Significant government efforts and private initiatives support the national objective of achieving academic excellence and improving Saudi universities, which fared poorly in recent rankings. Educational programs and well-endowed funds have been allocated for research projects at universities and teachers training centers to improve education. This year, we have seen several advances that provide great hope for a better educational system that will equip students with the necessary skills needed to power nation’s development.One novel project is King Faisal University’s Preparatory Program (UPP), designed to stimulate critical thinking, change attitudes about learning and prepare students for success in their university studies. Program faculty comes from the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and South Africa. It is a Western educational program tailored to fit Saudi student needs.