World Academy at KAEC advances design-led education

The World Academy at KAEC is showcasing the achievements of its students at the school’s 2016 Science Fair, which features projects designed and built in the school’s new Design and Technology Center.

The event, on the theme of Green Energy, Sustainability, Renewability, and Durability, is part of the school’s drive to incorporate design-led principles into learning. The international curriculum provides students with an interdisciplinary education, including technical subjects and interpersonal development, to better prepare them to succeed in the future.

“A traditional viewpoint on learning and education will not equip people for a non-traditional future. To succeed in the new world of work, students need to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to learning from a very early age,” said Fahd Al-Rasheed, managing director and group CEO of King Abdullah Economic City. “The student work on display at the World Academy Science Fair is eloquent proof of how much young people can achieve in an educational environment that emphasizes teamwork, creativity and problem solving.”

According to studies by the World Economic Forum, 20 percent of Saudi students are enrolled in science or engineering based courses, known as STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. By comparison, 39 percent of students in India are studying STEM subjects. The WEF Human Capital Index ranks Saudi Arabia 41st in the world for tertiary education enrollment but only 112th for vocational enrolment, further underscoring the need for more skills-based education.

However, technical skills alone are not adequate to equip students for an increasingly competitive job market. Research by Bayt.com, an online recruitment company, indicates that the top three requirements among employers in the Middle East are communication skills, teamwork and leadership. Technical ability ranks 14th on a list of 24 traits.

A similar study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers in the U.S ranks teamwork, decision-making, problem solving and work planning as the most important traits that international employers look for in fresh graduate employees. Technical skills rank 7th.

“Studying design and technology gives students a good grounding in life skills like project planning, creativity, collaboration and product design which they can build on in the future,” said Will Fraser, the principal at the World Academy. “It also gives students a solid base from which to pursue careers in a huge range of areas, including engineering, information technology, architecture, industrial design, entrepreneurship and many more.”

The World Academy at KAEC focuses on design-thinking from the K-12 level, encouraging students to explore the world around them and apply what they are learning at school to real-world situations. The school’s Design and Technology Center, is a core facility, giving students access to cutting edge electronics, 3D printers, robotics and next-generation computer technology.

AdvancED, the global non-profit organization that accredited the World Academy, made special reference to the world-class design of the Center in its review of the school, calling it “truly magnificent and a great asset to students and the community as a whole.”

“KAEC’s holistic education infrastructure is designed from the earliest stages to enrich and enhance student learning experiences and prepare them to meet future challenges. The World Academy’s leading science and technology facilities set new standards for design-led education in the Kingdom,” said Mazen Tamar, senior director of corporate business development, healthcare & education at KAEC.

“The school is integral to the city’s broader commitment to fostering entrepreneurial activity, giving students confidence in their ability to develop and implement innovative ideas that one day may change the world.”
King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) is the largest privately-funded new city in the world. Situated on the west coast of Saudi Arabia, KAEC covers an area of 181 square meters of land, approximately the size of Washington DC. KAEC comprises King Abdullah Port, the Coastal Communities residential districts, the Haramain Railway district and the Industrial Valley.