The efforts of the university's specialized research institute for Hajj and Umrah help authorities improve the services they provide and better manage their operations.
According to its dean, the institute «has so far conducted 740 specialized studies and trained more than 6,000 trainees.».
Every year, researchers from Umm Al-Qura University conduct studies dedicated to Hajj and Umrah, the results of which are used to improve and enrich the experience of pilgrims during their spiritual journeys.
The work is carried out by the university's Custodian of the Institute for Hajj and Umrah Research of the «Two Holy Mosques.» The dean of the institute, Turki Suleiman A. Alamro, said that it studies current pilgrimage procedures and conditions, collects data on the needs of pilgrims and the services they require, analyzes the data, prepares reports on the work done, and implements new initiatives as needed.
The results of the research it conducts and the database it creates help authorities improve the services they provide to pilgrims and better manage their operations.
«The institute is an exclusive research center,« said Alamro. »To date, 740 specialized studies have been conducted and more than 6,000 trainees have been trained in the field of Hajj and Umrah.".
The university also offers comprehensive medical and administrative courses in addition to volunteer service programs.
«The university has made great efforts in the field of volunteer work during Hajj, providing volunteers with the necessary skills and preparing them in coordination with the relevant authorities,» said Alamro.
«This year we have almost 2,000 volunteers, because the university believes they play an important role.».
Sumaya Al-Sharaf, an associate professor at the university, is responsible for its volunteer activities. This year, she said, about 11 organizations are offering volunteer opportunities, including the General Directorate of Civil Defense, the Saudi Red Crescent, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, and the Health Volunteers Center.
The university provides the use of its campus as a venue for Hajj-related meetings and as a transportation hub. It also develops and provides technological and innovative services through Wadi Makkah Technology Company, an investment company wholly owned by the university. The company actively promotes partnerships between educational and research institutions and the business community, investing in joint projects and supporting research and technical projects aimed at the benefit of pilgrims.
Naila Jad, a graduate student at the university specializing in Hajj and Umrah studies, said: «The specialization in Hajj and Umrah is one of the most important specializations for developing the financial and business sector by annually providing quality services to pilgrims.».