Saudi- King approves three new colleges 

(MENAFN - Arab News) Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved the establishment of three new colleges and an institute, Higher Education Minister Khaled Al-Anqari announced Monday.

A college of science and arts would be established in Turaif under the Northern Border University, a college of applied medical sciences at Madinah Islamic University and a college of Shariah and legal systems at Tabuk University.

"An institute of studies and consultancy services will be established at Najran University," the minister said.

King Abdullah also approved the establishment of a sustainable energy technology center at King Saud University and a labor market research center at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals.

The Taibah University in Madinah will have a center for genetic research and hereditary diseases, while the Majmaa University will get a center for engineering research and applied sciences.

Al-Anqari said the king also approved a number of memorandums of understanding signed by Saudi universities with Japanese, South Korean, Dutch, Far Eastern and Canadian universities.

The terms of Abdul Aziz Al-Ruwais and Abdullah Al-Salman, vice presidents at King Saud University, have been extended, the minister said. Other vice presidents who received extension were Muhammad Al-Dossary and Ali Al-Oqla of Baha University.

Ibrahim Al-Obaid and Mahmoud Qadah of the Islamic University in Madinah have been appointed vice presidents for educational affairs and development respectively, while Muhammad Al-Zahrani was named vice president of Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University for international contacts and knowledge exchange, Fahd Al-Kelaibi vice president for development and quality at King Saud University, Fatma bint Bakr Jamjoom vice president for women students affairs at King Saud University, Abdul Majeed Al-Abdul Kareem vice president for higher studies at King Saud Health Sciences University and Muhammad Al-Wakeel vice president for development and quality at Tabuk University.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah said the Kingdom was planning to establish a knowledge society that can compete with others at global level.

"Saudi Arabia has understood the importance of educational development being the main driving force for social progress," Prince Faisal said.

Speaking on the occasion of the second international educational exhibition and forum in Riyadh, he said the event would contribute to transfer foreign expertise and experiments in the field of education.

The five-day exhibition will host about 20 international speakers and more than 100 global firms specialized in education. The forum is titled "Teacher and the transformation to a knowledge society."