Saudi Arabia on right path in transforming government services, new survey finds
March 20, 2021, 10:57 am

Saudi Arabia on right path in transforming government services, new survey finds

The skyline of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. (File photo)

A nation-wide survey in Saudi Arabia has found that 84 percent of people described themselves as being “somewhat” or “very” happy with the government services they had used in the past two years.

The survey has been carried out by a newly-launched think tank Serco Institute in Saudi Arabia which has been set up to undertake research into public service design, development and delivery in order to help governments create better and more innovative solutions across a range of services for citizens and residents.

Serco is an international public services organization offering in the Middle East workforce services, data and digital asset management.

The think tank’s report, ‘Transformation, digitisation & happiness: Public opinion on government services in Saudi Arabia,’ is the first output from the Serco Institute in the region, with a series of reports and research planned for release throughout the year.

This report outlines findings that in the post-pandemic scenario, people are now more likely to access services digitally.

The survey revealed that service users regard government services as digital (77 percent), attentive (72 percent), modern (79 percent), clear (77 percent) and consistent (76 percent) in the information they provide.

A close relationship was also found between the happiness of residents and citizens, and the quality of government services.

Commenting on the survey results, Engineer Basem Aljedai, CEO Government Innovation Center (Govx Hub), said “We can see that 80 percent achieve citizen happiness through these services, we have to look at the quality of the infrastructure.”

“In the Kingdom, we are proud to say we have a strong infrastructure on which we can build strong services. Citizens and residents can easily access these services from anywhere in the world and have their applications processed remotely, raising the level of their happiness.”

Central to the report’s recommendations is that Saudi Arabia is on the right path as they continue to transform government services. The report outlines that this should be done carefully, using service user insight, the support of the private sector and other external partners.

This is particularly important, according to the research, due to the close relationship between government services, happiness, and trust.

Kate Steadman, Serco Institute Director, said: “Our survey has found that the Government is on the right track when it comes to its focus on increasing digital access. Users want quicker, simpler, and more transparent services. With greater digital access, a focus on Vision 2030, and supported by the work of YESSER (e-Government Program), government services are set to continue to evolve to meet the demands and appetites of Saudi Arabian citizens and residents.”

source: N.P. Krishna Kumar

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”