JEDDAH: Despite continued Saudization efforts, one-third of all teachers at government colleges are foreigners.

According to a new government report, out of a total of 52,617 professors and teaching assistants at the colleges, 15,977 are non-Saudis, while 4,555 are women.

King Abdulaziz University, King Saud University, Imam Mohammed bin Saud Islamic University and Umm Al-Qura University have the highest percentages of non-Saudi staff, it said.

As for students, 241,879 have enrolled in universities for the coming academic year, out of a total of 306,533 seats.

The Ministry of Education had allocated 153,697 seats for females and 152,836 for males.

Meanwhile, 111,608 applications for the third phase of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Foreign Scholarship Program have been submitted for review.

The program covers scholarships for all educational levels. Students can choose from 479 specialties.

Hundred percent attendance at all lectures of the foreign scholarship forum is a must for candidates to be eligible for the program.