The new colleges will be established in Tabuk (college of business) Hail (business of administration), Baha (college of computer science and information technology), Hafr Al-Baten (college of business administration) and Asyah, Qassim (college of arts and science).

The two medical colleges will be in Shaqra and Dawadmi under the University of Shaqra and will have departments for basic medical sciences, ophthalmic surgery, maternity and children, dermatology and bone surgery.

The king also approved establishment of new departments at Shaqra and Majmaa universities. A new department for medical education will be established at Umm Al-Qura University as well as at Taif University, Al-Anqari said.

Approval has been given to establish an institute on the history of Arab and Islamic sciences, and transform the Islamic economic studies center in Jeddah's King Abdulaziz University into an institute.

"The king has also approved the memorandum of understanding signed by Madinah Islamic University with University of Technology Malaysia and between Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University and Southern Illinois University Carbondale," he said.