National Maritime Academy honoured at Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2025

Innovations within the institution are focused on the pillars of learning & teaching, technology, and systems & processes.

The National Maritime Academy (NMA) of Saudi Arabia won the Marine Technology - Marine Services category at the highly sought-after Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2025 in recognition of its commitment to pushing the boundaries of education through groundbreaking teaching practices.

The institution boasts a range of technology, from a 360-degree full mission ship simulator and virtual welding capability, to a wide range of vocational equipment emulators and training rigs. This technological infrastructure ensures that a wide portfolio of programmes can be delivered and assessed, equipping graduates with not only the skills and attributes for the present but also for the future.

Its simulation suite is one of the most technologically advanced suites in the world and supports learners across industries, from those starting out to those with decades of experience.

The systems and processes utilised at NMA to monitor, support, and intervene where necessary have also leveraged data analytics to produce repeatable algorithms in order to identify patterns of behaviour and make suggestions for support interventions to take place. This has resulted in distinct and timely support for learners to ensure that they reach their learning goals.

In order to achieve these pedagogical outcomes, the NMA faculty has utilised a wide range of models and strategies to engage learners in their chosen discipline. This is cited within the academy’s learning and teaching policy, which encourages faculty to be innovative in their design of learning experiences.

This has resulted in a wide range of learning strategies being synthesised into the learner’s daily classroom routine. Through focusing on learning and teaching, the NMA has been able to embed both technical and meta-skill skill development throughout the learner journey.

“Through adopting innovative practices, the NMA is capable of offering a unique and impactful service to the local maritime industry to ensure that the graduates have the skills, attributes and attitudes to thrive and become the next generation of industry leaders,” it said.

Middle East Technology Excellence Awards 2025 honours the remarkable achievements of both homegrown and international firms in shaping the Middle East’s evolving technological landscape, acknowledging their innovations, strategic growth, and contributions to economic and community development.

The Middle East Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding contributions in pursuit of technological innovation, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].