The Colleges of Excellence (CoE) now has 4,500 students enrolled at its 10 campuses around the country, according to the head of the vocational learning institution.

Saleh A. Alamr, chief executive officer and head of the CoE, said here this week that the number includes male and females. Alamr said the second phase of enrollments would take place from Dec. 1 until Dec. 7. The first phase ended on Nov. 18 with the enrolment of 1,200 students.

Applicants must be Saudis or have Saudi mothers and have to pass a general aptitude test conducted by the National Center for Measurement and Evaluation.

“The new entity will be a key element in enhancing the value of human resources in Saudi Arabia and will help build a more skilled and productive national workforce,” Alamr said.

The colleges are staffed by teachers from reputable academic institutions in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The courses are offered free of charge.

The project would play an important role in developing human resources in Saudi Arabia with a dual emphasis on the acquisition of vocational and technical skills coupled with multiple skills valued by employers, said Alamr.

Saudi students can get full information online. “We urge our graduate sons and daughters to hurry up and apply before the end of the first phase,” Alamr said. He said the CoE offers English, information technology, science and communication courses.