At the beginning of the meeting, His Excellency welcomed the attendees and emphasized the university’s continuous efforts to develop the academic environment in its educational, developmental, and research aspects, while promoting the principles of transparency and integrity within the educational setting.

     He noted that the university is rich with distinguished talents possessing knowledge, skills, and values, pointing out that the real challenge lies in expanding the opportunities available to graduates. He explained that the university is considered one of the leading universities in the Kingdom in terms of graduate employment, according to data issued by the National Labor Observatory. Recent statistics indicate that more than 71% of the university’s graduates secure employment within six months of graduation, reflecting the quality of the university’s educational outcomes, as well as the excellence and competence of its students.

      His Excellency further explained that the university’s new administration operates with a spirit of continuous development and seeks to strengthen and build upon these achievements. He affirmed that the ambition extends beyond this percentage to reach even higher levels, in alignment with the aspirations of the wise leadership—may Allah preserve them—and Saudi Vision 2030, through improving the quality of education and linking its outcomes to labor market requirements.

     He stressed that achieving this goal is a shared responsibility borne by students, faculty members, and the administration alike, explaining that the labor market no longer relies solely on degrees or GPAs, but rather focuses on graduates’ personalities, skills, values, and ability to present themselves effectively. Therefore, students are encouraged to continuously develop themselves intellectually, professionally, and ethically.

     His Excellency called on the student advisory councils to focus on core issues affecting students’ futures, foremost among them the quality of educational outcomes and readiness for the labor market, in addition to enhancing quality of life within the university. He emphasized the importance of presenting impactful initiatives that contribute to preparing influential and competitive graduates.

     He also highlighted the importance of raising the level of academic challenge in a way that enhances students’ knowledge and achieves positive results in standardized readiness tests, affirming that the true measure lies in the quality of knowledge rather than grades alone.

     Moreover, His Excellency stressed the importance of raising students’ awareness of their role in developing the educational process, encouraging them to adopt a culture of lifelong learning, pursue professional certifications, and benefit from the training programs offered by the colleges and the Deanship of Student Affairs. He noted that evaluating the educational process should be based on the quality of outcomes and the knowledge delivered.

     He explained that cooperative training represents a genuine opportunity to gain practical experience, noting the university’s direction toward extending its duration to better prepare students for the labor market. He encouraged students to invest in these opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and build their professional careers.

     His Excellency also emphasized the university’s commitment to listening to students’ opinions and observations, affirming that all proposals submitted through these councils receive careful attention and follow-up, contributing to the development of the educational environment, improving its outcomes, and strengthening the university’s role in preparing qualified national talents who contribute to the nation’s development and prosperity.

     The meeting discussed several agenda items, most notably the views and recommendations submitted by the Secretariat of the Student Advisory Councils, in addition to exploring ways to develop student services, address challenges students may face throughout their academic journey, and improve the quality of educational outcomes.

     The council also reviewed several initiatives and proposals submitted by representatives of the advisory councils across the university’s colleges and adopted the necessary recommendations, thereby enhancing the councils’ role in representing students’ voices and contributing to university decision-making.

     It is worth noting that the Student Advisory Councils are formed annually for one academic year under the chairmanship of the University President, with membership including the Vice President for Educational Affairs, the Dean of Student Affairs, vice deans, the heads of advisory councils in the university’s colleges from among male and female students, and the Secretary of the Student Advisory Councils at the Deanship of Student Affairs. These councils are tasked with following up on issues submitted by the secretariat, discussing them, issuing appropriate recommendations, contributing to the development of relevant regulations and procedures, considering membership affairs, representing the university in scientific participations, and contributing to seminars and conferences through presenting research and working papers, thereby strengthening their role in supporting the university’s mission and activating student participation in decision-making.​