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In line with Saudi Vision 2030, which emphasizes digital transformation and an economy based on data and knowledge, and in compliance with the directives of the Saudi Data & Cybercrime Authority (SDAIA), represented by the National Data Management Office (NDMO), Najran University is committed to implementing effective data governance practices and maximizing its use as a national strategic asset. Through this initiative, the university aims to enhance data quality, reliability, and ensure its integrated and secure management, which supports operational efficiency, data-driven decision-making, and integration with related government and academic entities.

Given the pivotal role that key and reference data play in achieving consistency and accuracy between various systems and applications, the Data Management Office at Najran University has prepared a policy for managing key and reference data, aiming to organize its management mechanisms, unify its sources, and ensure it is a unified and reliable source of truth (Single Source of Truth).

Key and reference data refers to the essential shared data between various systems and applications that are used to support operational processes, institutional integration, analysis, and decision-making, which contributes to reducing redundancy, improving data quality, enhancing business efficiency, and achieving compliance with the national data governance framework.

The primary and reference data governance policy aims to establish a comprehensive governance and regulatory framework for managing primary and reference data at Najran University, in accordance with the National Data Management Office (NDMO) requirements, ensuring its standardization, accuracy, and consistency across all systems and applications.

The policy also aims to achieve the following:

• Support the goals of Vision 2030 in digital transformation and maximizing data value.
• Unify data sources and identify the approved (Golden Record) version of primary and reference data.
• Enhance data quality by ensuring accuracy, completeness, consistency, and integration between systems.
• Reduce duplication and redundancy in creating, storing, and managing data.
• Enable the secure and reliable internal and external sharing and exchange of data according to national policies.
• Comply with national data governance and management policies and standards issued by Saduya.
• Promote the effectiveness and efficiency of decision-making through reliance on unified and trusted data.

This policy applies to the following:

• All departments and organizational units of Najran University that create, use, modify, share primary or reference data within their systems, operational processes, etc.
• All systems, platforms, and technical applications containing primary or reference data, or dependent upon it, including academic, administrative, and support systems.
• All activities related to the lifecycle of primary and reference data, in accordance with national data management policies, which include:
• Design and Definition
• Creation and Update
• Review and Approval
• Archiving or Deletion
• Sharing and Integration internally or externally

• All individuals and parties involved in managing data, including employees, contractors, technical service providers, and any other parties authorized or accredited to have access, processing, or management rights for the data.

The university’s primary and reference data management policy at Najran University is based on a set of guiding principles that align with the goals of Vision 2030, as well as the national policies and controls for data management issued by the Saudi Data & Cyber Security Agency (SDAIA), represented by the National Data Management Office (NDMO), to ensure data is managed as a national asset, maximized benefit from it, and ensured sustainability and reliability.

Principle 1: Data is a National Asset

The data produced or owned by Najran University is a strategically valuable national asset, and its management, protection, and investment are required to achieve the public interest and support national development goals.

And the university commits to the following:

• Handling data and information as a national wealth that must be developed and preserved according to approved national policies.
• Ensuring the protection of the intellectual property rights of the University’s data, and not allowing its use or sharing with any external party except under formal data sharing agreements accredited according to regulatory frameworks.
• Regarding data products, any external parties wishing to develop products or solutions based on the University’s data must agree in advance with the University regarding the regulation of intellectual property rights, either through the sharing of rights between the parties or by retaining the University’s full ownership rights for those products.

Principle 2: Data Availability

Najran University believes that data availability, in accordance with regulatory frameworks and approved policies, contributes to maximizing the economic and operational value of data. Accordingly, the University commits to the following:

Making available key and reference data internally and externally according to approved levels of authorization, privacy, and security requirements.

• Utilizing data to enhance spending efficiency and improve operational performance.
• Supporting the development of revenues related to data and its products that contribute to the sustainability of university services, in accordance with systems and policies related thereto.

Principle 3: Data Documentation

Najran University is committed to documenting key and reference data systematically and organizedly to ensure it is easily understood and used by beneficiaries. This includes:

• Preparing and updating data documentation (Data Documentation) that clarifies definitions, structures, relationships, and business rules.
• Enabling all business sectors and technical departments to understand and use data correctly and consistently.
• Supporting efforts to integrate systems and improve the quality of analysis and decision-making.

Principle 4: Reducing Data Duplication and Movement

The University is committed to reducing data duplication and limiting unnecessary transfers between systems. This aims to:

• Reduce operational costs associated with data storage and transfer.
• Minimize the risks of data inaccuracy or inconsistency.
• Improving data access speed and processing efficiency, while enhancing the concept of a Single Source of Truth.
• The Fifth Principle: Ensuring Continuity and Sustainability
• Najran University is committed to sustaining its data models and structures to ensure continued value realization from data over the long term.
• And includes the University’s commitments in this regard are as follows:
• Continuous updating of data models, structures, and related standards in accordance with regulatory and technological changes.
• Ensuring maximum benefit from investments in core data management and governance operations.

[1]Promoting the use of data as a shared asset that supports various sectors, achieves institutional integration, and fosters sustainable utilization thereof.[/1]

Najran University is committed to implementing an integrated governance framework for managing key and reference data, ensuring its unification, reliability, consistency, maximizing its benefits, and compliance with national data governance frameworks. Accordingly, the University adopts the following provisions:

• The University commits to establishing a clear and approved institutional framework for managing key and reference data, ensuring its unification and adoption as a trusted source of data at the university level (Single Source of Truth).
• Key and reference data must be accurately identified and classified, with documentation of their characteristics, associated source systems, scope of use, update mechanisms, to be reviewed and updated periodically.
• The University adopts the Golden Record principle to ensure a single approved source for key and reference data, reducing redundancy and inconsistency between systems.
• The University commits to adopting unified standards for managing key and reference data, including, but not limited to: approved definitions, reference codes, data structures, creation, update, and approval rules.
• It must be ensured that technical and functional integration exists between key and reference data and all related systems and applications, which enhances the accuracy, consistency, and reliability of the data.
• The University commits to defining and applying clear mechanisms for managing the lifecycle of key and reference data, including stages: creation, modification, review, approval, archiving, and deletion.
• The University adopts clear controls for governing access to key and reference data, encompassing creation, modification, and use permissions, with roles, responsibilities, and authorities defined according to an approved governance model.
• Update operations must be designed and implemented according to the principle of “change in source reflects on all systems,” ensuring data unification, reducing redundancy, and enhancing institutional consistency.
• The University is committed to providing effective monitoring and control mechanisms (Monitoring & Control) to ensure the quality of key and reference data, its continuous availability, and proactive handling of any deviations or errors.
• The University relies on clear performance indicators to measure the quality of key and reference data, including: accuracy, consistency, completeness, and data freshness, which are measured and reviewed periodically.
• All major and reference data management operations must comply with national data governance frameworks, including the policies and controls issued by the Saudi Data & Cyberlab (SDAIA) and the National Data Management Authority. (NDMO).
• The University is committed to documenting all entities and attributes associated with key and reference data in a centralized data registry approved by the Data Management Office, ensuring easy access and updating.
• Effective integration mechanisms must be identified and ensured between key and reference data, operating systems, and various applications, enhancing institutional data referencing consistency.
• Any changes or additions to key and reference data must undergo approved governance procedures from the Data Management Office, ensuring compliance with regulatory policies and established standards.

[1]All administrative departments and organizational units within the University will comply fully with this policy when creating or updating, or using any key or reference data within their systems or operational processes.

• This policy is reviewed periodically every two years at a minimum, or whenever necessary as a result of regulatory, legislative, technological changes, or the issuance of new national frameworks and policies related to data management and governance.

• All departments and organizational units within the University are committed to fully complying with the provisions of this policy and applying it within their systems and operational processes.
• Compliance with this policy is mandatory when creating, modifying, or using key data, reference data.
• The Data Management Office assumes responsibility for monitoring compliance levels through:
  • Developing performance indicators specific to compliance and data quality.
  • Conducting periodic reviews and compliance assessments of organizational units.
  • Following up on the implementation of corrective measures to address any instances of non-compliance.
• Organizational units are committed to full cooperation with the Data Management Office, providing data and information necessary for review and evaluation purposes.
• In the event of identifying significant or recurring instances of non-compliance, they are reported to the Supreme Committee for Data Governance and Informatics to take what is necessary from directions or regulatory measures in accordance with the approved systems in the University.
• The application of this policy does not affect any other systematic or contractual obligations related to data governance and information security.