JEDDAH, 27 January 2007 — Saudi universities will focus on developing skills such as English-language proficiency required by the market, according to Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari.
“Proficiency in English language is one of the basic skills required by Saudis in order to compete in the job market,” the minister said, admitting that Saudi universities were lagging behind in English.
He said King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, King Abdul Aziz University and King Saud University have started enrolling outstanding students from Arab universities in order to promote educational standard and scientific research.
Anqari said Saudi universities are thinking of expanding student exchange programs with the support of other world universities by concluding bilateral agreements.
The minister welcomed investment in the higher education sector. Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA) encourages well-known international universities to open their branches in the new economic cities.
“There is good coordination between the ministry and SAGIA to facilitate investment in higher education,” he added.
He said Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah introduced the scholarship program, which is named after the king, in order to make use of the educational expertise of foreign countries.
King Abdullah has allocated SR10 billion for the program under which more than 18,000 Saudi students have already been sent to American, European and Asian universities for higher studies.
Anqari said preparations were under way to dispatch 7,500 more students to foreign universities under the scholarship program, which is named after King Abdullah.
An informed source at the ministry said the third phase of selecting students for the scholarship program would start shortly, adding that some of these students would be sent to Canada, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Holland and Austria.
Abdullah A-Moajjel, deputy minister for higher education, said the ministry would announce in March new criteria to select students for scholarship. “The new criteria will be more flexible,” he added. The move comes after receiving complaints about the present selection system.
Last Monday, the Council of Ministers decided to provide comprehensive international health insurance cover to Saudi students pursuing higher studies abroad. According to one report, there are 28,516 such students in different universities around the world, including 19,744 on government scholarship.
