TABUK: Nazmi Al-Nasr, the CEO of Neom project, on Monday met the first batch of students to benefit from an external scholarship program sponsored by the developer of the ambitious $500 billion mega city project in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia. Fifteen students were chosen for the first phase of the program, which focused on applicants in communities close to the Neom site in Duba and Haql. In all, 250 students are expected to receive scholarships over the next five years, and will study at universities in the United States. The students gave presentations to Al-Nasr and Neom’s social responsibility team, detailing their their specialties and ambitions for the ways in which they will contribute to one of the most ambitious development projects in the world. “Investing in human resources is a key building block for the success of any future plan or project, and the people in the Neom community, of both sexes, are the best,” said Al-Nasr. “We can rely on them to reach our goals, which include...attracting the best talents and minds to build the city of the future in Neom.” The aim of the scholarship program is to develop skills among the local population, involve it in the development of the project and provide the recipients of the scholarships with suitable job opportunities with the Neom project when their studies are complete. The first phase of the program includes developing skills in the fields of tourism, hospitality and archaeology. Other disciplines will be added as the project progresses. More than 300 students applied for the first phase of the scholarship program. Of those, 50 progressed to the final selection stages, before 15 were offered sponsorship to study for bachelor’s degrees. After a two-month foundation course in the English language, in partnership with the University of Tabuk, the students will travel to the US in January, where their education will begin.