1300 applicants willing to join the tourism industry – one of the pillars in Saudi Vision 2030 and a key GDP contributor