ON Sept. 23, 2009 when Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah inaugurated a world-class university for science and technology in Thuwal, he was not only realizing a dream that was living in his heart for 25 years but was driving home a strong point that the Muslim world has to achieve scientific and technological progress in order to join the league of developed countries.
The opening of a new House of Wisdom in a fishing village, 80 km north of Jeddah, also reflected King Abdullah’s vision and penchant for knowledge. “It is a continuation of what distinguished our civilization in its Golden Age...The Islamic nation knows too well that it will not be powerful unless it depends on, after God, science,” he said while opening the international research university.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is one of the major achievements of Abdullah, who became the king of Saudi Arabia on Aug. 1, 2005, following the death of his brother King Fahd. King Abdullah’s reign has been characterized by a number of important reforms and achievements, which have elevated the Kingdom to an advanced rank among the world’s countries.
King Abdullah has given top priority to education and training of young Saudi men and women and allocated more than 25 percent of the national budget for the purpose. During his rule, the number of government universities jumped from eight to 24, giving students in all parts of the country access to higher education. More than 80,000 Saudis are now pursuing their higher education in reputed international universities thanks to a foreign scholarship program he introduced about three years ago.
King Abdullah brought about a number of reforms to empower Saudi women.
Arab News
