Researchers in the Service of the Guests of Allah Award – Second Edition
Towards research-driven innovation that enriches the pilgrim and Umrah performer experience
About the Award
In light of the ambitious Saudi Vision 2030 to welcome 30 million Umrah performers and 6 million pilgrims, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia aspires to harness the latest advancements in science and technology to serve the Guests of Allah. As a pioneering step toward achieving this vision, the “Researchers in the Service of the Guests of Allah” Award is launched in the countries affiliated with the four largest Saudi Cultural Attachés worldwide, namely:
Cultural Attachés
United States of America and includes
(United States and Canada)
United States of America and includes
(United States and Canada)
United Kingdom and includes
(United Kingdom and Ireland)
United Kingdom and includes
(United Kingdom and Ireland)
Australia and includes
(Australia and New Zealand)
Australia and includes
(Australia and New Zealand)
Germany and includes
(Germany, France, and Switzerland)
(Germany, France, and Switzerland)
United States of America and includes
(United States and Canada)
United States of America and includes
(United States and Canada)
United Kingdom and includes
(United Kingdom and Ireland)
United Kingdom and includes
(United Kingdom and Ireland)
Australia and includes
(Australia and New Zealand)
Australia and includes
(Australia and New Zealand)
Germany and includes
(Germany, France, and Switzerland)
(Germany, France, and Switzerland)
Importance of the Award
This award seeks to harness the research and innovative capacities of approximately 40,000 Saudi male and female students at top universities in these countries, as each destination is distinguished by a unique set of expertise and specializations that can be leveraged to develop the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem.
This award comes within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to benefit from the Scholarship Program as a key driver of development and innovation. It will be implemented in cooperation with the Saudi cultural missions in these countries, ensuring effective coordination and the provision of appropriate support to participating scholarship students.
Enhancing research collaboration between global universities and Saudi institutions
Creating an interactive platform for Saudi scholarship students to contribute to the development of the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem
Benefiting from the diversity of research schools and practical methodologies
Transferring best practices in the fields of technology and innovation
Strategic Objectives of the Award
Enhancing integration between educational institutions and field practices
Investing national research capabilities to serve the Hajj and Umrah sector
Linking university outputs with the priorities of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Stimulating applied innovation in pilgrim services
Supporting the sustainability of institutional excellence in the Kingdom within Vision 2030
Enhancing integration between educational institutions and field practices
Investing national research capabilities to serve the Hajj and Umrah sector
Linking university outputs with the priorities of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah
Stimulating applied innovation in pilgrim services
Supporting the sustainability of institutional excellence in the Kingdom within Vision 2030
Main Pillars of the Award
Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
This pillar aims to support digital transformation in the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem through smart technological solutions that enhance efficiency and ease of access to services. This includes the use of artificial intelligence, automation, instant translation, robotics, virtual reality, and smart guidance systems, with the goal of improving crowd management, communicating with pilgrims in multiple languages, and providing instant interactive services.
Community Excellence in Serving Pilgrims and Umrah Performers
This pillar focuses on humanitarian and social non-technical initiatives that enhance the experience of the Guests of Allah through awareness, guidance, quality field interaction, and community empowerment. This includes developing specialized services for sensitive groups (elderly, people with disabilities), enabling volunteers, designing cultural programs that enhance diversity and belonging, and providing personalized services that accommodate the individual needs of pilgrims.
Environmental Sustainability in the Holy Sites
This pillar aims to create eco-friendly solutions that help reduce the environmental impact of the Hajj and Umrah seasons. It includes innovations in renewable energy use, water and electricity conservation, improved waste management, and the application of resource recycling technologies in the holy sites, enhancing the balance between services provided and environmental preservation.
Crowd Management and Public Safety
This pillar focuses on developing smart systems that ensure the safety of pilgrims and efficient crowd management across all sites. This includes predictive and intelligent distribution technologies, early warning systems, route control, emergency and rapid response solutions, and field data analysis to enhance decision-making speed during operations.
Health and Preventive Services
This pillar aims to innovate solutions in digital health and preventive care to ensure the safety of pilgrims. It includes developing platforms for health monitoring, early detection, infection management, providing mobile medical services, and offering digital medical consultations, while enhancing emergency health preparedness.
Logistics and Smart Transportation
This pillar focuses on developing innovative solutions that facilitate the organized and safe movement of pilgrims. It includes luggage tracking technologies, improving transportation services between holy sites, temporary accommodation solutions, supply chain management, and the use of smart transportation systems to reduce congestion and enhance the field experience.
Teras ini memberi tumpuan kepada pembangunan penyelesaian inovatif yang memudahkan pergerakan jemaah secara teratur dan selamat. Ia merangkumi teknologi penjejakan bagasi, peningkatan perkhidmatan pengangkutan antara tapak suci, penyelesaian penginapan sementara, pengurusan rantaian bekalan, dan penggunaan sistem pengangkutan pintar untuk mengurangkan kesesakan serta meningkatkan pengalaman di lapangan.
This pillar aims to innovate business models and support services that enhance financial sustainability and improve the pilgrim experience. It includes developing secure payment systems, suitable insurance services for pilgrims, activating the role of the non-profit sector and volunteers, and creating new funding opportunities for innovative services.
Data Governance and Institutional Integration
This pillar addresses challenges related to data security and system integration across different entities. It includes developing a digital infrastructure that ensures privacy, activating data exchange between governmental and service entities to enhance coordination and service delivery speed, while ensuring compliance with national digital transformation policies.
Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence
This pillar aims to support digital transformation in the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem through smart technological solutions that enhance efficiency and ease of access to services. This includes the use of artificial intelligence, automation, instant translation, robotics, virtual reality, and smart guidance systems, with the goal of improving crowd management, communicating with pilgrims in multiple languages, and providing instant interactive services.
Community Excellence in Serving Pilgrims and Umrah Performers
This pillar focuses on humanitarian and social non-technical initiatives that enhance the experience of the Guests of Allah through awareness, guidance, quality field interaction, and community empowerment. This includes developing specialized services for sensitive groups (elderly, people with disabilities), enabling volunteers, designing cultural programs that enhance diversity and belonging, and providing personalized services that accommodate the individual needs of pilgrims.
Environmental Sustainability in the Holy Sites
This pillar aims to create eco-friendly solutions that help reduce the environmental impact of the Hajj and Umrah seasons. It includes innovations in renewable energy use, water and electricity conservation, improved waste management, and the application of resource recycling technologies in the holy sites, enhancing the balance between services provided and environmental preservation.
Crowd Management and Public Safety
This pillar focuses on developing smart systems that ensure the safety of pilgrims and efficient crowd management across all sites. This includes predictive and intelligent distribution technologies, early warning systems, route control, emergency and rapid response solutions, and field data analysis to enhance decision-making speed during operations.
Health and Preventive Services
This pillar aims to innovate solutions in digital health and preventive care to ensure the safety of pilgrims. It includes developing platforms for health monitoring, early detection, infection management, providing mobile medical services, and offering digital medical consultations, while enhancing emergency health preparedness.
Logistics and Smart Transportation
This pillar focuses on developing innovative solutions that facilitate the organized and safe movement of pilgrims. It includes luggage tracking technologies, improving transportation services between holy sites, temporary accommodation solutions, supply chain management, and the use of smart transportation systems to reduce congestion and enhance the field experience.
Teras ini memberi tumpuan kepada pembangunan penyelesaian inovatif yang memudahkan pergerakan jemaah secara teratur dan selamat. Ia merangkumi teknologi penjejakan bagasi, peningkatan perkhidmatan pengangkutan antara tapak suci, penyelesaian penginapan sementara, pengurusan rantaian bekalan, dan penggunaan sistem pengangkutan pintar untuk mengurangkan kesesakan serta meningkatkan pengalaman di lapangan.
This pillar aims to innovate business models and support services that enhance financial sustainability and improve the pilgrim experience. It includes developing secure payment systems, suitable insurance services for pilgrims, activating the role of the non-profit sector and volunteers, and creating new funding opportunities for innovative services.
Data Governance and Institutional Integration
This pillar addresses challenges related to data security and system integration across different entities. It includes developing a digital infrastructure that ensures privacy, activating data exchange between governmental and service entities to enhance coordination and service delivery speed, while ensuring compliance with national digital transformation policies.
Award Timeline
Submission of detailed project documentation
A prototype or demonstration of the idea