“We have signed an agreement with Meinders School of Business (MSB) at Oklahoma City University for this purpose,” Saaty told Arab News after talks with Mahmood Shandiz, associate dean of Meinders, in Jeddah on Sunday.
Shandiz also met with KAU President Osama Tayeb and discussed prospects of expanding cooperation between the two universities. Saaty expressed hope that the new sports management program would be introduced next academic year (2011-12).
He highlighted the significance of the new program. “There is a lack of professionals in the Kingdom’s sports sector. We hope that this program will address that shortage.”
Saaty said MSB would also help his college to develop its curriculum to an international standard, achieve international accreditation and set up a system to evaluate faculty members.
COB, which is a new college under KAU, has seven departments: Business information systems, health service and hospitals management, accounting, marketing, law, finance, and human resource development. About 300 students, including girls, will begin studies at the college this year. COB is located close to King Abdullah Economic City and Saaty intends to cooperate closely with KAEC. “Our programs are designed to meet the Kingdom’s job market requirements,” he said.
Saaty thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for giving his approval for the establishment of the Rabigh college. “The college and faculty members will exert maximum efforts to provide world-class education and business programs,” he said.
Spelling out the college’s objectives, the dean said: “We want to create competent business leaders who will have a positive impact on society and contribute to the overall development of the country.”
He also thanked KAU President Tayeb and Vice President professor Abdul Rahman Al-Youbi for their tremendous support to the new college to enhance its quality and performance.
Located along the Jeddah-Madinah Expressway, Rabigh covers about 140,000 square kilometers with a population of 70,000. Apart from KAEC, it houses Petrorabigh, a joint venture of Saudi Aramco and Sumitomo Chemical of Japan.
One of the original industries still in Rabigh is shipbuilding. It relies on materials found locally, except the large wooden plates, which are imported.
The different types of ships built here are used for fishing, an industry still thriving in Rabigh.
