Nemetschek Group announced a strategic collaboration with the University of Jeddah, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading higher education institutions, to support the development of digital skills and strengthen the professional readiness of students in engineering, architecture, design and technology-related disciplines.
Through this collaboration, Nemetschek Group and the University of Jeddah will work together on a range of initiatives designed to equip students with the digital competencies and practical experience required to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven building design and planning and infrastructure sector. As part of the agreement, the company will provide educational software licenses from across the Nemetschek Group portfolio, including Bluebeam, Archicad, and Vectorworks, enabling students to gain hands-on experience with the same technologies used by leading architecture, engineering and construction professionals worldwide.
The partnership will also include specialised training programmes for academic staff to support the integration of advanced digital tools and industry best practices into classroom instruction. The collaboration further seeks to create pathways from education to employment through training opportunities for qualified students and graduates. In addition, both organisations will explore opportunities to co-develop specialised professional diploma programmes, collaborate on curriculum enhancement initiatives, and organise joint workshops that bring together academics, industry experts and practitioners to advance research and knowledge exchange.
“The future of the built environment will depend not only on the technologies we adopt, but on the people who know how to use them effectively. Collaboration between industry and academia is therefore essential to ensuring that students graduate with skills that reflect the realities of a rapidly evolving professional landscape. Through our partnership with the University of Jeddah, we look forward to sharing our industry expertise, supporting faculty and students with relevant digital tools and contributing to the development of curricula that connect academic learning with professional practice,” said Eng. Muayad Simbawa, Managing Director, Middle East, Nemetschek Group.
Her Excellency Dr. Sarah Garamalla Al-Zhrani, Dean of the Design and Art Faculty, said: “At the University of Jeddah, we are committed to preparing a generation of future leaders equipped with the knowledge, skills and practical experience needed to support Saudi Arabia’s ambitious development journey. This partnership with Nemetschek Group reflects our vision of strengthening the connection between academia and industry while ensuring our students have access to leading technologies, innovative learning opportunities and meaningful professional experiences. Together, we aim to equip graduates with the competencies required to contribute to the Kingdom’s future and support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”
The partnership underscores Nemetschek Group’s continued commitment to advancing digital transformation, skills development and knowledge transfer across Saudi Arabia. Building on initiatives such as the Nemetschek Global Academic Programme (NGAP), which empowers the next generation of AEC professionals through access to industry-leading technologies and learning opportunities, both organisations aim to contribute to a future-ready workforce capable of supporting the Kingdom’s rapidly evolving construction, infrastructure and technology landscape while advancing the human capital development goals of Saudi Vision 2030.
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