University academics have praised Cabinet approval for the government to cover 50 percent of tuition fees for new students at private universities and appealed to private businesses to “take part in the development of the education process”. “The Cabinet move shows the support from the government for the higher education process and encourages investment,” said Faisal Al-Uqail, head of the Academic Investment Committee at Effat University's School Of Engineering. “It will raise educational standards as the grants are compliant with high quality standards and require universities and colleges to obtain the certificate of approval from the National Academic Evaluation and Assessment Commission.” Al-Uqail said that the ten subjects of study covered by the move are medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, medical sciences, engineering, nursing, information technology, business administration, law, and accountancy. “This will help address those areas in which the Kingdom's labor market is suffering and is particularly important given the renaissance being experienced in all fields as we move towards a knowledge-based society,” Al-Uqail said. Haifa Jamal Al-Layl, President of Effat University, said the move showed the impact that non-government higher education bodies had made in all areas of study. “It will go a long way towards supporting the educational process and through combining everyone's efforts to achieve the goals sought by all,” Jamal Al-Layl said. Both academics noted the contribution from the Construction Products Holding Company (CPC) in funding grants for students at private higher education institutions. According to Al-Uqail, CPC has long been “aware of the importance of private universities and their provision of an outstanding level of scientific studies”. “The CPC set up a fund some time ago for grants to fund students at the Faculty of Architecture at Effat University,” he said. Jamal Al-Layl hoped that other companies in the Kingdom would follow in CPC's footsteps. “We'd like to see CPC serving as a model for all national companies to involve themselves in the education process to support development and produce graduates fit for the great changes the whole world is experiencing,” she said.
