In the presence of Dr Alice Burt, Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy Riyadh
and Maryam Alasmari, General Education Sector Development Senior Director, Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC)
Milestone marks significant progress on King’s College Riyadh in SEDRA, ahead of welcoming its founding students in August 2027
Strategic partnership brings together ROSHN Group’s vision for integrated communities, Cognita’s global education expertise and the 145-year heritage of King’s College UK
RIYADH, 10th September 2026: ROSHN Group, Saudi Arabia’s leading multi-asset class real estate developer and a Public Investment Fund (PIF) company, and Cognita, one of the world’s leading education groups, have marked one year to go until the opening of King’s College Riyadh campus in ROSHN Group’s SEDRA community.
This milestone marks another step forward in the strategic partnership between the two organisations and reflects the significant progress made since the partnership was announced to bring one of the Kingdom’s leading British schools to SEDRA in north Riyadh.
The new campus will welcome the school’s founding students in August 2027, supporting the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030 by contributing to human capability development and creating opportunities for the next generation.
Bringing together ROSHN Group’s vision for creating integrated, family-focused communities and Cognita’s global expertise in education, the collaboration also draws on the 145-year heritage of King’s College UK and the foundations established by King’s College Riyadh in Diriyah over the past six years. Together, these strengths are shaping a school designed to serve generations of families within SEDRA and the surrounding city of Riyadh, delivering a British education that is internationally minded and authentically rooted in Saudi culture, language and identity.
For King’s College Riyadh, SEDRA marks the next chapter in the school’s journey in the Kingdom, building on its established Riyadh community and extending the King’s education to a new generation of students and families.
Speaking about the milestone, Darren Gale, Managing Director, GCC, Cognita, said: “This is a hugely significant moment for ROSHN Group and Cognita, and for the next chapter of King’s College Riyadh. This partnership brings together ROSHN Group’s ambition to create communities where families can live, belong and thrive, with Cognita’s experience of creating the conditions for great schools to thrive. We are also building on strong foundations established at Diriyah and the heritage and authenticity of King’s. At SEDRA, we have the opportunity to bring those strengths together to create something really special for young people and families: an exceptional British education, global in outlook and authentically rooted in the culture, identity and ambition of Saudi Arabia.”
Oussama Kabbai, Group Chief Development Officer at ROSHN Group, said: “As we highlight the partnership between ROSHN Group and Cognita, this event honors the rapid momentum of our shared vision to elevate the quality of life through world-class education. We believe that a truly livable neighborhood requires premium social infrastructure, and this campus is the heart of that promise.”
Dr Alice Burt, Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy Riyadh, said:“The partnership between Cognita and ROSHN Group is a strong example of the continuing ties between the UK and Saudi Arabia, particularly investments in education. Initiatives such as King’s College Riyadh in SEDRA demonstrate how British expertise can work alongside Saudi ambition to create greater opportunities for future generations, while helping to strengthen the long-term people-to-people links between our two countries.”
The milestone was marked at a ceremony celebrating the partnership between ROSHN Group and Cognita and was attended by senior government officials, education leaders, students, parents and partners.
Among those in attendance were Dr Alice Burt, Deputy Ambassador, British Embassy Riyadh, and Maryam Alasmari, General Education Sector Development Senior Director, Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC).
Senior leaders from ROSHN Group, Cognita and King’s College also attended, including Oussama Kabbai, Group Chief Development Officer at ROSHN Group,Darren Gale, Managing Director, GCC, Cognita; Jacqueline Doran, Principal, King’s College Riyadh; and Justin Chippendale, Director of International Schools, King’s College Taunton UK, alongside representatives from the wider education and business communities.
Together, ROSHN Group and Cognita are helping shape the next generation of learners through an educational environment that reflects the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030.
When King’s College Riyadh’s SEDRA campus opens in August 2027, it will welcome students from Pre-School to Year 9 before expanding progressively to Year 13. The purpose-built campus will offer a British curriculum adapted to the Saudi education context, with specialist facilities across science, technology, arts, performance and sport.
For more information, visit: https://kingscollegeriyadh.com/sedra
