JEDDAH, 18 April 2006 — More than 4,500 students of King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh graduated at a convocation held on the university’s premises on Sunday. Awarding the degrees was Riyadh Gov. Prince Salman who congratulated the graduates and wished them every success in their lives.
Among the graduates, 18 received doctorates, 32 fellowships in medicine, 217 master’s degrees, 3,882 bachelor’s degrees and 368 diplomas. The convocation coincided with the university’s 50th anniversary.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Faisal, rector of KSU, thanked the governor for attending the convocation and providing support to the university. He said the university was honored to have Prince Faisal ibn Salman, chairman of Saudi Research & Marketing Group, to speak on behalf of its old graduates.
In his speech, Prince Faisal commended the role played by the university in providing valuable education, direction and guidance to thousands of young Saudis and for developing their skills over the past five decades. “KSU is one of the most reputable and oldest universities in the region,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted the prince as saying.
The SRMG chief recalled the days he spent at the university as a student and researcher. He underscored the efforts of those, especially King Saud and King Fahd, who were behind the establishment of the university and its development into an outstanding academic institution.
King Saud opened the university on Nov. 6, 1957, when then Prince Fahd was education minister. It began with the College of Arts, which had only 21 students, 18 of whom were Saudis. The College of Science later occupied part of the building. Dr. Abdul Wahab Azam was the first rector.
The university opened its doors to girls within four years. They were given admission to the College of Arts and the College of Administrative Science in 1961. A university supervisory committee, including a number of experts and prominent personalities form other Arabic countries was appointed in order to provide counsel.
