The President of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University , Dr. Abdullah Al-Rubaish, expressed his gratitude to His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Eastern Province and Honorary President of the Eastern Province Council for Social Responsibility (EPCSR) and to Her Highness Princess Abeer Bint Faisal ibn Turki Al Saud, the Chairwoman of EPCSR Board of Trustees; on their confidence in choosing (IAU) to prepare the 2nd edition of a scientific study entitled "Studying the Reality of Social Responsibility in the Eastern Province”.
This came on Monday February 13, 2023, at the headquarters of Asharqia Chamber, during His Highness's patronage of the inauguration ceremony to launch the 2nd edition of the study. The study is prepared by the Institute of Consulting Studies in cooperation with the College of Arts. It was implemented by (EPCSR), one of the developmental initiatives of the Emirate of the Eastern Province in partnership with Asharqia Chamber, in cooperation with Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. It aims at shedding light on the concept of sustainable social responsibility from an integrated perspective, in terms of concept, dimensions and theoretical approaches.
Dr. Al-Rubaish added that this study stems from the university's mission of providing knowledge, research, and creative professional services in an effective community partnership. It was carried out by several researchers specialized in social, economic, and environmental studies, and its main axes were built according to the goals of the Saudi Vision 2030 which promotes social responsibility to achieve sustainable development.
The Vice President for Development and Community Partnership, Dr. Nuhad Alomair, presented for His Highness, the Governor of the Eastern Province, glimpses on the university's efforts regarding social responsibility. Further, the Dean of the College of Arts and the head of the research team gave a speech during the inauguration ceremony, in which she indicated that the study extrapolated the reality in terms of progressions, initiatives and developmental projects in a quantitative and qualitative scientific methodology, to draw a road map for development and change. As this will lead to achieving a balanced integration between different sectors within the framework of social responsibility, and for it to be a practiced behavior that embodies the concept of responsible citizenship.
The study aims to:
- Monitor the initiatives, programs and projects that achieve social responsibility from all sectors
- Detect the obstacles affecting the implementation of the initiatives and programs of social responsibility
- Identify the priority social needs of the Eastern province community for initiatives, programs, and projects
- Anticipate the future of social responsibility in the Eastern province
The study is characterized by many considerations, the most prominent of which are:
- The size of the statistical community
- The methods of measuring and selecting the sample, its characteristics, and its comprehensive geographical distribution in the Eastern Province
- The scientific and professional methodology in its theoretical and methodological construction in terms of framing concepts, literary surveying, and aligning reality with the achievements of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program
- The application of field methodological procedures, starting with the study tools (questionnaire and interview) to collect data, passing to statistical treatments, interpretation of results, foreseeing the future, and identifying the societal needs of the Eastern Province in terms of initiatives and projects through designing a guide for future initiatives of all the vital areas in the Eastern province, to be carried out by the relevant supporting bodies in all sectors.
In addition, the Director of the Community Partnership Department, Mrs. Najah Al-Mihemid, participated as a speaker in a dialogue session entitled: (Sustainable Social Responsibility in Accordance with Vision 2030) that accompanied the inauguration ceremony program. In her speech, she highlighted the role of universities in activating social responsibility in accordance with Vision 2030 through presenting the experience of (IAU). She explained that the growing presence of social responsibility within the education sector, comes with the launch of the initiative of “Institutionalizing Social Responsibility in Saudi Universities”, by the Ministry of Education last year. As this initiative is regarded as an affirmation to the vital role of universities in activating social responsibility. She additionally reviewed the pioneering experience of (IAU) in this field which invested in specialized academic and research expertise to enhance its societal output and to confirm its role as a scientific partner within the system of success partners in the developmental community programs and projects.
