Day 0 Event #185 Universities impact in accelerating the adoption of free, open-source government software towards supporting the Blue Ocean eco-system

Summary

This discussion focused on the adoption and promotion of open-source software in Saudi universities. Representatives from King Khaled University, Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University, Al-Jouf University, and Al-Qasim University shared their experiences and strategies for implementing open-source solutions in academic and administrative processes.

The universities highlighted their efforts to integrate open-source programming into educational curricula, research initiatives, and innovation projects. They emphasized the importance of building sustainable technology ecosystems, strengthening local content, and encouraging open innovation. Several universities reported success in developing in-house solutions using open-source tools, which have been shared with other government agencies.

Partnerships with the private sector and government bodies were identified as crucial for advancing open-source adoption. The universities discussed various initiatives to support student projects, hackathons, and the creation of specialized research centers focused on open-source development. They also addressed the challenges of cultural change, financial sustainability, and the need for specialized training.

The participants agreed on the potential of open-source software to enhance operational efficiency, promote innovation, and support the digital economy. They called for a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption and emphasized the role of universities in developing human capital and fostering a culture of open collaboration.

The discussion concluded with a recognition of the progress made in establishing a digital warehouse for government open-source software and the potential for Saudi Arabia to become a global leader in this field. The participants expressed optimism about the future of open-source initiatives in supporting the country’s digital transformation goals.

Keypoints

Major discussion points:

– Universities’ strategies and initiatives for adopting open-source software

– Successful experiences and partnerships in developing open-source solutions

– Impact of open-source adoption on academic, research and administrative processes

– Challenges and opportunities in promoting open-source culture in universities

– Future vision for open-source software development in Saudi Arabia

Overall purpose/goal:

The discussion aimed to explore how Saudi universities are implementing open-source software strategies, share successful experiences, and discuss ways to further promote open-source adoption in alignment with national digital transformation goals.

Tone:

The overall tone was positive and collaborative. Participants spoke enthusiastically about their universities’ open-source initiatives and expressed optimism about the future potential. There was a sense of shared purpose in advancing open-source adoption nationally. The tone became increasingly forward-looking towards the end as participants discussed future visions and recommendations.

Speakers

Speakers from the provided list:

– Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

Role: Electronic Education Dean at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University

Area of expertise: Electronic Education

– Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Role: Dean of the Department of Electronic Services at the University of Al-Malik Khaled

– Dr. Sultan Alqahtani

Role: Dean of the Department of Information Technology and Electronic Learning at the University of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud

Additional speakers:

– Dr. Badr Al-Daghifig

Role: Deputy Dean of the Department of Electronic Education and Digital Transformation at the University of Al-Jawf

– Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Abdul Latif

Role: Deputy Dean of the Department of Electronic Education and Information Technology at the University of Al-Qasim

– Khaled Al-Ghamdi

Role: Engineer and consultant

– Dr. Ahmed Al-Swayyan

Role: Representative of the Digital Government Board

Expanded Summary: Open-Source Software Adoption in Saudi Universities

This discussion focused on the adoption and promotion of open-source software in Saudi universities, bringing together representatives from various institutions to share their experiences and strategies. The conversation covered a wide range of topics, from implementation strategies to future visions for open-source development in Saudi Arabia.

University Strategies and Initiatives

The universities represented in the discussion have been developing comprehensive digital transformation strategies that incorporate open-source software. Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani from King Khaled University highlighted their “Marina Path Initiative” and products like Sprint, Wasl, and A-plus. Dr. Sultan Alqahtani from Imam Muhammad Bin Saud University shared that their implementation process has been ongoing for about a year and five months, with the university contributing systems like the employment gate, access system, link service, and field training system to the digital warehouse. Notably, they have shared 7 million lines of code and 657 files.

Al-Jouf University, represented by Dr. Saleh Albahli, is focusing on agriculture-related applications and AI projects. Dr. Abdul Latif from Al-Qasim University mentioned their goal of achieving 40% of services built on open-source software by the end of the year.

Integration into Education and Research

Universities are integrating open-source software into educational programmes and curricula. This integration extends beyond just teaching the use of open-source software to actively involving students in its development and application. Universities are also leveraging open-source solutions to support academic and research processes, developing in-house solutions that enhance operational efficiency and provide valuable learning opportunities.

Talent Development and Community Building

The discussion highlighted the importance of recruiting and supporting young talent in open-source development. Universities are creating open-source programming factories and communities within their institutions to nurture this talent. They are also organizing hackathons and training initiatives to further develop skills and foster innovation.

Partnerships and Ecosystem Development

Collaboration with industry sectors and government bodies was identified as crucial for building sustainable open-source ecosystems. Universities are working to establish partnerships with the private sector and government agencies to support the long-term viability of open-source initiatives. These collaborations are seen as essential for promoting innovation, strengthening local content, and encouraging open innovation.

Challenges and Opportunities

Several challenges were identified, including the need for cultural change, ensuring financial sustainability, maintaining consistency, and providing specialized training. The Digital Government Agency’s role in creating licenses for open-source government programs was noted as a positive step.

The adoption of open-source software was seen as a way to reduce reliance on commercial software, potentially leading to cost savings for universities. Dr. Abdul Latif mentioned that government spending on commercial software is expected to increase by 24% by 2025, equivalent to 16 billion Riyals, highlighting the potential for cost savings through open-source adoption.

There was also discussion about the potential for monetization of open-source solutions, although this topic revealed some differences in perspective among the participants. Some viewed monetization as a way to ensure sustainability, while others emphasized the importance of maintaining the open and collaborative nature of open-source development.

Future Vision and National Goals

The participants expressed a shared vision for Saudi Arabia to become a leader in open-source software development. Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani called for the development of a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption in universities. Dr. Sultan Alqahtani spoke about the ambition to become a world-class open-source software repository.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer raised the importance of improving the classification and filtering of Saudi government open-source software in the digital warehouse. There were also suggestions to expand the digital warehouse to include international open-source products.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The discussion concluded with recognition of the progress made in establishing a digital warehouse for government open-source software and the potential for Saudi Arabia to become a global leader in this field. Participants agreed on the need for continued collaboration between universities, industry, and government to advance open-source adoption.

Key action items identified include:

1. Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption in Saudi universities

2. Improving the classification and filtering of government open-source software

3. Expanding partnerships between universities, industry, and government agencies

4. Increasing the percentage of university services built on open-source software

5. Focusing on user experience and the user journey in developing open-source software

The participants expressed optimism about the future of open-source initiatives in supporting the country’s digital transformation goals, while acknowledging the ongoing nature of this transition and the need for continued effort and innovation. The success of universities in digital transformation was celebrated, with a commitment to further progress in open-source adoption and development.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: In the name of God, the most gracious, the most merciful, welcome, we welcome you, friends of happiness, leaders of e-education in Saudi universities, and we start by welcoming you. First of all, Dr. Hamed Saleh Al-Qahtani, Dean of the Department of Electronic Services at the University of Al-Malik Khaled. Welcome. Secondly, Dr. Sultan Al-Qahtani, Dean of the Department of Information Technology and Electronic Learning at the University of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud. Welcome. Next, Dr. Badr Al-Daghifig, Deputy Dean of the Department of Electronic Education and Digital Transformation at the University of Al-Jawf. Welcome, doctor. And finally, Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Abdul Latif, Deputy Dean of the Department of Electronic Education and Information Technology at the University of Al-Qasim. Welcome. Our workshop today will be held in the Digital Government area, about the impact of universities on the rapid adoption of open-source government software. The workshop is related to the strategy of open-source free software in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and its six pillars. Building a sustainable technology, strengthening local content, encouraging open innovation, enabling human resources, improving cyber security, and supporting the digital economy. The main title of our first dialogue is about a strategy that paves the way for universities to advance technology in open-source software. And how universities can play a leading role in promoting the Blue Ocean system for the adoption of open-source free software. We can take the opportunity to talk with you, Dr. Saad Hamid, about how the University of King Khaled can develop a comprehensive strategy for digital transformation and the adoption of open-source free software as a main tool for innovation and technology, while taking into account the role of this strategy and its relationship with educational programs, promoting innovation, and building societies and institutions within the University of King Khaled. So, you can talk with us about this experience. May God bless you, Dr. Lira.

AUDIENCE: May God bless you, dear colleagues and distinguished guests. Of course, we thank the Digital Government for hosting us, and we also congratulate everyone for the awards they have received in this special and rare occasion. Of course, the University of King Khaled, during the short period in which it was under the care of the Prince of Asir region, Prince Turki bin Dalal, launched the University of King Khaled to the world. And it was through this launch that the strategy of the University of King Khaled was launched, and its goals are the qualitative strategy, which includes improving the educational output, achieving institutional excellence, promoting research and innovation, diversifying alternative desires, as well as improving the quality of life, and also promoting voluntary and social participation. We, in terms of e-services, and in terms of the digital transformation strategy, which supports these strategic goals of the University of King Khaled, we made sure that there is a fundamental component in this strategy, which is the adoption of open-source programming. Because we all know that we all have one goal, which is to have in this precious kingdom, a programmer among a thousand residents. We, in the University of King Khaled, and after the qualitative partnership, which was a year ago, and in this place, or in Ritz, the next day, we, in the University of King Khaled, glorified this partnership, and we started the real work. We sat with various university agencies, and we started the real work, starting with the University of Shun Ta’alimiya, through the implementation of decisions in these programs. We also talked with the Faculty of Accounting, through the adoption of these programs. We also reviewed many plans and curricula, in the technical educational materials, which have a practical side. We made sure that these programs are a fundamental part, in enhancing research, innovation, and digital sustainability in the University of King Khaled, and in our precious country. Also, we, in the electronic services, and through enhancing this culture, the culture of adopting open-source programming, we made sure on all levels, the level of applications, the level of construction, the level of networks, the level of digital transformation, and all levels, to glorify the implementation of these programs, for many reasons. The reasons of spending efficiency, the reasons of enhancing cyber security, the reasons of technical participation, the increase of productivity, and this, by the will of God, we refer to when it comes to the increase of productivity, in the field of research. We have, may God protect you, dear colleagues, we, in the University of King Khaled, in the Electronic Services Agency, we made sure that we have different platforms, in these open-source programs. And we have an initiative now, which is called the Marina Path Initiative, in cooperation with the National Center for Electronic Education, and we made sure, through this initiative, that they really support the adoption of open-source programming. Today, we, in the University of King Khaled, we cooperate with all departments, whether they are students, through the talent union, through the training union, and the training of students on open-source programming. Today, we are with the departments of higher studies, we sat and talked a lot about how to have a research grant in these fields related to innovative technologies, and support the adoption of open-source programming. And we have, by the will of God, in the University of King Khaled, a variety of numbers in this field. Also, the Business Leadership Center, there is a hotline between the departments that we mentioned, and the Business Leadership Center, through the integration of these programs, or the solutions that were built based on the adoption of open-source programming. Today, we are with the colleagues in the Faculty of Applications, we are working hard to have diplomas for remote learning programs in such programs, or the employment of programs in many diplomas. We, in the University of King Khaled, we made sure and we are keen to enhance innovation in the adoption of open-source programming through many hackathons that were held recently. We had a type of hackathon, an innovation hackathon, and one of the most important elements of these hackathons was to have a process based on open-source programming. The talk is long on this side, but we want to conclude this talk about the University of King Khaled and its strategy,

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: and all its actions related to the development of the educational process of open-source programming. We are still at the beginning of the process of adopting open-source programming, and we promise you, next year, that you will see many products based on open-source programming. This is a promise? Yes, it is a promise. So, it is a commitment to the workshop? Yes, it is a Southern promise. By God’s will, by God’s will. Thank you, Dr. Saad. I would like to pass the floor to my colleague, Dr. Sultan Al-Qahtani, at the University of King Khaled. We are sure that all universities share the same passion and the work of the creator. We would like to ask Dr. Saad to share his vision about how the University of King Khaled can contribute to the establishment and support of an open-source technology platform to enhance small and medium-sized projects.

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani: Thank you, Dr. Neera, and I would like to thank my colleagues at the Digital Government for hosting this wonderful event. Today, we are at the University of King Khaled and through the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy, one of the goals of the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy is to promote research and innovation. Through this element, we have launched a number of initiatives for the development of open-source software and initiatives that have been launched in cooperation with the Innovation and Business Leadership Center, including the initiative to support small projects and graduate projects. Through this initiative, the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy works in conjunction with the Digital Government to support small and medium-sized projects. the digital warehouse, and also with the faculties that are related to support this system in adopting open and free software. Today, through this strategy and this initiative, the initiative to support small projects and graduate projects, the Faculty of Computer Science and Information and the Faculty of Applications is working on establishing a research university, and even the Faculty of Science and Research is working on establishing a research university specializing in open and free software, projects that are considered a type of projects in this field, and hopefully I will be able to tell a number of successful stories in this field, and also the students who are interested in learning and exchanging skills between students, teaching staff, and those who are interested in this field of open and free software. Today, through the initiative of the Blue Ocean and the Digital Government, we aim to establish specialized research universities, and specialized student universities in the field of open and free software, in the field of information security. We have a number of approximately 12 projects now, which are considered small projects, adopted under the guidance of the Imam, all of them are technical projects, and all of them are based on open and free software. A number of research projects have been transformed from research laboratories into startup companies. For example, one of the projects, one of the students in the message of the Magistrate was able to present a developed software using open and free software, a software specialized in DevSecOps, and this software has now become a tool that is marketed commercially, because it has become a small company, and it is protected by the Black & Play Business Projects, with the National Security Authority. One of the projects, the graduation project, has now become not a graduation project for a bachelor’s level students, but a graduation project that produces solid scientific results. The idea was to use artificial intelligence tools, such as FastText, as an open source component, used by students in a research lab in the college. The idea became popular, and it became an open source tool to analyze bug reports, or what is called software reports, and classify them as security, whether it is a security report or not. If it is a security report, it is classified as a type of security, such as Buffer of Load, Denial of Service, and so on. All these examples I mentioned are the results of initiatives through a strategic plan to support small projects and adopt them in the College’s Business Projects. These are student projects, which have now become research projects, and as I mentioned earlier, I will explain the name, ShieldOps.net has now become a startup company, adopted by the National Security Authority, and the Black & Play Business Projects, and this is one of the results of the initiative. Today, the methodology we follow in the Imam University, in this field, is still on the way, and the implementation is now about a year and five months, and God willing, the process will develop, and there will be a complete adoption of open source software, whether on the level of scientific research, or even on the level of development research in the field of electronic information technology. So, God willing, in the second phase, I will talk in detail about the methodology we follow in the Imam University, and support the initiative of the Blue Ocean, or even support the store of free software, and the open source software of the Digital Government. Thank you.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: Thank you, Dr. Sordhan. In fact, this is an inspiring speech about the strategic relationship between software and projects, and its connection to the student NGO, and the research societies, and the building of societies, and the transformation of some programs from graduate projects to startup companies. In fact, this is a kind of vision that we rely on a lot, and we say that, just as there is a percentage of employment for graduates, we see that in universities, there must also be a percentage of projects that turn into small companies or institutions, but they have a great impact, and have an impact on the university’s strategy. And technology, in its turn, is fast. For this reason, the initiatives and strategies that are launched may not be on paper. They may be implemented in the first months. As we heard from Dr. Hamed, there is an initiative that they started last year, and now, God willing, the university has achieved creativity in this area. Right. So, God willing, good luck to everyone. With God’s will. With God’s will. We now move, with the happiness of Dr. Badr’s colleague, to talk about Al-Jouf University. We know, Dr., that Al-Jouf University is interested in increasing its ability to recruit and support young talents to support the open-source software system. We don’t want you to talk to us in general. We want you to tell us the secrets of the university and its specific goals in this regard. Peace be upon you. Thank you, Dr. and thank you to the members of the Digital Board and the IGF meeting. In the university, maybe I should start with a general strategy, and then I can elaborate on some of the things that we have done in the university. No doubt that the universities now, in their current state, are not only educational institutions, where there is the care of talented people, where there is the support of work, and where there is also an investment part. This is something that opens doors for recruiting talents from all over the world,

AUDIENCE: and even from outside the Kingdom. The strategy that we have done internally, at least in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in the region, we went to public education, and the Faculty of Accounting adopted it in cooperation with the Digital Education and Transformation Office. Several projects were adopted by students, by talented people, in terms of software, and their research was directed to open-source software, in order to have the results for these projects. The program has not ended yet, and the results have not been announced yet. Maybe, God willing, next week or the following week, we will find out. Another thing is the training and introduction boards. Without a doubt, students, before enrolling in the university, must be informed about open-source software, so that we can direct them, at least, to the field of software, or the programs that are specialized in this field. Also, in terms of education, international students, since we are, thank God, in the Kingdom, we do not recruit international students from abroad, we have provided a small part in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Higher Education, and the Ministry of Science and Research, to offer a scholarship for international students, in software and software engineering. And, thank God, we have a brother and a sister in Yemen. We have students studying software engineering now, and, by God’s will, God willing, they will contribute to the initiative. Also, among the things that we have targeted, are the hackathons, organized by the university. Last year, the university organized two hackathons, one for digital health, for women, and another hackathon for agriculture. Schools, public education, and other universities were invited, and the university participated, thank God. But, in these hackathons, there may be a seed of recruitment, and sponsorship of talents, who are interested in open-source software engineering. One of the projects adopted by the university, or the Institute of Digital Education, is one of the projects, from a group of students, specializing in the process of… It is an application for agriculture, to read plants, and get to know them, through artificial intelligence. So, we invited them, and we provided them with a servant, and the technical equipment, to develop this application, in the future, God willing. The work is still in progress, and also, in cooperation with the Institute of Digital Education, we have recruited one of the students. Dr. Sultan, on the subject of programs and curricula. These curricula must be expanded, especially in terms of programming regulations. They should include sections for open-source programming, as well as programs for open-source programming, e-learning programs, or short-term programs, in terms of adopting them to increase awareness and attract those interested in them, so that we can communicate with them later so that they can be among the trainers in terms of open-source programming. Last summer, we held a co-training session in Amada. We focused on the development of open-source programming. We also launched workshops by our colleagues in Amada to enhance the care of talented people and attract them to work in Amada in terms of open-source programming. Thank you. It’s clear that the care of talented people, attracting them and supporting them is a focus in Al-Jouf University. Al-Jouf University will be one of the fastest-growing open-source programming institutions in your university and in the country. We will now move on to my colleague, Abdul Latif Al-Abdul Latif, from Al-Qasim University, to talk about how Al-Qasim University’s role in promoting change towards a blue ocean system through open-source programming as a strategy and as a working system in Al-Qasim University. I congratulate you on the university’s victory in digital transformation. Thank you, doctor. Thank you very much. It’s a great opportunity to be here with my colleagues and we’re happy to welcome the Digital Governance Board. No doubt, our goal today is to promote open-source and free programming. No doubt, the success story began with the Board at the end of last year, when there was an agreement signed to promote open-source programming. Alhamdulillah, Al-Qasim University had three main goals when it came to promoting open-source programming through education, research, innovation, as well as strategic partnerships with different parties. In the field of education, Alhamdulillah, Al-Qasim University’s Faculty of Accounting has been working hard to implement a number of resolutions that aim to promote open-source programming. Last year, we were encouraged by the idea of managing projects in different departments through open-source tools and software, whether it’s AI, cyber security, or software development in general. Alhamdulillah, in the field of education, we’re taking steady steps, and with our colleagues in the Faculty, we’re providing the necessary support through lectures and courses. In the field of research, Alhamdulillah, we’re optimistic that at the beginning of 2025, a number of initiatives will be launched through the Faculty of Science and Research to target students and teachers. One of the goals is to build ideas in various technical fields based on open-source programming tools. We hope that this initiative will be strengthened in the coming year. As we mentioned, the idea of strategic partnerships started with the Faculty, and Alhamdulillah, the Faculty is grateful for that. It’s working with a number of external parties, and Mr. Khaled Al-Ghamdi is an example of that. Thank you. We’re always bothered by this, but it’s all good and blessed by Allah. Alhamdulillah, we believe that one of the challenges of strategic partnerships is the issue of existing experiences. Students and teachers need to connect with the private sector in this regard. Alhamdulillah, we see that these three main centers are very important, and I’d like to add that even in the field of information technology, we tried to benefit students, teachers, and their ideas by adding internal services in our university. With Allah’s blessing, we’ll be able to take special steps, and the students who participated in this initiative will benefit from it. Thank you very much, Dr.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: You’re welcome. Thank you, Dr. Abdul Latif. We’ll now move to the second topic of our discussion, and we’d like to link it to the strategy of open-source free programming. It consists of a number of main initiatives that are part of the programming and university projects, including public programming centers, open-source programming societies, open-source innovation labs, and partnerships with the private sector. Dr. Hamed, I didn’t forget to congratulate King Khaled University, but I was late in congratulating you when we talked about the success stories. We consider all universities that were in the creative category today to have succeeded, and we’re sure that all Saudi universities, with the support of the Ministry of Education, the University Council, and the state, God willing, will join in and we’ll present a unique model in the most famous digital transformation measure. In the second round, we’ll focus on the success stories and partnerships. We have a question for King Khaled University. What are the main successful experiments that led King Khaled University to develop open-source programming to support academic and administrative processes? How did these successes affect the academic and research community? Also, what is the secret of success and what are the local and international partnerships in this context? May God bless you, Dr. Hamed. Congratulations to all of you. The success of King Khaled University and Al-Qasim University is the success of the university in a big way. Dr. Hamed, your question is related to the success stories and partnerships. Before that, universities now have roles, not just in terms of teaching, they now have roles in developing the university. All of these opportunities will be easily achieved if there is a digital environment that will enable all the digital opportunities or even the national opportunities in 2030. Today, the success stories, if there wasn’t a stone, there wouldn’t be a success. The main stone was, in the past short period, the establishment of a factory for open-source programming and also a community of open-source programmers, especially that work was mostly related to huge data and artificial intelligence, but we were also affected in other areas related to cloud computing, institutional systems, and many other things related to applications and mobile applications. Now, we started with a stone by having a factory, we chose a team, a great team, we chose the best faculty of the University of Al-Khaled

AUDIENCE: to lead this factory. After that, we did a lot of training for them, and we also supported them logistically and financially so that the success stories of the University of Al-Khaled will be produced. Of course, we also determined, among the successes that we will mention later, the location of one of the most beautiful places in the University of Al-Khaled, and Khaled Dar, the architect of this place, and the students… We made this factory an innovative environment. It is the main hub for this factory and for the digital talents that will be reflected in the products we will mention in a few moments. At Malkhad University, the open-source programming had a big impact on all the goals of Malkhad University’s strategy 6, in terms of achieving or improving the quality of teaching and learning. Now Malkhad University students at the academic level, in terms of programming and digital skills, are competing with many universities in the world, whether they are international or international, in terms of getting university degrees. Also, at the academic level, we notice that the students are ready to enter the job market through some of the processes and through the type of training that we have. We have a great experience at Malkhad University, which is that we take the best 30 students from the Faculty of Computer Science, and they are trained in a type of open-source programming in the field of e-services. We found that this intensive training, which is very intensive, had excellent results. Many of them are now working in the ministries of a large foundation. At the research and innovative level, as my brother Khaled mentioned in this dialogue session, which I hope everyone will benefit from, I contacted my colleagues in the research and higher studies about the increase in the percentage of scientific research in open-source programming, which was used in the innovative technologies and research papers related to artificial intelligence. We found that 36% of the scientific papers used now and the published papers, were used in open-source programming. This is also a great achievement. One of the great achievements, the big center that Malkhad University has today, is the result of a very long work, which had an impact on improving the quality of university life. Today, administratively and operationally, more than 50% of the courses are now in Malkhad University. We have stability in business. We have transparency in business. We have operational and financial efficiency in business. This is the result of the adoption of open-source programming in the field of e-services. On the level of volunteering and social participation, we have great successes in how to use these hackathons for open-source programming. We had an initiative under the supervision of the regional governor, called Ajawid. Ajawid was a digital platform, where we conducted 10 practical training courses using open-source programming. The result of this training course was about 9,000 participants. Last week, Malkhad University was the first university to promote open-source and social participation. This result is also a collective work, including digital work. Now, we are at Malkhad University, with a new strategic goal, which is to diversify our initiatives and sustainability. Now, we are seriously thinking about how to promote many of the products based on open-source programming. So, no one will participate in the hackathons? No. Today, we have products like QX, which is one of the great platforms. Malkhad University has been launching this product for 7 to 8 years. This product is a great source of income for the university. We don’t want to close the door on universities. As we mentioned, there could be participation in some of the programs that are included in the digital government. We could also include the idea of marketing the products in universities. This is not prohibited. Why not? It is not prohibited. It is the future. It cannot be marketed in the Kingdom or abroad. It is an opportunity to have a different kind of work in open-source programming. We can say that this is one of the recommendations. The engineer and consultant Khalid Al-Ghamdi always says that universities should think about the social impact, which is a right for everyone, and a right for the state, as well as the economic impact and sustainability of the work in universities. I say yes. Great. On the contrary, we support this point. During the past 6 months, depending on the open-source programming, there are 3 types of products in the university. One of them is called Sprint.

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani: The goal is to use it in digital hackathons. It was a great experience. I think it is a unique solution. It is not available now. We have another platform called Wasl. The goal of Wasl is to improve the employee experience in Malkhat University. We succeeded in this. We have A-plus, a platform that supports students to exchange knowledge and experiences. I do not object to this, as the engineer Khalid, after the interview, agreed that it should be available soon. Great. Last but not least, all the success stories we mentioned come from our colleagues in other universities. Right. But now, it is up to all parties to realize the institutional distinction. Today, open-source programming must be adopted by all of us to work on it. The culture of programming must be implemented. There are many challenges, such as consistency, financial support, and digital capabilities. But by hand, we can reach, and with the support of the Digital Government, a high degree of adoption, not only at the national level, but also at the global level. I agree with you, Dr. Hamed, that universities have infrastructure, rich in human minds, and the ability to build different programs, and the ability to participate at the university level. Also, as one country, there are gaps in some universities, needs in some universities. We encourage the transformation of the gaps between universities to the integration within universities, to build a strong national university educational system.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: Thank you, Dr. Hamed. If you allow me, I would like to move to Dr. Sultan, at the University of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud. My question to you is, how did the university use open-source programming to develop solutions that support academic and research processes? And if you provide us with examples of technical projects that have been successful in cooperation with government agencies, we will know that you have a number of practices at the University of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud, and you have also taken a step forward in the field of government programming.

muhammed bin saud: Thank you, Dr. Hamed. To be honest, the iron is in the free and open-source programming, its participation and ways of dealing with it. I do not agree with what Dr. Hamed said about the exploitation of products and being an obstacle to one of the parties. On the contrary, the open-source programming opens wide and deep horizons in the topic of participation between the parties. Participation is not only the participation of the source code, and then it is over. Participation may be the participation of the knowledge, the participation of relations, the direct contact with government agencies and development teams. On the contrary, it is a contract of joint partnerships, and it is not an official agreement. Today, at the University of Imam Muhammad Bin Saud, from the first day of the launch of the digital warehouse, the digital government, the warehouse specializing in government programming, free and open-source, we have been contributing with a number of products that have been fully developed within the institution, with a national and specialized hand in this field. A number of systems, I have printed a piece of paper, so that I do not forget it, such as the employment gate, the access system, the link service, field training, a comprehensive system that connects the student and the private sector in the field training subject and complete its procedures. Also, the specialization system for medical students, how to complete their procedures between the government agencies, such as hospitals and the private sector, with their academic system inside the university, the academic instruction system, the communication system, which I will show you some details of, the financial system, the social service, and the electronic gate. These systems, a number of them, approximately, If we calculate the number of programs downloaded, it is more than 7 million line of codes. It is also more than the number of files and shares. This warehouse has more than 657 files and programs that were shared through this warehouse. We found that there is a very big interaction between the information technology community in the other governmental areas. Direct communication with us to inquire about some systems. Some systems are now fully used in other governmental areas. For example, the CRM communication system. Most of the governmental areas have CRM systems, but not all of them. The communication system is a technical system that serves the student and his teaching partner, as well as the employee, in communication between the departments within the university. It also serves a large number of university visitors, who can use this system without getting a direct user, only direct access through the phone. The system is now being used by 10 governmental areas. These 10 governmental areas interact with us directly. I have a development team. The development team is in the governmental areas. Most of the reports that we have taken from these governmental areas have been applied in our system. They have been developed in our current environment. We are using the latest version. This may take a long time at the warehouse level. As I said, the source code is not only a part of a program or a system that is used in governmental areas. No, there is a success story with other governmental areas. The tools used are being developed in other governmental areas. There is a lot of work. Communication is a very big thing. The warehouse serves one of the most important programs in Vision 2030, which is the development of human resources. There are a number of assessments that we have taken on Atecna through this warehouse. This is the first performance for all technical projects for Atecna. If there is not a system that can be used directly through the warehouse, a project is launched, such as what is known in other governmental areas. Today, the success story is being told through this warehouse.

AUDIENCE: We are grateful to our colleagues at the Digital Government Agency for their support and empowerment. We see this warehouse as an interactive environment between governmental areas, and we share its resources in a similar way. We achieve the efficiency of spending, and we also enhance the knowledge of other developed governmental areas. Through this warehouse, we can attract other governments at the technical level. There are security challenges, as Dr. Hamid pointed out in a recent exhibition. In order for this ecosystem to be completed, there must be a number of procedures that start with the Digital Government Agency. There must be a license, and this is one of the discussions that took place between the Digital Government Agency and the Intellectual Property Agency, and I was a part of this discussion. There must be a license, such as the Open Source License, which is available worldwide. This license must also be at the level of the Digital Government Agency, which is the number of the open source government programs. This license gives me trust that the systems that are shared, and this very large number of systems that are shared with other governmental areas, are used in the correct way, and there are no violations or violations of the agreement policies that are based on these systems. Today, we extend our welcome to everyone. We are not open. Of course, the goal is bigger and bigger. We are building an electronic system that is shared with most governmental areas, and it is not forbidden to make it cloud-based, to be SaaS, and therefore to be a subscription to the governmental areas, if there is support in this regard. You changed your mind. I said there is no problem. As you thought. There is no problem. On the contrary, to complete the system, there must be serious steps by the Digital Government Agency to support this. We mentioned that the payment is for sustainability. Very natural. Yes. This is the idea. I defend myself against Dr. Hamid. You may be in a group of people who are passionate about Open Source. No, we are happy with your support for us. On the contrary, I say that it is possible for sustainability, even part of sustainability, and it is not hidden from colleagues. Today, when I contract with a technology company to develop an internal system, I, honestly, the CRM is currently being developed by other governmental agencies. And I trust you, now I can name these agencies, can’t I, Doctor? Yes, like the trust of the Eastern Region, the Health Affairs in the National Guard, the National Center for Electronic Education, King Abdulaziz University, the General Institution for Technical and Professional Training, and until yesterday, there was a communication between them and the development team in Amana, asking about some files, how to test this system on the Distinct Environment Engine. This is a kind of participation. We are providing them with a free service, and at the same time, we are benefiting from these technical experiences. Absolutely. And there is no financial incentive to develop this product. On the contrary, the product is developing itself. That’s right, Doctor. There is no doubt that the user experience, and building the user journey inside the system of free software development, increases the maturity of the project, its efficiency, and also its inclusiveness, progress, and development. I thank you, really, for the rich intervention. And if possible, with the help of Dr. Badr at the University of Al-Jouf, if you could share with us, Doctor, the most prominent experiences in cooperation with the sectors, and you, as a university, mentioned the industrial sectors, as if there is a direction for the industrial sectors at the University of Al-Jouf, and I expect that all of this is related to the regional distinctions, and the interests of the university, and how can these partnerships build a sustainable system for open-source software? Ali, I will start, I will join you from the beginning. Okay. I am not in a hurry. I am not in a hurry. They will not invite us again. Yes. But, at the beginning of development and participation, it starts with the principle of open-source software. It does not prevent that there is a symbolic thing for the process of renting, or for the process of maintenance, that the process or the ecosystem of open-source software is sustained. Because, in the end, where will the expenses come from? It must have a specific budget. The universities’ partnerships in the processes of open-source software are centered around the partnerships with the technical departments, specifically in training and development, and also the opening of academies inside the university for these companies. Today, I was happy to sign a memorandum of understanding here, in Al-Muntadhar and Al-Hamd, with one of the companies that will open an academy, God willing, and this academy will be directed to open-source software, with the help of this company, by highlighting the important role of open-source software, and establishing a working group of experts, even from outside the Kingdom, remotely or in person at the university. We also have two partnerships with technical companies, to build specialized e-stores, which may be used in the processes of open-source software, in the matters of networks and the security of networks. Since we were able, through the partnership with one of the companies, a social partnership between them, to build this factory completely, with the latest technologies, which concern the matter of networks and the security of networks, will be directed to the processes of open-source software. Without a doubt, the most prominent partnership is with Al-Haya, with the support of Mr. Khaled Shakerla. He brought us one of the expert companies in the field of open-source software. Soon, we will announce the factory, and also to support the projects of graduation for students. Now, we will move to the institutional systems. Currently, the software that takes care of the institutional systems is the ERP system. As the ERP system is a large system that exists in most regions, we try to turn it into an open-source software, and the drawings are symbolic of it. If there are drawings, or you share them through the warehouse, we are happy to share them with everyone for free. These partnerships are very important in the external sectors. In the government sector, there are partnerships to exchange knowledge and adopt the software that is being developed, so that there is a complete user experience for certain softwares, and development of these softwares, and a sustainable system for development, and then reuse and replace what is already in the government system. This is about the partnerships with universities. Finally, I would like to invite my colleagues, some of them may be from companies, we are representatives of universities, there are three or four universities here, actually, there are five, I’m sorry, Dr. Ali. So, you can start with a social partnership in developing open-source softwares, or you can build this partnership through workshops, through awareness-raising, through opening academies, or you can adopt what is already in the software universities, and develop it, as the colleagues mentioned, as an excellent experience they have in Al-Mak Khaled University and Al-Iman University. Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor. We can pass the floor to Dr. Abdul Latif from Al-Qasim University to talk about the most significant experience that the university has achieved in adopting open-source softwares as a support for its existing projects. Thank you, doctor. We can start with the suffering. One of the reports issued by the Digital Government Board in 2021, I think, was expected to increase the percentage of government spending on commercial softwares by 24% by the end of 2025. This is equivalent to more than 16 billion Riyals. There is no doubt that everyone, especially those in universities, is suffering from the issue of commercial softwares. This is a problem for everyone. The university, thank God, started in 2020 in adopting the idea of developing open-source softwares inside the university. Services that are directly offered to the employees, whether they are students, teaching staff, or employees. Thank God, by the end of this year, by the end of this year, we will have achieved approximately 40% of the services offered inside the university. All of them are built within the open-source software field in all forms of services, both for students and employees. For this, I think, thank God, we have achieved success. Achievements like this need an initiative from the top of the pyramid. Always like this, adopting open-source software is not easy. It requires resources, capabilities, and training. Therefore, we believe that this is the most important story of success. We still have a vision, God willing, that we will be independent for a long time in the issue of developing products based on open-source software. We have participated with the university three weeks ago and with colleagues in the government sectors in one of the systems, which is monitoring the technical infrastructure. Thank God, God willing, it will have a positive impact. On the contrary, we are open to cooperation. This is the goal of our presence today in this meeting. I also believe that one of the advantages we have in the university is the issue of benefiting from the resources of the students. A large part of the graduation projects are aimed at developing our internal services. Students, after graduation, we always adopt them from six months to a year until they get a better opportunity outside the university to develop our internal software and services and directly benefit from them. Thank God, we are proud of this development in our university and we are always honored to exchange experiences with everyone. Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor. We would like to conclude with a few words for each of our colleagues in the way they would like, whether it is a thank you speech or an idea for the future of open-source software. Thank you, doctor. I hope that all of our colleagues and I hope that there will be a roadmap for open-source software. Universities have not yet noticed the national direction in software like this. We want a clear and sustainable roadmap. Thank God, this country is proud of its digital capabilities that will make it one of the world’s best warehouses. God willing, we will soon be a world-class warehouse. God willing. Thank you, doctor. I would like to conclude by thanking you, doctor, for the professional management of this session and my cooperation with my colleagues. I would like to thank my colleagues in the Digital Government for their kindness and their generous invitation. God willing, open-source software will be available in the international region of Saudi Arabia. God willing, there will be leading international products that are technologically advanced and nationally advanced. God willing, open-source software. Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor. Thank you for the invitation to the Institute. We hope that the Institute will be a leader in all the software that is available, with its classification, with the parties we communicate with, so that it is easier for the parties in the government and private sectors to communicate with the parties, so that there is a certain agreement to share and use this software. Thank you, doctor. Thank you, doctor. Thank you, Mr. Khaled. Also, thank you to the Institute. Thank you, DIGF, for the invitation. Thank you, doctor. I would like to conclude with my pride and honor for the presence of almost 4,000 products in the open-source software store in Mosul, from different parties at the international level. There is no doubt that this is a very big move, and we look forward, God willing, to helping to speed up development in this area. Thank you, Mr. Khaled. Thank you, doctor, for managing the workshop. Thank you, Mosul, and all the colleagues in the session. Thank you, Dr. Abdel Latif. Finally, as universities, we congratulate the Digital Government Board, represented by my colleague, Dr. Ahmed Al-Swayyan, for the success of the Digital Government Board, which we saw today, an effort that can’t be done in a day or in an hour. This is an effort for all governments, and a great national representation, and a special national presence. We also thank the members of Al-Sa’ada, the leaders in Saudi universities, King Khaled University, Imam Hamad bin Saud University, Al-Jawf University, and Al-Qasim University.

Ammira Al-mahashir: I am Dr. Amnira Al-Mahashir, Electronic Education Dean at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University. I would like to thank Al-Sa’ada’s engineer, Dr. Khadir Al-Ghamdi, for working with us. At Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, I have known it for a short period of time, but I know that its work has been going on for a longer period of time.

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer: We look forward to improving the digital warehouse, and to turning it, as Dr. Hamid mentioned, into a global warehouse. We also look forward to the classification process of the warehouse, and the creation and filtering of the Saudi government’s free software, which we are proud of. Tomorrow, we will announce that these products will soon be global. Thank you very much.

Agreement Points

Importance of developing comprehensive digital transformation strategies

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani

AUDIENCE

arguments

Developing comprehensive digital transformation strategies

Integrating open-source software into educational programs and curricula

Promoting change towards open-source systems through education and partnerships

summary

The speakers agree on the need for universities to develop comprehensive strategies that incorporate open-source software into their digital transformation efforts, educational programs, and partnerships.

Supporting and nurturing talent in open-source software development

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Saleh Albahli

AUDIENCE

arguments

Creating open-source programming factories and communities within universities

Recruiting and supporting young talent in open-source development

Adopting open-source software to reduce reliance on commercial software

summary

The speakers emphasize the importance of creating environments within universities to support and nurture talent in open-source software development, including establishing programming factories, communities, and initiatives to attract young talent.

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers express a vision for Saudi Arabia to become a leader in open-source software, emphasizing the need for a clear national direction and the potential to achieve world-class status in this field.

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani

arguments

Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption

Aiming to become a world-class open-source software repository

These speakers highlight the importance of collaboration between universities, industry sectors, and government agencies to develop and implement open-source solutions that support academic and research processes.

speakers

Dr.Saleh Albahli

muhammed bin saud

arguments

Collaborating with industry sectors to build sustainable open-source ecosystems

Developing open-source solutions to support academic and research processes

Unexpected Consensus

Economic potential of open-source software

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

AUDIENCE

arguments

Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption

Adopting open-source software to reduce reliance on commercial software

explanation

While the primary focus was on educational and developmental aspects, there was an unexpected consensus on the economic potential of open-source software, both in terms of reducing costs for universities and potentially creating new economic opportunities.

Overall Assessment

Summary

The main areas of agreement include the importance of developing comprehensive digital transformation strategies, supporting talent in open-source software development, collaborating with industry and government sectors, and recognizing the potential of open-source software to reduce costs and create new opportunities.

Consensus level

There is a high level of consensus among the speakers on the importance and potential of open-source software in Saudi universities. This strong agreement implies a unified vision for the future of open-source software in Saudi Arabia’s higher education system, which could lead to more coordinated efforts in implementation and development across universities.

Different Viewpoints

Approach to monetization of open-source software

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani

arguments

Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption

Aiming to become a world-class open-source software repository

summary

While Dr. Hamed emphasizes the need for a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption, Dr. Sultan focuses more on the ambition to become a world-class repository for open-source software. This suggests a difference in approach, with one focusing on national strategy and the other on international positioning.

Unexpected Differences

Monetization of open-source software

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

muhammed bin saud

arguments

Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption

Developing open-source solutions to support academic and research processes

explanation

While most speakers focused on the adoption and development of open-source software, there was an unexpected discussion about the potential monetization of these solutions. This difference in perspective on the commercial aspects of open-source software was not initially anticipated in the context of university adoption strategies.

Overall Assessment

summary

The main areas of disagreement revolve around the specific strategies for implementing open-source software in universities, the approach to talent development, and the potential for monetization of open-source solutions.

difference_level

The level of disagreement among the speakers is relatively low. Most speakers agree on the importance of adopting open-source software in universities but differ in their specific approaches and priorities. These differences are not fundamental and do not significantly impede the overall goal of promoting open-source software adoption in Saudi universities. The implications of these differences suggest a need for a more coordinated national strategy that can accommodate various approaches while maintaining a unified direction.

Partial Agreements

All speakers agree on the importance of integrating open-source software into university strategies and curricula. However, they differ in their specific approaches: Dr. Hamed focuses on comprehensive digital transformation strategies, Dr. Sultan emphasizes curriculum integration, Dr. Saleh prioritizes talent recruitment, and the AUDIENCE speaker highlights education and partnerships.

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani

Dr.Saleh Albahli

AUDIENCE

arguments

Developing comprehensive digital transformation strategies

Integrating open-source software into educational programs and curricula

Recruiting and supporting young talent in open-source development

Promoting change towards open-source systems through education and partnerships

Similar Viewpoints

Both speakers express a vision for Saudi Arabia to become a leader in open-source software, emphasizing the need for a clear national direction and the potential to achieve world-class status in this field.

speakers

Dr.Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

Dr.Sultan Alqahtani

arguments

Developing a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption

Aiming to become a world-class open-source software repository

These speakers highlight the importance of collaboration between universities, industry sectors, and government agencies to develop and implement open-source solutions that support academic and research processes.

speakers

Dr.Saleh Albahli

muhammed bin saud

arguments

Collaborating with industry sectors to build sustainable open-source ecosystems

Developing open-source solutions to support academic and research processes

Key Takeaways

Saudi universities are developing comprehensive strategies to adopt open-source software in education, research, and administrative processes

Universities are creating open-source programming factories, communities, and partnerships to support development and innovation

There is a focus on integrating open-source software into curricula and supporting student talent in this area

Universities are developing open-source solutions to reduce reliance on commercial software and improve efficiency

There is a vision to make Saudi Arabia a leader in open-source software development and create a world-class repository

Resolutions and Action Items

Develop a clear national roadmap for open-source software adoption in Saudi universities

Improve classification and filtering of Saudi government open-source software in the digital warehouse

Expand partnerships between universities and industry to build sustainable open-source ecosystems

Increase the percentage of university services built on open-source software

Unresolved Issues

How to address security challenges in open-source software adoption

Determining the appropriate licensing model for government open-source software

Balancing free sharing of open-source code with potential for commercialization or sustainability

Suggested Compromises

Allowing symbolic fees for hosting or maintenance to sustain open-source ecosystems while keeping core software free

Sharing open-source code freely but potentially charging for implementation services or specialized versions

Today, we are at the University of King Khaled and through the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy, one of the goals of the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy is to promote research and innovation. Through this element, we have launched a number of initiatives for the development of open-source software and initiatives that have been launched in cooperation with the Innovation and Business Leadership Center, including the initiative to support small projects and graduate projects.

speaker

Dr. Sultan Alqahtani

reason

This comment introduces the idea of universities not just adopting open-source software, but actively promoting its development through initiatives and partnerships. It shows a proactive approach to digital transformation.

impact

This shifted the discussion towards concrete examples of how universities are implementing open-source strategies, leading other participants to share their own initiatives.

Today, the methodology we follow in the Imam University, in this field, is still on the way, and the implementation is now about a year and five months, and God willing, the process will develop, and there will be a complete adoption of open source software, whether on the level of scientific research, or even on the level of development research in the field of electronic information technology.

speaker

Dr. Sultan Alqahtani

reason

This comment highlights the ongoing nature of open-source adoption and suggests that it’s a process that extends beyond just implementation to include research and development.

impact

It prompted other participants to discuss their own timelines and methodologies for adopting open-source software, broadening the conversation to include long-term strategies.

We made sure that there is a fundamental component in this strategy, which is the adoption of open-source programming. Because we all know that we all have one goal, which is to have in this precious kingdom, a programmer among a thousand residents.

speaker

Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

reason

This comment ties the adoption of open-source programming to a broader national goal, showing how university strategies align with national objectives.

impact

It elevated the discussion from university-specific strategies to the role of universities in achieving national technology goals.

Today, we are with the colleagues in the Faculty of Applications, we are working hard to have diplomas for remote learning programs in such programs, or the employment of programs in many diplomas.

speaker

Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

reason

This comment introduces the idea of integrating open-source programming into formal education programs, showing a commitment to long-term skill development.

impact

It led to further discussion about how universities are adapting their curricula and programs to support open-source adoption.

On the contrary, the open-source programming opens wide and deep horizons in the topic of participation between the parties. Participation is not only the participation of the source code, and then it is over. Participation may be the participation of the knowledge, the participation of relations, the direct contact with government agencies and development teams.

speaker

Dr. Sultan Alqahtani

reason

This comment challenges the traditional view of open-source collaboration, expanding it beyond just code sharing to include knowledge and relationship building.

impact

It broadened the discussion about the benefits of open-source adoption, leading to more comprehensive considerations of its impact.

Overall Assessment

These key comments shaped the discussion by moving it from general statements about open-source adoption to specific strategies and initiatives being implemented by universities. They highlighted the multifaceted nature of open-source adoption, including its role in education, research, national goals, and inter-institutional collaboration. The discussion evolved from simply describing open-source initiatives to exploring their broader implications for university strategies, national technology goals, and the future of education and innovation in Saudi Arabia.

How can universities develop a comprehensive strategy for digital transformation and adoption of open-source free software?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This question is important as it addresses the need for universities to have a strategic approach to implementing open-source software and digital transformation.

How can universities establish and support an open-source technology platform to enhance small and medium-sized projects?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This area of research is crucial for understanding how universities can contribute to the growth of small and medium enterprises through open-source technology.

What specific goals does Al-Jouf University have for increasing its ability to recruit and support young talents in the open-source software system?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This question is important for understanding concrete strategies universities are employing to attract and nurture talent in the open-source field.

How can universities promote change towards a blue ocean system through open-source programming?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This area of research is significant for exploring how universities can lead innovation in open-source programming and create new market spaces.

What are the main successful experiments that led universities to develop open-source programming to support academic and administrative processes?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This question is important for identifying best practices and successful implementations of open-source programming in university settings.

How can universities use open-source programming to develop solutions that support academic and research processes?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This area of research is crucial for understanding the practical applications of open-source programming in enhancing university operations and research capabilities.

How can partnerships between universities and industrial sectors build a sustainable system for open-source software?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This question is important for exploring collaborative models between academia and industry to ensure the long-term viability of open-source software initiatives.

What is the roadmap for open-source software adoption in universities?

speaker

Dr. Hamed Saleh Alqahtani

explanation

This area of research is crucial for providing clear guidance and direction for universities in implementing open-source software strategies.

How can the classification and filtering of Saudi government’s free software be improved in the digital warehouse?

speaker

Dr. Muneerah Badr Almahasheer

explanation

This question is important for enhancing the usability and accessibility of open-source software resources for government and educational institutions.