To keep abreast of military advancements, His Royal Highness Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Defense, in June 2024 launched a plan to transform the Saudi Armed Forces Command and Staff College (SAAFCSC) into the National Defense University (NDU).
The plan is intended to lay the groundwork for the NDU to become, by 2030, a leading regional military university in preparing and qualifying military and civilian leaders in the fields of defense and national security.
“This is the beginning of a new phase and a bright start toward a future of professional military education in the Kingdom,” said Lt. Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili, Saudi Chief of the General Staff. “The university will offer programs, develop capabilities and skills and serve as a research center for decision-making [and] problem-solving, and provide a high quality community services consistent with the highest standards.”
For more than six decades, the SAAFCSC has been the top military academy in the Saudi Ministry of Defense, training elite officers of the Armed Forces and other security services from Saudi Arabia and partner countries.
Since its establishment in 1958, the SAAFCSC has constantly received upgrades and modernization, reviewing strategies, methods, and curricula to keep pace with developments in military science, security challenges and war tactics.
The SAAFCSC offers advanced study programs, including master’s degrees in strategic studies and military science, a joint operations planning course as well as several diplomas in national security, strategic leadership, military information and international humanitarian law.
NDU would be the highest military institute to provide quality education in military studies for about 280,000 people serving across Saudi Arabia’s military services, including the Royal Saudi Land Forces, Air Forces, Naval Forces, Air Defense Forces and Strategic Missiles Forces. Sources: al-Arabiya.net, Asharq Al-Awsat, elaph.com