RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has announced plans to set up a world-class electronic university in Riyadh that will provide intensive courses to help prepare Saudi students for roles in business and industry as well as research and development.
"Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has approved the plan of the Higher Education Council to open the multimillion dollar Saudi Electronic University, the first of its kind in the Arab world," said Khalid Al-Anqari, minister of higher education, in Riyadh on Saturday.
"The university will offer a range of courses to our students in the field of electronics and its applications," said Al-Anqari in a statement, adding that the growing dependence on electronic devices and appliances has fueled the need for such an institution.
The university, he said, would provide bachelor's and master's degrees besides offering other non-electronics related courses. The cost of the university project has not been disclosed.
"The university, to be operated in cooperation with internationally renowned colleges and universities, will provide electronic education that will be on par with any developed country," said the minister.
The university will have a faculty of financial services, a faculty of computing and informatics, and a faculty of health sciences that will deal with electronics in the health sector as well as other departments related to the growing usage of electronic knowledge in critical support systems and technology.
"We are now so dependent on electronic systems that without them, our lives would be unimaginable," said a Ministry of Higher Education spokesman.
"The Kingdom is one of the few countries in the world where reliance on electronic applications and appliances is increasing fast," he added.
He pointed out that the Saudi consumer electronic devices market alone, including computer devices, mobile handsets and video, audio and gaming products, is projected to grow to $5.5 billion in 2015.
This market projection does not include the usage of electronic products and services in aeronautics, space technology and industry, among others.
"All these sectors are projected to witness sharp growth," the spokesman noted. "In fact, audio systems, PCs and most domestic appliances are controlled by electronics and hence the decision to open an electronic university is a major timely step."
© Arab News 2011
