An academic at King Abdul Aziz University (KAAU) in Jeddah has called upon the authorities at the Ministry of Higher Education to reconsider the conditions set for the enrollment in Master's and doctorate programs. Dr. Adnan Muhammed Zahid, Dean of Postgraduate Studies at KAAU, based his appeal on the fact that only about 10,000 students out of some 200,000 who annually graduate from various Saudi universities can enroll in Master's and PhD programs representing a mere five percent of the total number of alumni. “This happens at a time when the Ministry of the Higher Education sends about 20,000 students on scholarships abroad, where the fees can reach double of those in the Kingdom,” said Zahid. He added that the only ones who benefit from the scientific research the students conduct are the host countries. He stressed that an increase of postgraduate studies in Saudi universities would enable graduates to meet the requirements of the local labor market and replace foreign workers. He indicated that the only way to overcome this obstacle is to strengthen universities and increase accommodation for postgraduate studies, rather than relying on foreign scholarships programs. Zaid said the country's progress and development are linked to postgraduate studies, which necessitates striking of a balance between graduates and postgraduates. He said that out of 30,000 male and female students at KAAU this year, only 500 are applying for postgraduate studies. – Okaz __
