Aligned with the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision and as its supports transforming from the oil-based economy to knowledge-based economy. The Vice President for Academic Affairs launched 6 initiatives including the Professional Exams initiative.
Professional Exams Initiative
The Professional Exams Initiative (PEI) aims at determining which PEs are required by the certifying agencies and the prominent employers in their domain. The PE initiative focuses on increasing awareness among faculty and students about Professional Exams, aligning the curricula with these PEs, and improving the overall employability and competitiveness of IAU graduates.
Professional Exams Initiative Launch
As it has been emphasised by his excellency the Minster of education.
Objectives of the Initiative
- Administrative level
- Conduct a self-study of the current practice in university’s colleges regarding professional examinations.
- Identify national and international professional exams to be taken by graduates of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University to meet the job market.
- Prioritizing recommendations to improve our current professional examination practices at the University.
- Academic Level
- Increase graduates’ readiness for job market requirements.
- Increase employment opportunities for graduates.
- Raise awareness among faculty and students about professional exams.
- Link the content of curriculums to professional exams requirements.
- Increase the competitiveness of University graduates in the job market.
Kingdom’s 2030 Vision
Justification for Professional Exams:
| Issues | Old Economy | Knowledge Economy |
| State | Stable (Oil) | Dynamic, segmented |
| Means | Mechanized | Computerized |
| Skills | Specialized | Multiple and flexible |
| Educational needs | Job orientated | Lifelong learning |
| Workplace relations | Confrontational | Collaborative |
| Nature of employment | Stable Insecure | Opportunistic |
What are Professional Exams?
- An examination taken in order to qualify for a profession from a third-party i.e. states the level of knowledge or proficiency in a certain profession.
- Certification is a requirement for practices such as doctors, nurses, teachers, computer engineers, and pilots.
- Some certification is voluntary or mandatory for the examinee.
- Most certifications are time-limited; some expire after a period, but others can be renewed.
- Renewal usually requires ongoing education to remain up-to-date on advancements in the field.
