JEDDAH, 22 April 2006 — Two new campuses of King Faisal University are under construction in Dammam and Al-Ahsa at a total cost of SR2.3 billion. The project includes establishment of a university hospital in Al-Ahsa.
Dr. Yousuf Al-Jundan, rector of the university, disclosed this during a graduation ceremony in Al-Ahsa on Wednesday. “We have already awarded contracts to carry out a number of projects for the campuses in Dammam and Al-Ahsa,” he said.
Eastern Province Governor Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd distributed degrees to outstanding graduates. He urged universities to shoulder their responsibility in the country’s development process.
“Universities are not for just issuing certificates. They should play a dynamic role by following up the fast-paced developments in our world and reviewing their academic programs in tune with job market requirements,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the governor as saying.
Prince Muhammad urged young Saudi men and women to stand by the government in its fight against terror. He cautioned them against extremists who try to undermine the country’s security and stability. More than 1,160 students received their degrees during the ceremony.
Al-Jundan said some university campus projects have already been completed while others were under construction. “We have so far awarded 52 percent of the total contracts worth SR2.3 billion,” he pointed out.
The rector said the government has made allocation for the university hospital project in Al-Ahsa in the current budget. The first batch in Al-Ahsa Medical College will graduate after two years.
He also spoke about growing competition in higher education with the arrival of private colleges and universities. The number of public universities in the Kingdom has increased from four to 14.
He referred to the launch of the Prince Muhammad ibn Fahd University in Alkhobar, which is designed to become a world-class institution of higher learning.
The university, which is scheduled to begin classes in September this year, plans to accommodate 5,500 students within the next five years. It will have three colleges for boys: The College of Engineering, the College of Administrative Sciences and the College of Information Technology. There will be two colleges for girls: The College of Administrative Sciences and the College of Information Technology.
Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari, meanwhile, chaired a meeting of the council of Al-Jouf University in Sakaka on Thursday. “The meeting approved the academic plan for the College of Applied Medical Sciences and establishment of a college of dentistry,” SPA said.
The new Al-Jouf University campus, located between Sakaka and Domat Al-Jundal, will have a college of pharmacology. The meeting decided to transform the department of computer science and information into a separate college, the agency said.
Earlier, Al-Anqari met with Al-Jouf Governor Prince Fahd ibn Badr and gave him a presentation of the new university campus and the sports city in Sakaka.
