11 centers to give research impetus

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved 11 new research centers at Saudi universities including a health research center at Majma University and another for engineering research at King Khaled University in Abha.
Academics have welcomed the move, saying it would boost the Kingdom’s scientific and technological advancement.
Saudi Arabia has given utmost importance to research and development in recent years, allocating a good portion of budget for the purpose.
Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari said a science publication center would be set up at Dammam University, a volunteer work studies center at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University, a students’ inventions and ideas center at Majma, and a research and studies center at King Khaled University.
Princess Noura University will have a center for teaching and learning while Tabuk University will have an English-language center, the minister said. An olive research center will be established at Al-Jouf University, and a scientific publication and translation center at Hail University.
“The royal approvals include opening of five departments for commercial justice, criminal justice, civil status justice, labor justice and administrative justice at the Higher Institute of Justice at Imam University,” Al-Anqari said.
“This is a very important decision,” said Yasir Bahadur, professor of oncology at King Abdulaziz University’s Faculty of Medicine. He said a number of new medicines are developed after conducting years of research. “We’ll see the fruit of these research centers after several years.”
“This is great news,” said Mohammed Abdussalam, a professor at KAU’s Faculty of Engineering. He said the research centers in advanced countries like US, Japan and China provide researchers with all facilities and encouragement.