The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) in Saudi Arabia released the research and development statistics for 2023, showing that expenditure on research and development (R&D) increased by 17.4 percent, reaching SAR22.61 billion (around $6 billion) compared to 2022. This increase reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to enhancing its R&D capabilities as part of its Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify the economy and reduce dependence on oil.
Key highlights from the GASTAT report include:
- Workforce growth: The workforce in the R&D field increased by 12.2 percent, bringing the total number of employees to 49,337. This growth indicates a rising interest and investment in R&D careers within the Kingdom.
- Increase in researchers: The number of researchers also saw a substantial increase of 22.1 percent from the previous year, reaching 36,832. This growth is crucial for fostering innovation and developing new technologies.
- Sector distribution: The distribution of R&D personnel shows that higher education employed the largest share, with 37,540 employees (76.1 percent), followed by the private sector with 8,810 employees (17.9 percent), and the government sector with 2,987 employees (6.1 percent).
- Funding sources: In terms of funding, the government sector contributed SAR12.12 billion, accounting for 53.6 percent of the total R&D expenditure. The private sector contributed SAR9.31 billion, while the higher education sector received SAR1.17 billion.
- Expenditure breakdown: The private sector led in R&D spending with SAR8.70 billion, followed closely by the government sector at SAR8.66 billion and the higher education sector at SAR5.24 billion.
- Partnerships for innovation: In a notable development, Saudi Aramco announced a $100 million commitment to fund R&D at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology over the next decade, focusing on areas such as energy transition and sustainability.
These statistics provide vital economic indicators on expenditure and workforce related to R&D in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the Kingdom’s strategic focus on innovation and technological advancement.
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Saudi Arabia’s path to global leadership in R&D
A report released by The Research, Development and Innovation Authority cited Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who stated, “Our ambition for Saudi Arabia is to become a global leader in research, development and innovation with an annual investment equivalent to 2.5 percent of GDP in 2040. This will diversify and add SAR60 billion ($16 billion) to the economy in 2040 while creating high value jobs in science and technology.”
The report offered a detailed overview of the significant progress Saudi Arabia made in RDI, emphasizing the positive advancements in line with its ambitious Vision 2030. It illustrated the Kingdom’s path toward becoming a global RDI hub, concentrating on four national priority areas: Health and Wellness, Sustainable Environment, Energy and Industrial Leadership, and Economies of the Future.
Moreover, the report indicated that the Kingdom achieved its highest historical contribution to scientific publishing, with a remarkable 146 percent increase in publications, totaling 59,016 in 2022 compared to 2018. It also highlighted an 18 percent annual growth in the number of active researchers and a substantial 25 percent annual growth rate in research publications across all subjects from 2018 to 2022.
Furthermore, the report pointed out that the Kingdom’s research was cited 71 percent more frequently than similar publications worldwide, surpassing both global and regional averages. This underscored Saudi Arabia’s commitment to sustainable development and technological innovation while also highlighting its role in shaping a better future and significantly contributing to the global RDI landscape.
