The Human Capability Initiative (HCI) in 2025 witnessed a series of high-level sessions on its first day. The sessions brought together ministers, decision-makers, and international experts to discuss the rapid changes in the job market and education under the theme of “Beyond Preparedness.” The program was opened with a speech by His Excellency the Minister of Education and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the initiative, Yousif bin Abdullah Al Bunyan. He emphasized that the world is entering a phase beyond traditional notions of preparedness, requiring new models to build capabilities and enable individuals to adapt to the future.
His Excellency the Minister of Education of Korea, Dr. Jo-Ho Lee, presented his country’s experience in integrating modern technologies like artificial intelligence in education in an international ministerial speech. He discussed the impact of this integration on improving efficiency and achieving sustainable growth. Ministers from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Nigeria, and the Maldives discussed during a high-level ministerial session the ways to transition from preparedness to leadership. They emphasized the need to adopt more flexible and innovative educational and economic policies to keep up with future transformations.
The session on “Redefining Human Capital” saw the participation of His Excellency the Minister of Investment, Engineer Khalid Al-Falih. He highlighted the importance of investing in quality skills and connecting education to the job market, emphasizing that human capital is the real driver of modern economies. In the session on “Human-Centered Economic Policies,” His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning, Faisal Al-Ibrahim, discussed the Kingdom’s direction towards policies that prioritize humanity and seek to empower individuals with global competition tools.
The first day concluded with a session on “Redesigning the Lifelong Learning Map,” which brought together representatives from international universities and educational institutions. The session showcased the leading global models for continuous learning empowerment and skills development across different age groups. The discussions focused on the need for educational and economic policies that are more adaptable and innovative to meet the challenges of the future.
