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Saudi Arabia has the highest internet usage and IT skills in the world, according to the Global Knowledge Index (GKI) 2022.

The GKI was launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The index ranks Saudi Arabia first in two categories, including “percentage of the population using the internet” and “percentage of individuals with standard information and communications technology (ICT) skills.”

Saudi internet and IT use

The measures provide reliable information to support nations and assist decision-makers in understanding and addressing challenges and variables, as well as exploring prospects and trends.

The GKI focuses on seven compound sub-indicators that cover the performance of six key knowledge sectors:

Pre-university education
Technical education and vocational training
Higher education
ICT
Innovation, research & development (R&D)
Economy
Environment

In addition, Saudi Arabia was ranked first in the technical education and vocational training index for the number of students enrolled in post-secondary non-university education in vocational and technical programs.

By emphasising the connection between knowledge and development and their roles in keeping pace with the ongoing global developments, the GKI highlights the strengths and limitations of the countries it covers.

Being the only index in the world that measures knowledge in countries, the GKI is considered a key contributor to the global knowledge system in terms of creating development indicators.

It offers reliable information to assist nations and decision-makers in gaining a better understanding of the variables, difficulties, and potential solutions, as well as foreseeing their future and enablers.

Saudi Arabia ranked first in two categories, including “percentage of the population using the internet” and “percentage of individuals with standard information and communications technology (ICT) skills.”

The GKI also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s five major strengths, which include individuals with standard ICT skills, the percentage of internet users, households with internet access, the research share of R&D expenditure, and the net enrolment rate in higher secondary education.

Additionally, the Index also highlighted Saudi Arabia’s exceptional performance in the area of cognitive infrastructure, placing it at the 43rd position out of 132 nations and the 41st out of 60 nations with a high human development rate.

The Kingdom has also achieved exceptional results in terms of a supportive educational environment.

The MBRF released the GKI 2022 results on the sidelines of the Youth Knowledge Forum, which was held in cooperation with the UNDP.

The index included 155 variables and 132 countries, including 11 Arab nations.

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