By the numbers
The programs at a glance
3,100
working professionals trained since 2022
94
courses delivered for organizations since 2022
186
participants in 2026–27
in 9 programs
127
participants from PIF in six programs
2026–27
200
hours in YASREF’s Comprehensive AI Program
31 employees, over five weeks
4
seniority levels, from early career to executives
Sources: KAUST Academy, 2026; Professional Programs Portfolio Impact Review 2026–2027.
2026–27
Nine programs this year
186 professionals took part in nine programs in 2026–27, for and with five partners: PIF, YASREF, Tahakom, Vista and Stats Perform.
| Participants by program | Participants |
|---|---|
| PIF Qiyas leadership tracks | 66 |
| PIF AI Pathways: AI Leadership & Management | 51 |
| YASREF Comprehensive AI Program | 31 |
| AI for Sports | 20 |
| PIF GDP Pathways: AI & Finance | 10 |
| Tahakom AI Early Careers Program | 8 |
PIF’s six programs are grouped by track.
| Program | Participants | Format and results |
|---|---|---|
| YASREF Comprehensive AI Program | 31 | 200 hours over five weeks, at KAUST and in Yanbu; Net Promoter Score +41; three winning projects |
| PIF GDP Pathways: AI & Finance | 10 | 225 hours; 100% completion and 96.5% mean attendance |
| PIF AI Pathways: AI Leadership & Management | 51 | Week 1 rated 4.6/5 overall, anchored in an eight-section AI Leadership Plan with a 90-day agenda |
| PIF Qiyas leadership tracks | 66 | For experts and unit heads: Track 2’s overall assessment rose from 54% to 80%; Track 3’s 17 unit heads averaged 94.7% attendance |
| AI for Sports | 20 | Online, taught by experts from Vista portfolio companies Energy Exemplar and Stats Perform; instructors rated 4.8/5 |
| Tahakom AI Early Careers Program | 8 | 15 days at KAUST, then computer vision and NLP/LLM tracks at the University of Oxford; each engineer completed a research project |
| Total | 186 | Nine programs |
Ratings are participants’ survey scores out of 5: AI for Sports from 16 responses, PIF AI Pathways week 1 from 11. YASREF’s Net Promoter Score is from 80 responses.
Outcomes
Measured results
Every program is evaluated: attendance, assessments before and after, participants’ ratings and capstone projects.
- 54% → 80%overall assessment in PIF’s Qiyas Track 2, before and after
- +41Net Promoter Score for YASREF’s Comprehensive AI Program80 responses
- 100%completion in PIF GDP Pathways96.5% mean attendance
- 94.7%average attendance of the 17 unit heads in PIF’s Qiyas Track 3
- 4.8/5instructor rating in AI for Sports16 responses
- 8individual research projects by Tahakom’s engineersin computer vision and NLP/LLM
Every level
From first role to the boardroom
Training for four seniority levels, and what was delivered for each in 2026–27.
| Level | Focus | Delivered in 2026–27 |
|---|---|---|
| Early career | Technical foundations and practical, hands-on skills | Tahakom AI Early Careers: 8 research projects. PIF GDP Pathways: 10 graduates, 100% completion. |
| Professionals and specialists | Advanced technical expertise and specialization | YASREF AI Program: 31 completed, 200 hours. AI for Sports: 20 participants, 4.8/5 instructor rating. |
| Managers and leaders | Technology adoption, AI implementation and transformation | PIF AI Pathways, leadership: 27 leaders, 4.6/5 rating. PIF Qiyas unit heads: 17 leaders, 94.7% attendance. |
| Executives | AI strategy, technology leadership and strategic decision-making | Tailored on request, built on the AI leadership curriculum delivered for PIF; from the catalog: AI for Leaders. |
See the program: Professional Programs & Micro-Credentials, or the numbers for other programs.