Modern Institute of the Capital

The Modern Institute of the Capital is an educational institution in Riyadh City, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On May 28, 2024, the Saudi Council of Ministers approved the transformation of the institute into a nonprofit entity owned by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC).

The foundation of the Modern Institute of the Capital was laid during the reign of Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud in 1935 when he opened the first school in Riyadh, the Princes' School, within his palace. The school provided lessons in the Holy Quran, jurisprudence, monotheism, and the Arabic language to princes. In 1940, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, then crown prince, established a school in the Nasiriyah Palace. Students from the Princes' School, along with his own sons and a few citizens, joined the school, totaling no more than twelve students. It was named the Crown Prince's Sons Institute, later renamed His Majesty the King’s Sons Institute. The institute initially comprised four classrooms and an administrative office.

In 1960, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz ordered the establishment of an independent campus for the institute on a one-million-m plot. In 1965, King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued a decree renaming His Majesty the King’s Sons Institute to the Modern Institute of the Capital. When the institute was fully developed to include all four educational levels—from preschool to secondary school for boys—the Institute of Karimat was established under its administration. This institute operated for twenty-three years before being incorporated into the General Presidency for Girls' Education, which was later merged into the Ministry of Knowledge (currently the Ministry of Education). The institute began in 1940 with fifteen students in the elementary stage and, over the past decades, has attracted students who have served the nation in various fields and assumed leadership positions in the state, including princes from the sons and grandsons of Founding King Abdulaziz Bin Abdulrahman Al Saud. Since 1965 until 2024, sixty-six cohorts of students have graduated from the Modern Institute of the Capital. The institute admits students from nursery and kindergarten through elementary, intermediate, and secondary school levels. In 2023, its total capacity across all educational stages reached 2,300 students.

Among those who have served as directors of the Modern Institute of the Capital are Othman al-Saleh, Saleh al-Bakr, Abdullah al-Madhi, Ibrahim al-Quraishi, Ibrahim al-Qasir, and Adel al-Tukhaim.

The Alumni Association of the Modern Institute of the Capital was established in 1999 with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was then the governor of Riyadh Province. At that time, the institute was directly linked to the Minister of Knowledge (currently the Minister of Education). The association oversaw the development pathways of the institute in both educational and administrative aspects, implementing improvements to the environment, buildings, and facilities. Renovations were carried out for the kindergarten section, a new building was constructed for the elementary section, sports fields were maintained, and a center for the institute’s historical photographs was established. It was also decided that the institute would be treated as an education administration in terms of programs and budget. A project for the development of the institute was prepared and approved by the Minister of Education in 2004. It focused on improving the institute’s administrative and financial conditions and implementing development strategies through interactive teaching methods centered on the student's role. These included cooperative learning, education and critical thinking, creative thinking, self-learning, and integrating technology into education. After ten years, the institute had achieved 75 percent of its objectives. On the seventieth anniversary of its founding in 2010, the association submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Education for a project integrating the educational environment for boys and girls and their facilities with an investment environment. The proposal included a hotel, residential towers, hotel suites, a commercial center, residential units, and a sports city.

The Alumni Association of the Modern Institute of the Capital, in coordination with the Ministry of Education, established the institute’s bylaw, stipulating that it operates as an independent legal entity for a model educational institution providing general education at all levels. The institute applies advanced educational and pedagogical standards governing curricula, administrative and teaching staff, the school system, and support operations. Male and female students demonstrating exceptional abilities are admitted and recruited from various regions of Saudi Arabia. The institute also hosts students from Arab and Islamic countries. It implements scientific curricula in both Arabic and English, offers professional and administrative development programs, conducts supervisory research and studies to enhance teaching and learning processes, and publishes specialized media materials to promote knowledge and awareness.

The proposed bylaw for the institute stipulates the creation of a Board of Trustees representing a supreme authority that outlines the institute's general policies and strategic plans, oversees their implementation, and makes decisions regarding the institute’s affairs.

In 2016, the Council of Ministers decided that the Modern Institute of the Capital would become an independent entity under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, granting it a special status that aligns with its model nature. A portion of the institute's land and buildings would be utilized through the Development Holding Company.

In 2018, the council approved the organizational arrangements for the Modern Institute of the Capital, granting it legal personality, financial, and administrative independence, making it a non-profit entity working under the supervision of the Ministry of Education. The financial resources include state budget allocations, donations, fees for services set by the council, returns from the investment of part of the land and buildings, and any other resources approved by the council.

In 2024, the Council of Ministers approved the transformation of the Modern Institute of the Capital into a non-profit institution, owned by the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC), which is preparing the basic law for the institution.