Princess Al-Jawhara bint Fahd, president of Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University of Riyadh, said the giant campus would be ready by the end of next year.

The project was actually meant to finish this year but the deadline was later pushed back by another year.

Princess Al-Jawhara disclosed that the university has achieved 100 percent Saudization in all its administrative departments.

Speaking to Al-Madinah Arabic daily, Princess Al-Jawhara said the university campus, which boasts the first green campus in the Kingdom, will have several unique features as a world-class center of academic excellence and scientific research. It is part of the government’s serious drive to realize the empowerment of Saudi women.

According to the president, the campus will also have the state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities. “These include a high-tech transport system with automatic and computer-controlled vehicles that will act as a link to all important facilities at the campus around the clock. The main highlight of the transport system will be a suspended train service that will facilitate the smooth flow of traffic inside the campus. There will be suspension railway stations connecting various parts of the campus with a suspension monorail operating around the clock,” she said, adding that all the infrastructure projects of the campus have already been completed.

Taking advantage of the energy-saving technology, the campus buildings have been designed in a way incorporating sunlight as a natural source of light. The 40,000 square meters of solar paneling will provide 16 percent of power for campus heating and 18 percent for air-conditioning.

Princess Al-Jawhara stated that the gigantic campus project, which is a key center for inducting new generations of Saudi women into an era of globalization, is expected to cost more than SR22 billion. Located on King Khaled International Airport Road, north of Riyadh, the campus spreads over a total area of eight million square meters, of which the total built-up area is around three million square meters. There are about 40,000 women students at the university at present, and that number matches the total capacity of the new campus. More than 60 percent of the students  are graduates of Saudi secondary schools.

While describing the university as a milestone in the Kingdom’s history, particularly in the history of women’s education, Princess Al-Jawhara unveiled plans to set up an Arabic language institute for non-Arabic speaking students at the campus.

The campus would include administration buildings, 13 faculties, a 700-bed student hospital equipped with advanced facilities, laboratories, research centers and a residential area that includes accommodation for students as well as for academic and non-academic staff.

Princess Al-Jawhara denied reports that the mosque, which is under construction at the campus, is meant only for women. “The mosque is being built at a location with easy access to all faculty members. There are two separate sections of accommodation for girls and families of the university staff,” she said while adding that there would also be separate sports and recreational facilities and health clubs for men and women.

According to Princess Al-Jawhara, there are 972 male and female academic staff at present at the university and the number of faculty members is going up day by day. The university is expecting more students from various parts of the Kingdom and abroad, she said.

Referring to the commercial market and restaurant projects at the university, Princess Al-Jawhara said the Ministry of Finance has been entrusted with the task of awarding these projects and other supporting services to the concerned parties.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah laid the foundation stone for the campus on Oct. 28, 2008. During the ceremony, the king changed its name from Riyadh University for Women to Princess Noura bint Abdulrahman University to honor his aunt Princess Noura, who was the sister of King Abdul Aziz.