JEDDAH, 3 December 2006 — As part of the government’s drive to empower women, a scientific research center will be established in Riyadh with modern facilities for nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology. The woman’s educational center will be the first of its kind in the Kingdom.
The Ministry of Education and the King Abdul Aziz Center for Science and Technology (KACST) signed an agreement yesterday to establish the center, which is to open a new era in women’s education in the Kingdom and help women to make better contributions to society.
In accordance with the accord, KACST will design, build and furnish the new center and supervise its scientific aspects. The ministry will provide 5,000 square meters of land near the buildings of women’s colleges north of the Eastern Ring Road in Riyadh.
The ministry will carry out maintenance of the research center after the completion of its buildings. A joint committee, comprising officials from KACST and the ministry, will be formed to ensure optimum use of the center for research purposes, the Saudi Press Agency said. “The center will focus on advanced technologies and activities that are suitable to the nature of women in the Kingdom. It will have advanced workshops for nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology,” said Prince Turki ibn Saud, vice president for research institutes at KACST.
It will also have facilities to develop industrial products through small companies owned by Saudi researchers and businesswomen.
“The center offers a good opportunity for specialists, especially those who have won master’s and doctoral degrees and full-time researchers and female teaching staff at Saudi universities,” Prince Turki said.
Education Minister Abdullah Bin-Obaid, who was present at the signing ceremony, said the cooperation between his ministry and KACST would boost the Kingdom’s overall development and help women to make better contributions to society.
“The center will provide a conducive atmosphere for women to carry out research works,” said Saleh Al-Athel, president of KACST. Prince Turki and Prince Khaled ibn Abdullah, deputy minister for women’s education, inked the accord.
The center will have a number of applications. Nanotechnology will be used for petrochemicals, water desalination and electronics and other areas. Biotechnology will be applied for medicine, environment, and agriculture while information technology will be used for electronic programs and devices.
The Cabinet has already approved the project as part of the eighth five-year plan that focuses on the empowerment of women, privatization of state-owned corporations, setting up of strategic industries, and the development of mining and tourism sectors.
Prince Turki said KACST had made allocations for the new center last year, adding that it would serve researchers at women’s colleges and Saudi universities.
