King approves eight new colleges

JEDDAH: Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved a number of projects to strengthen the Saudi Electronic University (SEU), Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari said yesterday.
“The king has approved three agencies, four deanships and an institute of research and studies at the university,” he said. He also approved eight colleges under other government universities.
The newly approved colleges are: college of medicine in Qunfudah; college of computer science and IT in Shaqra; college of science and health in Riyadh; a university college in Abu Areesh; a community college in Bisha; college of science and arts in Nabhaniya, college of science and arts in Riyadh Al-Khobara and college of pharmacology in Tabuk.
Based in Riyadh, the SEU has three colleges: college of administrative sciences and finance; college of computer science; and college of health sciences with different departments, the minister said.
“The Higher Education Council has approved the request of King Abdulaziz University to transform its branch colleges north of Jeddah into independent colleges to accommodate more students,” he said.
The new independent KAU colleges are: College of Medicine; College of Engineering; College of Computer Science and Information Technology; College of Applied Medical Sciences; College of Business; College of Science; and Community College. The Community College in Allaith has been named College of Science and Arts.
The council restructured the College of Engineering in Majmaa University and transferred its computer engineering department to the College of Computer Science and Information.
The council has decided to establish a department of bone surgery at College of Medicine in Umm Al-Qura; two new departments for medical science and dentistry at the College of Dentistry in Zulfi; an educational center for professional development at King Saud University; and a center for training and protection from radiation at King Abdulaziz University.
The king also approved a number of agreements signed by Saudi universities with their foreign counterparts including between Madinah Islamic University and Maulana Malik Ibrahim University in Indonesia; King Abdulaziz University with Korean Institute for Energy Research; and King Khaled University with European Union for Medical Education.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah signed an agreement with the private sector to improve the quality of education. “We are happy to see the initiatives of Saudi businessmen to strengthen the education sector,” the minister said.
Deputy Education Minister Noora Al-Fayez said one of the important responsibilities of educational institutions is to participate in community development and bring changes to the society. The ministry has signed accords with a number of private companies to set up educational institutions.