SDG11: SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES
SDG 11 in Saudi Arabia: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. In Saudi Arabia, this goal aligns with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to transform the country’s urban landscapes and enhance the quality of life for all residents.
Saudi Arabia’s Approach to SDG 11
Urban Development & Smart Cities:
The Saudi government has embarked on several large-scale urban development projects aimed at creating sustainable and smart cities. Examples include NEOM, a futuristic city that will integrate advanced technology and renewable energy, and The Red Sea Project, designed with a focus on environmental sustainability and eco-tourism. These projects emphasize energy efficiency, green spaces, and environmentally friendly architecture, contributing to the creation of sustainable communities.
Public Transportation and Mobility:
Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in enhancing public transportation systems, such as the Riyadh Metro and Jeddah’s public transport system, which are designed to reduce traffic congestion, lower carbon emissions, and offer affordable and accessible transport options for all. This supports the SDG 11 target of creating accessible and sustainable urban transit systems.
Affordable Housing:
To address the housing needs of its growing population, the government has initiated affordable housing programs. The Sakani Program, launched by the Ministry of Housing, provides citizens with affordable and sustainable housing options, incorporating green building techniques and energy-efficient solutions.
Sustainability in Infrastructure:
The Saudi government is ensuring that urban planning includes resilience against climate change impacts, with a focus on renewable energy and sustainable waste management practices. The Saudi Green Initiative, part of Vision 2030, is a major effort to increase green areas, reduce carbon emissions, and improve the environmental quality of urban areas.
Cultural Preservation:
SDG 11 also emphasizes the preservation of cultural heritage. Saudi Arabia has taken significant steps to preserve its historic cities, such as Diriyah and AlUla, combining urban development with heritage conservation efforts to promote sustainable tourism.
Majmaah University and SDG 11
Majmaah University has taken steps to integrate SDG 11 into its academic, research, and operational practices, contributing to more sustainable communities and supporting Saudi Arabia’s broader sustainability goals.
Sustainable Campus Initiatives:
The university is committed to creating a sustainable and eco-friendly campus environment. This includes efforts to minimize waste, improve energy efficiency, and promote green building standards in its infrastructure projects. Recycling programs and solar-powered facilities are some of the practical steps the university has taken to reduce its environmental footprint.
Research on Urban Sustainability:
Majmaah University conducts research focused on urban development, sustainable infrastructure, and environmental resilience. The university’s research centers contribute to solving challenges related to sustainable cities, offering insights into how urban areas can better adapt to the demands of modern development while minimizing environmental harm.
Community Engagement & Education:
As part of its community outreach efforts, Majmaah University organizes workshops, seminars, and public awareness campaigns about sustainable living, urban resilience, and the importance of protecting the environment. These initiatives aim to educate students and the broader community on how to actively contribute to the achievement of SDG 11.
Urban Planning Programs:
The university offers academic programs and courses related to urban planning, architecture, and environmental studies. These programs prepare students to address the challenges of sustainable urbanization and work on projects that align with SDG 11 principles.
Partnerships and Collaborations:
Majmaah University collaborates with local municipalities and government bodies to participate in urban sustainability projects. These partnerships allow the university to contribute its academic expertise to real-world projects, such as improving local infrastructure, enhancing public spaces, and promoting sustainable transport systems.
In Saudi Arabia, SDG 11 plays a critical role in shaping the future of urban development and community sustainability. The Saudi government’s efforts through Vision 2030, including smart cities, improved public transport, affordable housing, and environmental conservation, highlight a comprehensive approach to this goal.
Majmaah University complements these national efforts by fostering sustainability on campus, conducting relevant research, and engaging in educational and community outreach programs that contribute to the broader objective of building more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities.
The University achieves the Middle East Award for Excellence in Government and Smart Cities
In a new achievement added to the series of successes of the university, the university, represented by the Deanship of E-Learning and Distance Learning, won the Middle East Institute Award for Excellence in Government and Smart Cities in its 23rd session in the United Arab Emirates. The university’s Vice-Rector and Supervisor of the Deanship of E-Learning and Distance Learning, Professor Dr. Musallam bin Muhammad Al-Dosari, stated that the university won the Smart Education Systems Excellence Branch, by nominating the smart electronic exam reservation system and the educational labs application. The Consul General of Japan in Dubai, Akima Umezawa, presented the award to the university representative, the Deputy Dean, Dr. Khalid bin Nashi Al-Mudhaibi, at the ceremony held to honor him, coinciding with the conclusion of the 24th GCC Smart Government and Cities Conference, with the participation of relevant sectors and institutions. The event annually witnesses the participation of leaders and experts from government institutions, international organizations, business and information technology sectors at the regional and international levels. The award is held annually in recognition of the best achievements and practices of smart institutional transformation, initiatives to develop competitive services, and honor the sectors of the government and smart cities system and related sectors, based on the institute’s standards for honoring institutions and individuals, believing in the importance of honoring the best achievements of smart institutional transformation and initiatives to develop competitive government services, and the government and smart cities infrastructure system, in line with the competitiveness goals of the Middle East region. On his part, His Excellency the University President, Dr. Khalid bin Saad Al-Muqrin, met with the team that contributed to this achievement in His Excellency’s office, where the University Vice President, Supervisor of the Deanship, Professor Dr. Musallam Al-Dosari, presented the award shield to His Excellency the University President, in the presence of His Excellency the Dean of Information Technology, Dr. Muhammad Al-Wanin, and His Excellency the Vice Dean of the E-Learning for Educational Affairs, Dr. Khalid Al-Mudhaibari, who provided His Excellency the Director with an explanation of the award and its importance. The meeting was also attended by university staff who contributed to developing the systems, where Professor Khalid Abdullah Al-Tariqi and Professor Abdulrahman Saud Al-Tariqi from the Deanship of Information Technology developed the electronic exam reservation system, and Professor Noura bint Abdullah Al-Bahlal from the Deanship of E-Learning developed the educational labs application. His Excellency the University President explained that the real achievement is that all these systems are developed by the distinguished members of the university, which is evidence that the university is capable of advancing its members without the need for external parties. At the end of the meeting, His Excellency the University President honored the university staff who contributed to this achievement. The University Vice President, Professor Dr. Muslim bin Mohammed Al-Dosari, expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the University President for his unlimited support for the university’s technology work.
Cultural and sports program entitled "World Walking Day"
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/news/colleges/college-of-science-and-human-studies-at-hotat-sudair/190551
The College Club in the female students’ sections held a cultural and sports program entitled “World Walking Day” on Wednesday 06/08/1443 AH in the college lobby in the female students’ sections. During the program, screens were activated and awareness brochures about walking were distributed. It also included a corner for distributing various healthy foods. The program aimed to:
Promote public health.
Spread the culture of walking.
Raising awareness among community members about the importance of exercising.
Increase the percentage of people who practice physical activity and sports.
Improving the lifestyle of the individual and the family, and building a society whose members enjoy a balanced lifestyle.
Promote general health by helping walking lower cholesterol and burn calories.
Contribute to combating obesity and maintaining a healthy weight.
Improve physical fitness, prevent chronic diseases.
Student Housing Unit
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/deanships/deanship-of-student-affairs/20013
Profile:
It is one of the departments of the Deanship of Student Affairs linked to the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, and it is concerned with the full supervision of student housing services at the university of all kinds.
Tasks of the Student Housing Unit:
1- Receiving new students and accommodating them.
2- Follow-up student housing in terms of furniture, cleanliness and everything related to students in their housing throughout the year.
3- Preparing rooms to receive students in coordination with the concerned departments during the year.
4- Transferring students between rooms and housing units according to the standards and controls set by the Deanship.
5- The transport and inventory committees, each in its own capacity, correct the situation of individual students by inventorying and transporting their students' luggage after they were cut off from the university for any reason and keeping them in the warehouses designated for them.
6- Preparing the administration's budget for the annual needs provided by the university to new and old students, such as furniture and furnishings, and transferring them from the university's public warehouses to the administration's warehouses to be delivered to students.
7- Preparing summons forms for students when they request to review any administration at the university and deliver them through their rooms and mail.
8- Distributing the instructions and instructions issued by the university to students and placing them on the bulletin board in all housing units, student clubs, the central restaurant, the cooperative society and student activity centers.
9- Receiving maintenance requests submitted by students, keeping them in a special record and sending them for maintenance.
Student Housing Unit
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/deanships/deanship-of-student-affairs/21405
(It will be activated in case of student housing)
King Saud Theater Club at Majmaah University
The Deanship of Student Affairs at Majmaah University received a delegation from the Theater Club at King Saud University, who was a guest of the university as part of a program of visits between Saudi universities. Upon their arrival, they were received by His Excellency Mr. Fahd bin Freih Al-Rashidi, Vice Dean of the Deanship, where he welcomed the delegation, after which the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Qumaizi, met with the delegation to hold a meeting between the officials of the Deanship and the delegation of King Saud University to discuss ways of joint cooperation between Majmaah King Saud University, where the Deanship of Student Affairs seeks during this academic year to establish a theater club, and the Deanship of Student Affairs has organized a full reception for them and introductory programs to the university and the Deanship. It is worth mentioning that Majmaah University, represented by the Deanship of Student Affairs, receives a number of delegations from the Kingdom's universities every year in order to achieve the role of cooperation between Saudi universities and the exchange of experiences between them.
Theatrical activities
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/deanships/deanship-of-student-affairs/260
Theatrical activities: (male and female)
They are activities that are directly related to the stage and all these activities aim to produce an integrated theater staff that serves the university in its theatrical concerts and aims to refine student talents for the desired benefit.
MU'S TRANSPORTATION SERVICES LAUNCHED FOR NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
https://www.mu.edu.sa/en/news/general/204331
A new milestone was achieved this year as the advisor and general supervisor of administrative, financial and technical affairs, Prof. Musallam Al-Dosari, launched the transportation services for the new academic year 1445, in the presence of the director of the General Administration of Services, Mr. Moteb Al-Maymoni, and heads of departments.
The new transportation services featured new courses and field training in many cities, governorates and centers. Prof. Al-Dosari met with a number of bus drivers, representatives of the transport contractor, and field supervisors to review the progress of work and the latest preparations to serve the university students. Bus drivers will attend a number of training and awareness raising programs to improve the level of safety and crisis management.
In a statement about the new academic year, Prof. Al-Dosari, pointed out that this academic year's transportation services feature new routes to serve more than 6000 female students who will be transported to their colleges. Additional services will also be provided for internship students in health sectors.
The transportation services will include more than more than 55 residential areas, 80 centers, and 4 governorates. New buses are provided which feature additional services for longer trips such as refrigerators and toilets.
University Students Participate in the Municipal Investment Forum "Foras"
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/news/general/199396
Tuesday, 31/January/2023
Under the guidance of the President of the University a. Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Mizil The Deanship of Student Affairs participated through a group of university students in the Municipal Investment Forum Foras in its second edition at the Riyadh Front.
The forum aims to review a package of investment opportunities offered by secretariats, municipalities and government agencies, and expand the base of competitors by attracting capital investments to contribute to raising the quality of life in Saudi cities.
The university students also visited the pavilions of secretariats, government agencies and the private sector, after which a number of dialogue sessions and lectures were attended such as NEOM Future City for the CEO of the NEOM Debtor project, His Excellency Eng. Nadhmi Al-Nasr, and a lecture on Saudi Aramco National Development Programs for His Excellency Dr. Senior Vice President of Aramco for National Development, after which a dialogue session entitled The Role of Investments in Building Gulf and Arab Cities.
On the other hand, the Dean of Student Affairs, Dr. Saleh bin Amileh Al-Rashidi, expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Excellency the President of the University, Prof. Dr. Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Mizil, for his support and permanent sponsorship of the programs and activities of the Deanship and his keenness on the participation of students in such programs that seek to highlight the efforts of municipal investment, which is an essential enabler for the development of Saudi cities, which contributes positively to the quality of services provided to their residents and visitors and the quality of life in them to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, and to His Excellency the Vice President for Affairs Educational a. D. Mohammed bin Saleh Al-Aboudi for his constant follow-up and guidance.
UQU Vice President Inaugurates (Together to Reduce Traffic Accidents) Exhibition with the Participation of a Number of Security, Health and Educational Sectors in Ramah Governorate
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/news/general/194951
The Vice President of the University, Prof. Muslim bin Muhammad Al-Dosari, opened an awareness exhibition under the slogan (Together to reduce traffic accidents), which was held at the Applied College in Ramah Governorate with the participation of a number of security, health and educational sectors in the governorate, and this exhibition implemented by the Salik Center for Traffic Safety comes as one of the programs and events organized by the center, which aims to spread awareness and traffic culture among the university employees and the surrounding community, and Mr. Miteb bin Muhammad Al-Maimouni - Director General of the Services Department - stated that The exhibition received a variety of participations from vital sectors, with the participation of public education schools in Ramah Governorate, in order to raise the level of traffic safety in the governorate through partnership with the concerned authorities, and stated that the exhibition, which was opened by the Vice President of the University, Prof. Muslim Al-Dosari, with the Director of the Education Office in Rammah, Mr. Mahdi Al-Sahli, comes as an extension of the initiative (Draw and Color) implemented in public education schools, and also enhances the university's efforts in spreading the importance of traffic safety for students, especially students of this stage, and added Al-Maimouni said that the exhibition, since its first hours of opening, has received organized and multiple visits by students of general education and university education in Ramah Governorate, and it also received a good influx by the local community, and Al-Maimouni appreciated to His Excellency the President of the University, Prof. Saleh Al-Mizil, his continuous support for spreading traffic safety programs in all sectors of the university to serve male and female students and the community, in advance his sincere thanks to the Vice President of the University, Prof. Muslim Al-Dosari, for his care and interest in implementing the traffic safety plan in Ramah Governorate to raise the level of Al-Maimouni also thanked the General Administration of Administrative and Financial Affairs for the continuous support, all work teams, the college administration and participants from vital sectors in Ramah Governorate, and partners in the private sector who enriched the activities of the exhibition with what they presented, wishing that the impact of this exhibition would be reflected in achieving the Kingdom's vision and the Quality of Life Program with regard to reducing the percentage of traffic accidents.
Public Services completes all qualifying transport plans during the examination period for the second semester
https://www.mu.edu.sa/ar/news/general/190011
The General Administration of Services completed all qualifying transport plans during the examination period for the second semester in an effort to ensure the flow of service provided to university students by intensifying their readiness, and sought in the past period to prepare emergency plans and equip all supporting units to ward off risks, and also stressed the careful follow-up of everything related to the follow-up of weather fluctuations, a safe unit and a risk management platform for the routes, where the Vice President of the University, Prof. Muslim bin Muhammad Al-Dosari, stated that the university has completed all Supporting equipment for transporting students from homes to college headquarters to perform final exams by increasing and diversifying transport lines to ensure the flow of transportation and facilitate the service of obtaining them, taking into account the shortening of the period in transportation by increasing the number of transport buses and reducing the distance of the transport line and the number of students in each bus, taking into account the work of protocols related to addressing the risks of the Corona pandemic, and the addition of direct transport lines to homes was approved after the students finished the tests, and this comes in implementation of directives and follow-up President of the University, Prof. Saleh bin Abdullah Al-Mizil, for the quality of services provided and harnessing all capabilities to serve university students.