King Saud University (KSU) will host the first conference of business colleges in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, which aims to strengthen cooperation between these institutions.

The conference will be held here on Feb. 16 and 17 under the aegis of Prince Muqrin, second deputy premier.

Organized by the KSU's college of business administration, the conference will focus mainly on the role of business colleges in the context of contemporary challenges, said Moaddi M. Almethhib, dean of the college and head of the organizing committee.

Almethhib said Friday that the conference is being organized in response to recommendations of a meeting of the business school's general secretariat of GCC universities, which was held in Riyadh in September 2012, to hold international conferences every two years.

He said the conference seeks to become a distinct academic platform by integrating the knowledge of professionals from the GCC in business and finance.

It aims to provide opportunities for academics and practitioners to contribute research papers and exchange experiences, which would ultimately boost the Kingdom's labor market.

He thanked Prince Muqrin and the Ministry of Higher Education for sponsoring and supporting the conference.