RIYADH: The Ministry of Education recently signed 17 partnerships to train Saudi doctors in fellowship programs and nursing. The partnerships will train and qualify Saudi doctors in top medical institutions across the world and aid in the development of their professional skills, the Saudi Press Agency reported. A delegation from the ministry made official visits to several European nations, securing in total 255 seats for Saudi trainees, including 130 in Germany, 50 in Sweden, and 75 in the Republic of Ireland. The specialties include anesthesiology, cardiac surgery, adult nephrology, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, respiratory medicine, radiation oncology, vascular surgery, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and nursing. The partnerships aim to improve the capabilities of health cadres and broaden training opportunities available internationally within the field of health specializations. They were signed by the heads of colleges and universities of 26 international educational institutions in the presence of Saudi Deputy Minister of Education for Universities, Research, and Innovation Dr. Mohammad bin Ahmed Al-Sudairi; Acting Chargé d’Affairs of Saudi Arabia’s Embassy to Germany Mohammed Al-Dawas; and Deputy Minister for Scholarships at the Saudi Ministry of Education Dr. Amal bint Abdulhamid Shuqair. Professor Kai-Ingo Voigot, representing Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, one of Germany’s oldest universities, announced the intention of FAU to strengthen cooperation with the Kingdom’s universities in research and education. At the partnership ceremony between FAU and a delegation from the ministry, representatives in attendance from other German universities, including the Technical University of Munich and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, expressed their strong interest in fostering collaboration with the Kingdom. Shuqair said that the human capacity development program is an initiative that will contribute to achieving Vision 2030 goals, adding that among the most crucial opportunities for gaining access to international experiences is the expansion of scientific and training partnerships.