The Rutgers School of Nursing and the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib College for Knowledge of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have joined forces to expand nursing education and promote international collaboration as they look to address the global nurse and health care professional shortfall.
During a three-day visit to Rutgers’ New Brunswick and Newark campuses, leaders from the newly established Saudi nursing college met with Rutgers faculty and administrators to explore academic models, clinical partnerships and student support systems. The visit included the signing of a memorandum of understanding that establishes a framework for academic exchange, joint research and shared learning between the two institutions.
The Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib College for Knowledge – a private, nonprofit institution founded in Sept. 2024 under the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Medical Group, one of the Middle East’s largest health care systems – admitted its first class of nursing students in August.
“Our collaboration with Rutgers is an investment in the future of nursing education in Saudi Arabia,” said Monir M. Almotairy, founding dean and associate professor of the Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib College for Knowledge. “We are delighted to be thought partners alongside Rutgers in areas such as leadership, faculty development, simulation, curriculum enhancement, student engagement, and to bring those lessons back home to benefit our health-care system.”
Saudi Arabia, with a population of 34.8 million and an annual growth rate of 1.748%, faces a nursing shortage as health care demands rise and the nation works to expand access under Saudi Vision 2030. The country has relied on an expatriate workforce, with Saudi nationals accounting for only a small percentage of practicing nurses.
To improve care quality, Saudi Vision 2030 calls for broad health-system reforms that expand local training and career opportunities. In response, both government and private sectors are investing in nursing education, scholarships and faculty development – particularly to recruit and retain Saudi citizens.
The memorandum of understanding – the first between Rutgers and Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib College for Knowledge – outlines four primary areas of collaboration: faculty development, curriculum innovation, student and faculty exchange and the design of future postgraduate nursing programs. Together, the institutions aim to strengthen nursing education and research, promote academic and cultural exchange, and build long-term capacity within Saudi Arabia’s health care system.
From Oct. 22 to 24, the delegation visited Rutgers’ Newark and New Brunswick campuses, meeting with university leaders, faculty and staff representing every facet of nursing education – from admissions and academic affairs to simulation, research and clinical partnerships. The itinerary included tours of simulation and clinical learning labs, as well as working sessions on topics such as graduate and undergraduate nursing programs, faculty and student exchange opportunities, and joint research initiatives.
