Al-Asheikh added that the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to be seized, and “not just a passing crisis” JEDDAH: Digital transformation will play a key role in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, a G20 meeting of research ministers in Italy has said. Saudi Minister of Education Dr. Hamad Al-Asheikh, who attended the Friday meeting, stressed the importance of analyzing and evaluating the impact of rapid digital transformation and technologies on education and society as a whole. He added that the pandemic continues to cast a “deep and direct shadow on the world at the social and economic levels,” which will accelerate the digital transformation of societies. This requires a need to test the flexibility of educational systems and their resilience and recovery and adopt new and innovative educational methods, he said. Al-Asheikh added that the COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to be seized, and “not just a passing crisis.” Italian Minister of University and Research Maria Cristina Messa has kicked off the #G20 Research Ministers’ Meeting in Trieste. #G20Italy pic.twitter.com/5KtOoEdZ4y — G20 Italy (@g20org) August 6, 2021 The ministerial meeting aimed to link the academic community with continuous digital transformation, improve the link between higher education and the digital economy, enhance the role of university education in managing societal change, and prepare university education institutions to perform their tasks in education, research and innovation. “The emerging opportunities stimulate our awareness and the need to withstand and meet new challenges,” said Al-Asheikh. He added that a successful leadership is one that sees the need to involve every member of society, gain their confidence and encourage them to adopt digital transformation and innovative technologies so as to be part of this transformation, in education and work. The Saudi minister noted the importance of the data we choose, uproot and build on our new communities stressing the need to ensure that data protection and cybersecurity systems are able to protect citizens, their privacy, rights and aspirations.