On Wednesday, King Khalid University launched the second edition of the "Flexible Learning Pathways" program during a ceremony held at the Exhibition and Conference Center in the university city at Al-Faraa. The event was attended by the Acting President of the University, Prof. Dr. Saad bin Mohammed bin Du'ajam, along with university vice presidents, deans, and several faculty members and students. This initiative reflects the university's commitment to developing a flexible and inclusive learning environment that equips its members with the skills needed for development and enhances their academic and professional competencies, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030.

In his speech on the occasion, Acting President Prof. Dr. Saad bin Mohammed bin Du'ajam welcomed the attendees and emphasized that the launch of this program represents a strategic step towards enhancing human capacity development within the university. This initiative aims to improve the quality of university life and institutional excellence. He pointed out that the flexible learning pathways are not just educational programs but a response to Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to develop and empower individuals in various fields of work. He further stressed the importance of this initiative for all university members, including students, faculty, and staff, encouraging them to keep pace with future changes and the evolving demands of the labor market.

The Acting President also explained that the effective collaboration between the Supervisory Committee of the "Flexible Learning Pathways" program and the Deanship of E-Services played a crucial role in the success of this second edition. He expressed his gratitude to all parties involved in developing these pathways and providing flexible learning environments that contribute to improving educational outcomes. He highlighted that this edition includes thirteen specialized pathways targeting different groups within the university, with a focus on integrated coordination among development committees to ensure a greater tangible impact. He emphasized the importance of encouraging participants to complete the training courses, which will contribute to higher success rates and the attainment of accredited certificates.

During the ceremony, Dr. Adel Al-Saree', Vice Dean of the E-Services Deanship for E-Learning, emphasized the importance of the transformations taking place in modern education. He noted that the abundance of resources and ease of access to information necessitate rethinking how educational content is delivered. He highlighted that the challenge now is not in the amount of information available but in refining the skills to search for it, enhancing students' abilities in self-development, critical thinking, and future planning to enable them to deal with rapid changes.

Al-Saree' added that the university, through this program, seeks to balance providing fundamental knowledge and developing practical skills through flexible pathways that meet the needs of students and faculty members. He explained that the "Flexible Learning Pathways" program reflects the university's commitment to offering diverse educational opportunities through recognized global platforms to improve educational outcomes and meet the changing demands of the labor market. He also confirmed that the second edition of the program includes thirteen pathways, designed to provide a comprehensive educational experience that helps build human capacities and prepares students for their future careers.

The program's second edition aims to provide a comprehensive learning experience through various pathways that allow students to develop their skills in different fields. Among the most notable pathways is the Leadership and Academic Skills Development Pathway (LeadU), which focuses on enhancing leadership capabilities through specialized training courses, thereby improving efficiency in academic and professional leadership. The program also includes the Employability Skills Development Pathway (InspireU), which aims to prepare trainees for the labor market through practical training and hands-on experiences.

In the context of enhancing e-learning, the program offers the E-Learning Skills Development Pathway (elearnU), which provides students with up-to-date training content to enable active participation in remote learning environments. Additionally, the Student Training Headquarters Pathway (TrainU) was launched, providing practical training opportunities in specialized professional environments, allowing students to gain practical experience and apply what they have learned in real-world work settings.

Furthermore, the program offers other specialized pathways, such as the Tourism and Hospitality Pathway (HospitourU), aimed at preparing qualified personnel for the tourism sector, and the Healthcare Competencies Development Pathway (HealthU), which seeks to enhance students' skills in healthcare fields. The program also includes the Basic Scientific Skills Development Pathway (StemU), which focuses on preparing students in science and technology disciplines, and the Research Skills Development Pathway (ResearchU), aimed at enabling students to conduct outstanding scientific research.

In support of students pursuing internationally recognized certifications, the program offers the Professional Certification Pathway (QualifyU), which aims to empower participants to obtain professional certifications that enhance their competitiveness in the job market. The program also provides, through the Professional Development Pathway (ConnectU), opportunities for students to develop their professional networks and refine their communication and management skills, alongside the Talented Students Development Pathway (RaiseU), which creates an environment that encourages the discovery and development of students' talents across various fields.

The program is overseen by the Flexible Learning Pathways Program Committee and implemented by the Deanship of E-Services for E-Learning, which coordinates all pathways to achieve the desired goals. The program is divided into three main phases: the foundational phase, focusing on interactive training content, followed by the activation phase, where skills are applied in practical environments, and finally, the evaluation phase, where program outcomes are measured and certificates are awarded to participants.