RIYADH — Work is in full swing for the completion by November a new Social Sciences College, which will mark the first phase of the SR1.5-billion Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz University coming up at Al Kharj, 64 km from Riyadh.
A visit to the project site highlighted the feverish pace at which the project is being handled by around 600 construction workers of Al-Oraini Contracting Co. Saudi Consulting Services (Saudconsult) is acting as the consultant to the project.
The details were spelled out at a meeting held at Saudconsult’s office at the project site, attended by engineers Atiya Mohammed Atiya, Adel El-Shaaar, U.K. Nair, Mohammed Aleemuddin and Abdul Wahed Jafar.
The launch of the new university named after the Riyadh governor is in line with the initiative of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to promote higher education in the Kingdom as part of a comprehensive program to confront the challenges on the educational front.
Speaking to Arab News, Atiya, the project manager in charge of the Social Sciences College, said what has given a new momentum to the project was the push given by Al-Kharj Gov. Prince Abdulrahman ibn Nasser at a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Higher Education and King Saud University Rector Abdullah Al-Othman.
The Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz University complex is being constructed on a 1.2m sq. meter site. Besides the Social Sciences College, other colleges scheduled to come up under a phased plan include science, medical and engineering colleges. All of the colleges are for men only.
They are in addition to ancillary facilities such as an auditorium, a library, mosque, indoor sports hall, cafeteria and a separate housing complex for married students. A total of six colleges have been planned, each measuring 10,000 sq. meters.
Atiya said the Social Sciences College would accommodate 3,000 students. Admission will be open to Saudis.
Asked if the escalating price of construction material will drive up the cost of the project, Atiya said the inflationary pressure had been factored in at the tendering stage.
