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JEDDAH: The Council of Universities’ Affairs held a meeting on Thursday in Jeddah with heads of public and private universities to discuss educational process challenges and proposed solutions.

Chaired by Saudi Minister of Education Yousef Al-Benyan, the consultative meeting was held at the University of Business and Technology and addressed key issues, including challenges faced by public and private universities, to develop best practices that achieve quality outputs and serve the needs of the labor market.

Al-Benyan emphasized the importance of this meeting to address urgent higher education matters and listen to institutional challenges to reach satisfactory solutions for all.

He also stressed the importance of coordination meetings to enhance partnership and integration between public and private universities, and their role in achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for the higher education sector.

“Our meeting today comes within the framework of the Ministry of Education and the Council of University Affairs’ keenness to enhance integration among higher education institutions, which contributes to developing the university education system and raising its efficiency to keep pace with the aspirations of the wise leadership and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030,” he said.

Al-Benyan added that higher education was the cornerstone of human development and societal progress, and the primary driver of development and innovation across all fields. “Furthermore, higher education institutions bear the responsibility of preparing qualified national talent to lead the future and contribute to achieving sustainable development,” he said.

Dr. Abdullah Dahlan, chairman of the board of trustees, University of Business and Technology, said that the meeting came at a time when higher education in the Kingdom was witnessing a qualitative shift, as Saudi universities — both government and private — had become a fundamental pillar for achieving the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.

“Today, the number of government universities in the Kingdom has reached 30, in addition to 12 private universities and more than 34 private colleges, all of which form an integrated educational system, serving more than two million male and female students in various disciplines and fields,” he said.

“These institutions include an elite group of faculty members whose number exceeds 100,000, representing a national asset of competencies and experiences that contribute to graduating generations capable of competition and creativity.”

RIYADH: ����ֱ�� is tightening laws, enforcing penalties and uniting agencies to combat the illicit trade of historical artifacts.

Mohammed Mahnashi, legal team director at the Ministry of Culture’s Heritage Commission, spoke to Arab News at the International Conference on Combating Trafficking in Cultural Property in Riyadh on Thursday about the new measures.

Mahnashi said that the Kingdom kept a national registry for movable antiquities, with explicit criteria for listing artifacts and rules for auction licensing.

“Penalties have real teeth,” he said. Mahnashi explained that violators could face up to seven years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to SR500,000 ($133,300) — or both — for the illegal seizure of state-owned antiquities, alongside sanctions for forgery and replica production, all codified in a dedicated violations chapter.

“The executive regulations translate law into daily practice,” he said. Rules govern what may be traded and where, restrict trade to within the Kingdom, and grant the Heritage Commission the right of preemption when licensed sales occur.

“Registration is not a free pass to sell,” Mahnashi said. Only eligible items with verified ownership documents can be entered into the Antiquities Registry; documentation proving legitimacy is mandatory before any transaction is contemplated.

“We’ve built the first line of defense at the borders,” he said, describing joint training with the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority at land, air and seaports, enabling officers to recognize cultural properties, identify artifacts correctly and apply the rules to prevent smuggling.

“Our legal pipeline is coordinated end-to-end,” he said. A memorandum of understanding with the Public Prosecution clarifies referrals, initial investigation files and courtroom representation to ensure consistent, effective prosecution under the Antiquities, Museums and Urban Heritage system.

Mahnashi added that the General Directorate of Public Security was an essential force multiplier.

Their role in field inspections, summoning violators and completing initial investigations — especially when offenders were hard to locate — helped to maintain credible deterrence and comprehensive oversight.

Mahnashi added: “Our approach is straightforward — enforceable laws, operational clarity and institutional coordination.”

He added that by coupling clear statutes and executive regulations with targeted training and interagency MOUs, ����ֱ�� was closing loopholes that traffickers exploit.

“Trafficking evolves, and so must our tools,” he said. From registries and licensing protocols to data-driven risk profiling at borders, Mahnashi underscored that prevention, detection and prosecution were being upgraded in tandem.

Mahnashi said that preserving cultural memory was ultimately a shared responsibility.

Citizens, market participants and international partners must document provenance, report suspicious activity and follow lawful processes — steps that he said were essential to keep heritage protected for future generations.