The Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) – Promoter of the FORMULA 1 SAUDI ARABIAN GRAND PRIX 2021 – has announced the signing of a pioneering partnership with the prestigious King Abdulaziz University (KAU), one of the foremost homes for learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
As preparations continue for the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the biggest sporting and entertainment event the region has ever seen, the promoter has signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will enable KAU students to be a part of the race at the stunning Jeddah Corniche circuit.
The partnership will see SAMF recruit fresh graduates from the University to be part of its event delivery team, providing them with a first experience of working on a major global sporting & entertainment event. This opportunity is in keeping with the principles of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programme, which promises to offer opportunities for all through education and training, and high-quality services such as employment initiatives, health, housing, and entertainment.
The students will undergo an intensive training program, learning from the most prominent specialists and global experts under the direct supervision of the SAMF. As part of SAMF’s commitment to building capability and leaving a human legacy, a special focus will be given to developing the participant’s skills required to take the next steps in their careers & to support the development of university students and graduates into full-time members of the organizing committees of the various major sporting events that will be hosted in the Kingdom over the next decade: including the Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Formula E, Dakar Rally & Extreme E amongst others.
HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation (SAMF) said of the partnership: “We are thrilled to sign this hugely important Memorandum of Understanding with the esteemed King Abdulaziz University that will help create a generation of high-quality talent capable of organizing and hosting premier, global sporting events.
We believe that the best way to learn, is to do. This exciting partnership puts this into practice, offering some of the brightest and best of our kingdom the opportunity to receive hands-on, tangible experience of working across a variety of roles in delivering the biggest sporting event ever to take place in Saudi Arabia. We will help develop and discover the leaders of the future and create a platform to educate and prepare our youth to forge their own career paths at the highest level – both in Saudi Arabia and beyond.
As set out in our Vision 2030 manifesto, together we will continue building a better country, fulfilling our dream of prosperity and unlocking the talent, potential, and dedication of our young men and women.”
Dr. Abdul Rahman bin Obaid Al Youbi, President of King Abdulaziz University, also shared his delight at the partnership: “This agreement signifies a truly fundamental collaboration between our university and the largest sporting event ever to be held in Saudi Arabia. The arrival of Formula 1 in Jeddah presents many varied and exceptional opportunities for our talented students to gain vital experience of working on such a major event alongside a pool of domestic, regional and international experts.
 “The University pledges itself to work tirelessly to keep pace with the rapid changes and developments that our country is currently witnessing. In this regard, the University has adopted new approaches, especially in relation to providing further opportunities in the tourism and event sectors and finding new and innovative ways to help our students gain the necessary practical experience in these fields to take with them as they set out on their promising careers.
“This partnership will help discover and shape our future leaders by providing a platform from which our young women and men can achieve success at the highest levels both inside and outside the Kingdom.” – corp.formula1.com
