Jazan University establishes future-skills hub with Atomcamp

Jazan University has launched a project to establish the Jazan Future Skills Center, partnering with Atomcamp Arabia under the sponsorship of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology during LEAP 2026.

The university said the centre is intended to accelerate technology localisation, develop specialised local expertise and strengthen national capabilities in artificial intelligence and other digital fields. It will also support entrepreneurship, startups and closer links between academic training and industry needs in the Jazan region.

Jazan University President Dr Mohammed bin Hassan Aburasin described the project as a regional hub for developing talent in artificial intelligence and advancing digital innovation. He said its programmes would focus on specialised skills, entrepreneurship and startup support while encouraging stronger cooperation between universities and industry.

The initiative was announced as LEAP 2026 in Riyadh showcased a broader set of skills programmes, academies and centres backed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and the Saudi Digital Academy. Those projects are designed to build capabilities in artificial intelligence, data and digital content and align training more closely with labour-market demand.

The Jazan project builds on an earlier memorandum of understanding between the university and Atomcamp to establish a joint Future Skills Center. Under that agreement, the partners set out plans to improve workforce readiness, empower young people and expand community engagement through mentoring and training programmes linked to local economic development.

Jazan University said the centre will seek to create a practical environment in which students, aspiring entrepreneurs and technology professionals can gain skills relevant to emerging jobs. The model combines structured training with mentoring, innovation support and opportunities for collaboration with technology companies.

Atomcamp Arabia says the centre will also provide coworking space for leading regional technology startups, alongside training and mentorship for Jazan University students and members of the wider community. The company has previously worked with the university on summer artificial-intelligence bootcamps for young people in the region.

Those bootcamps introduced participants to AI fundamentals and no-code and low-code tools, allowing students to build applications and games. Atomcamp said the programmes culminated in a showcase of student work, helping shape the training approach now being developed for the permanent centre.

The project forms part of a wider push at LEAP 2026 to expand access to advanced digital training across Saudi Arabia. Among initiatives announced during the event was a programme with Google that will give one million university students access to advanced artificial-intelligence technologies, as well as an AI academy designed to train teachers, university faculty members and startup entrepreneurs.

Officials say such programmes are aimed at improving readiness for jobs that increasingly require capabilities in artificial intelligence, software, data and digital services. For regional institutions such as Jazan University, the emphasis is also on ensuring that students can gain advanced skills without having to leave their home regions for specialised training.

The university’s approach places particular weight on matching academic outcomes with future employment requirements. By integrating training, startup support and industry engagement within one centre, Jazan University is seeking to give students greater exposure to practical applications of technology while strengthening links between education providers and employers.

The centre is also expected to support technology localisation by helping develop a pool of trained professionals capable of working with advanced tools and adapting them for local economic needs. That objective is closely aligned with national programmes intended to expand the digital economy and increase participation by Saudi talent in high-growth technology sectors.

The university said the centre’s programmes are intended to be accessible to students, graduates, entrepreneurs and members of the wider community, broadening the pipeline of digital talent in Jazan. Its partnership model is designed to combine academic expertise with private-sector training methods and government-backed skills priorities, while creating pathways into technology careers.