RIYADH, 25 November 2006 — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah donated SR36 million to the three leading universities in the Kingdom for research studies in nanotechnology, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari said in a statement to the Saudi Press Agency yesterday.

The minister’s statement said, “King Abdullah donated a sum of SR36 million from his personal account for the completion of equipping the sophisticated nanotechnology laboratories at King Abdul Aziz University, King Saud University and King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals at the rate of SR12 million for each.”

Al-Anqari said the facilities would serve as the nucleus for the establishment of advanced institutes of nanotechnology in the three universities where Saudi experts will be trained in this new branch of science.

These institutes will chalk out programs for their partnership and cooperation with international institutes in the field besides attracting international experts and researchers.