Thursday 12 November 2026, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, London
The Saudi British Joint Business Council (SBJBC), in partnership with the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, will hold an education roundtable at the Embassy in London on the afternoon of Thursday 12 November 2026. It is the third session in the SBJBC Education Programme, following roundtables at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce in November 2025 and at the Embassy in April 2026, and it brings UK schools and education providers together with Saudi officials to discuss the Kingdom’s new General Education Law.
The Law was published in the Umm al-Qura Official Gazette on 24 July 2026 and takes effect on 20 January 2027, replacing the Private Schools and Foreign Schools Regulations among other instruments. Its first implementing regulation, which governs private educational institutions, was published on 30 October and sets out requirements for tuition fees, optional services, licensing and regulatory monitoring, coming into force alongside the Law. With further regulations still being developed, the session offers UK providers an opportunity to hear directly from Saudi officials on how the new framework will apply in practice.
Topics for discussion
- The implications of the Law and the new regulation for UK schools and education providers
- The licensing and funding of provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
- Online and flexible education
- Opportunities for UK providers to help train specialist staff in Saudi Arabia
Speakers
Confirmed speakers include representatives of the Ministry of Investment and the Saudi Cultural Attaché in London. Further speakers are to be confirmed.
Programme
- 1:30 pm: Registration
- 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm: Roundtable discussion
- 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm: Networking
- 4:00 pm: Close
Venue
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, 30 Charles Street, Mayfair, London W1J 5DZ
Registration
The Embassy requires the guest list in advance, so please register by Friday 6 November, giving the names of all colleagues who will attend. We would also welcome any issues you would like SBJBC to raise with the Saudi officials.
