Parallel Session Proceedings »
5.5.2 Sustainability and Productivity in Gifted Education Programs: A New Vision from the University of Jeddah
Considerable effort and research are devoted to developing gifted education policy and programs at school levels. However, rather less attention has been paid to the persistence and sustainability of gifted education programs in higher education. The gap between primary education and higher education in relation to educating gifted youth and nurturing their talents is becoming a critical issue in the gifted education system in Saudi Arabia.
In accordance with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the University of Jeddah (UJ) adapted gifted education, creativity, and innovation within the university’s strategic plan. On January 2017, the UJ established the program of Attracting and Nurturing Gifted Youth (ANGY), which is the unprecedented program in Saudi Arabian universities. The program brought a new direction for educating gifted youth in Saudi Arabia. The underlying assumption of ANGY program is to construct an attractive learning environment with specialized education provisions for gifted and talented students, empowering them to pursue their talents they have developed during their school years and strengthen their future to become the producers of knowledge and the vital resource of the country’s development and prosperity.
Having met the admission standards for entering the program, students receive special privileges to obtain full-time enrolment at the university. In addition to the enrolment privileges, the program offers other privileges for gifted students during their study at the university, and privileges after graduation from the university to support their employment career. The UJ vision and policies in attracting and nurturing gifted youth revolve around two basic dimensions: (1) investing in young minds and talents (Human Capital); and (2) sustainability of learning products (Creative Productivity).
The primary emphasis of this presentation is to present the vision of the University of Jeddah and its strategy and policies for attracting and nurturing gifted youth and how the ANGY program shifted the paradigm of giftedness in Saudi Arabia. In particular, the presentation overviews the theoretical foundations, educational provisions, and the outcomes of implementing the ANGY program. Implications and further recommendations for developing gifted education policies and programs in higher education will be addressed.