RIYADH – King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and President of the Higher Education Council, has approved several decisions taken by the council in its 71st session, Higher Education Minister Dr. Khaled Al-Anqari said. The decisions included the establishment of three deputy president offices, four support deanships and an Institute for Research and Studies at the Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The SEU will be a distance learning university for advanced technology. Al-Anqari also said the decisions include the establishment of new colleges and dealt with other administrative issues concerning universities. He added, the king had earlier OK'd the decision of the council to establish this university with its headquarters in Riyadh. The decision said the university will have three faculties — the Faculty of Administrative and Financial Sciences with four departments; Faculty of Computer Sciences and Informatics with three departments; and Faculty of Health Sciences with two departments. The faculties will provide various programs, which will be expanded according to demand, development needs and the labor market. Al-Anqari said, “As the university is in the process of being established, it requires the existence of deputy president offices and deanships that will help the university's administration in carrying out work. A detailed study was conducted on the need for the establishment of a number of deputy president offices and support deanships in this university, apart from the establishment of a research and studies institute in the university.” Al-Anqari said royal approval has been issued for the establishment of eight new faculties in various regions of the Kingdom. These include faculty of medicine in the Umm Al-Qura University branch in Al-Qunfudha with nine basic and five clinical departments; Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology in Shaqra governorate, with three departments; Faculty of Science and Health Vocations in Riyadh, an affiliate of King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, with five departments; university college in Abu Areesh affiliated to Jazan University that will have six departments; community college affiliated to Jazan University branch in Baish governorate with seven departments; college of science and arts affiliated to Al-Qassim University at Al-Nabhaniah with four departments; college of science and arts at Riyadh Al-Khabra affiliated to Al-Qassim University with five departments; and college of dentistry in Tabuk University with five departments. The minister said the council discussed the request of King Abdulaziz University to convert the university college branches in northern Jeddah to independent colleges as the number of male and female students in need for university seats is very high in the region, and they acceded to the university's request. The new colleges will include the college of medicine with 21 departments; college of engineering with six departments; college of computers and information technology with three departments; college of applied medical sciences with five departments; Business College with eight departments; science college with five departments; and the community college with three departments. Among the decisions of the council is the go ahead for the restructuring of the Community College in Tathleeth governorate and restructuring of the Faculty of Engineering in Al-Majma'ah University. Several other decisions for various universities were given the nod. — SG/SPA
