Building the Future of Business in Saudi Arabia: Inside MBSC’s Vision with Dean Zeger Degraeve

Edarabia had the opportunity to interview Prof. Zeger Degraeve, Dean of Prince Mohammed Bin Salman College (MBSC) of Business & Entrepreneurship, to discuss the college’s innovative approach to leadership education, its focus on entrepreneurial thinking, and how it prepares students to drive Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Prof. Degraeve shared valuable insights into MBSC’s commitment to shaping future-ready leaders through experiential learning, global partnerships, and a strong foundation in ethics and impact-driven business practices.

1. What is your vision for the school’s future, and how do you plan to achieve it in the next five years?

For a long time, Saudis who wanted top-tier business training had no choice but to go to the US or Europe. At MBSC, we’re ensuring they can stay in the Kingdom while receiving an education on par with the best institutions in the world. The future of business is here. Europe is stagnating, the US remains dynamic, but the Middle East is where the greatest opportunities lie. This region needs a business school that not only meets global standards but is also deeply rooted in its context to develop leaders who will define its future. Our focus is on creating leaders who think critically, act decisively, and create tangible value, It’s about combining knowledge with the interpersonal and decision-making skills required to succeed in complex, collaborative environments. Currently, MBSC offers a range of graduate programs, including an Executive MBA and master’s degrees in finance and management. These programs have already delivered significant outcomes for graduates, with many doubling their salaries within three years of completing their studies. Additionally, MBSC has cultivated a vibrant culture of entrepreneurship, with several startups launched by its alumni making their mark across the Kingdom.

MBSC recently received full institutional accreditation from the National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation (NCAAA)—a rigorous national recognition that affirms our academic quality, governance, and alignment with global standards. Accreditation is not a conclusion; it is an invitation to elevate. It provides the foundation to build new academic pathways, strengthen research infrastructure, and create an environment that rivals any world-class business school.

We are building not just a School, but an ecosystem of learning that mirrors the Kingdom’s ambition: dynamic, future-focused, and globally connected. MBSC will continue to nurture leaders who can navigate complexity, create value responsibly, and contribute to shaping the future of business in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

2. How is the school adapting to the challenges of digital learning and integrating new technologies into education?

Technology has transformed education, but at MBSC we see it as tool for insight, not a substitute for thinking. The challenge today isn’t access to data – its’ judgment.

Our classrooms are laboratories of decision-making, where students use AI, data analytics, and simulation to test ideas and evaluate outcomes. Technology amplifies critical thinking it doesn’t replace it.

Our goal is develop leaders who use technology responsibly, with intelligence, humanity and purpose. Technology should serve us, not to limit or control us.

3. What strategies are you implementing to ensure diversity, equity, and inclusion across campus?

We recruit our students from across industries, regions, and professional backgrounds, ensuring that every classroom becomes a microcosm of the broader economy. This diversity of thought fuels richer debates, more creative problem-solving, and a more realistic understanding of leadership.

Gender inclusion is equally vital. The rise of Saudi women in leadership across both the public and private sectors is mirrored in our programs, where female participation continues to grow each year. We provide an environment where merit is recognized and voices are heard—where students learn that leadership has no single profile or style. Female students percentage in our MiM program is around 45%.

We view inclusion not as a policy but as a practice. It is embedded in how we teach, how teams are formed, and how leadership is evaluated.

4. How are you fostering partnerships with industry to enhance job opportunities for students?

Education and industry must grow together. At MBSC, business leaders aren’t visitors – they are partners in shaping how our students learn and lead.

Since its founding, the School  has educated more than 1,200 graduate students and trained over 2,000 executives, with 97 percent of our alumni holding managerial or senior positions. These outcomes reflect our conviction that leadership is learned through doing, not observing.

Through the MBSC Case Center, we capture Saudi business stories in real time – transforming local experience into global learning. Our graduates don’t just join the market; they redefine it.

5. What steps is the school taking to support student mental health and well-being?

Leadership starts with balance. Leadership education is a demanding journey, intellectually and personally. At MBSC, we believe that forming leaders requires nurturing the whole individual, not just the professional. Because we are a focused graduate and executive institution rather than a large residential campus, well-being here is built through mentorship, reflection, and community rather than infrastructure.

Our campus, located in King Abdullah Economic City and overlooking the Red Sea, provides a serene environment conducive to focus and self-awareness. The scale of the School allows for genuine connection: students and faculty know one another, and that intimacy supports psychological safety and trust. Each cohort benefits from continuous mentoring and coaching, where academic rigor is balanced with empathy and dialogue.

Coaching, feedback, and reflection are built into our programs, helping students turn both success and setback into growth. Well-being here isn’t as add-on – it’s part of how leadership is learned.

6. If you could share one motivational quote on a highway billboard, what would it say?

At MBSC, our mission is not simply to educate for success, but to educate for significance — to develop leaders who act with intention and integrity, and whose decisions create a better future for others as well as for themselves.